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“Nathan is probably too loyal to snitch on all the crooks he knows. But I wish he would.”
“F@#k ‘em all. Hang ‘em high. Our party would be better for it!”
Mr. Combest’s quotes were taken from his blog and this Southeast Missourian article on the rise and downfall of disgraced lawmaker Nathan Cooper.
Combest is a Republican “blogger” and senior team member for the Vandiver Group PR firm headquartered in St. Louis. Prior to this position, he served in the final six months of former Sen. John Ascroft’s term as a low level staff person in the St. Louis district office.
These disturbing quotes from his blog, if you’re a Republican, are just the latest in a long string of quotes by Mr. Combest disparaging his own party and its leaders. He even admits to it in this August 30, 2006 blog entry:
“But my friend was right — I don’t spend enough time pointing out the good things about the Blunt administration.”
Insiders tell the Missouri Political News Service, that Combest’s anger against party officials, stems from his advice being ignored in 2005 by party leaders when they were considering starting a competing blog to the then popular FiredUp Missouri. A well placed Republican operative gave us this quote:
“Look, John started something that was unique in Missouri politics at the time, a one stop shop for all political headlines. He should be commended. But, it is ONLY headlines! How can you with a straight face, accuse another site of plagiarizing your headline clipping service? To compete with Temple, we felt we needed expertise and advice that was beyond his capabilities.”
In this March 22nd, 2007 entry Combest writes:
“About a year ago, rightmissouri.com was terminated, a mere nine months after it was conceived — a late-term abortion we can all endorse. (Thankfully, the Missouri Republican Party still provides a link to the non-existent site. Surprised? Me neither.)”
“Maybe if I had run campaigns against Roy Temple, I’d get all emotional about him too. But I was 14 years old in 1992, the year Hancock lost his first Secretary of State race and Temple got Mel Carnahan elected governor.”
He says later in the entry:
“…Far from me to think that John Hancock needs to take advice from anyone, much less me. He is probably the state’s top Republican consultant, and certainly the top consultant that the local media identifies as a conservative. And his price tag shows it — his consulting and polling operation was paid about a quarter of a million dollars to push last November’s failed 470% tobacco tax increase.“
We received an email from a St. Louis Area Young Republican Club member who expressed shock at Combest’s comments in the Southeast Missourian. They asked that we withold their identity:
“What was John thinking! With Koster’s defection and Nathan Cooper going to prison, the last thing our party needs at this time, is a high profile Republican calling for Republican leaders to got to jail. Instead of trying to foster unity in these difficult times for Republicans, it looks like he’s more interested in seeing his name in the newspaper.”
The Missouri Political News Service will continue to investigate.
0 responses so far ↓
1 Sen. Joe Biden DE (D) // Aug 13, 2007 at 9:36 am
John,
I don’t see anything wrong with you taking one, two, maybe three ideas from the Drudge Report. Oh hell! You stole the entire concept from Drudge! Don’t worry Johnny, there’s hope for you son. A broken clock is right twice a day!
Your brother plagiarist,
Joe
2 SE Missourian // Aug 13, 2007 at 11:55 am
Yeah, screw you Combest for suggesting we stop corruption within the party, and state level government.I believe thats what the party needs is more deception… then we’ll be successful in 08!
3 Paul Ground // Aug 13, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Gee, I hate to get into any internecine warfare, but I must say that John Combest’s claim that Nathan Cooper is “too loyal” to rat out others is like saying Bill Clinton is too traditionally moral to have oral sex in the oval office. Cooper was a bit of a sleaze from the get-go. He was always one of those guys who, when he shook your hand, made you think the other had should be on your wallet. Ambition is no stranger in politics, but there are always some who are less blatant about it, and maintain at least a veneer of public service. Nathan was always about Nathan. He always will be.
As to John Combest, I don’t know what his issue is. He always seemed like an ok guy to me, but folks, surely everyone, someday, has to grow up. If John is putting out poison-pen baloney because he wasn’t treated like Carl Rove or Matt Drudge, then it’s time for him to grow up too.
John being so young and all, he wouldn’t remember when John Hancock did door-to-door in a state rep campaign in 1982 that I managed. Apparently Mr. Combest was 4 then. He wouldn’t remember when John Hancock learned his political craft not only in school, but from Paul Degregorio, who learned a considerable part of his from Roy Pfautch. Lemme know, Mr. Combest, when you have those sort of roots in the party. Then we’ll talk.
The point is this. Mr. Combest is a bright guy with some ability. He’s not the only guy with any ability. Like many guys his age (guys, in this sentence, being asexual) he thinks he knows everything and invented politics. In fact, Mr. Combest and Mr. Cooper are not without similarities.
There’s lots of new technology in grass roots politics today, and Mr. Combest knows something about some of it. But fundamentally, Combest lacks the background, roots, experience, record, proven devotion, cooperativeness, and leadership qualities possessed by a number of Republican operatives in Missouri including John Hancock. And his whiny, my-way-or-the-highway attitude does not lead one to anticipate immediate improvement.
John, I understand the Koster campaign has lots of money and is looking for staff. . .
4 Jackson // Aug 13, 2007 at 8:45 pm
The fact that this website is a farce run by a couple of malcontents who in turn attack a guy who has actually done something compared to their nothing is laughable. Combest was wrong about Hancock on many levels but you got to admit he has a point on questioning Hancock’s support of the tax increase. Didn’t make sense especially when you consider that David “Who can I mislead and make a lot of money doing it” Barklage was involved. Hancock should know better than get involved with the likes of Barklage.
5 Jackson // Aug 14, 2007 at 7:46 am
Don’t like what I say that’s fine but be man enough to give a real response instead of hiding behind “he is really John”. Oh, I forgot, I’m writing to guys who aren’t men enough to live up to their obligations.
I have known Combest since he was a youngster and would still take him over the jokers that run this site any day. At least he is productive and responsible.
6 JDA Republican // Aug 14, 2007 at 8:28 am
John Combest, What a joke! His bio on the Vandiver Group website states he was a senior advisor. For whom? Not Senator John Ashcroft. If your only paid political job was being a Field Rep for six months, seven years ago….that does not constitute you as a senior advisor. It means you are a hack! He really sold the Vandiver Group a pile of s#$t!
Hey Mr. Republican try attacking a few Democrats and thanking our valuable senior members of the GOP, like John Hancock. Do you realize your cherished six month tenure with Sen. John Ashcroft as a low level staffer would not have happened with out John Hancock’s brilliance in the 1994 election when you where five years old!
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