home

Arkansas Dem. Party Chair Killed in Shooting

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 04:59:08 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Bill Gwatney, 49, Chair of the Arkansas Democratic Party was shot and killed today at the party's headquarters. The lone gunman is dead.

More details here.

< More Tuesday Night Speakers Added to DNC | A Sentencing Opinion Invoking Lord Denning and Dostoyevsky >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Arkansas Dem. Party Chair Killed in Shooting | 37 comments (37 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    Very sad (5.00 / 5) (#1)
    by americanincanada on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:02:38 PM EST
    I hope we come to know why the gunman did it.

    There was a lovely joint statement from the Clinton's.

    So sad. (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by indy in sc on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:03:36 PM EST
    Little is known right now.  Senators Clinton and Obama and others have released statements.

    Crazy. So sad. n/t (5.00 / 0) (#3)
    by Valhalla on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:12:37 PM EST


    May he rest in peace. (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by scribe on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:14:03 PM EST
    This is undeniably sad.

    But, life being life and crazies crazies, I suspect it's not the last such incident we will see.

    RIP. (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:15:11 PM EST


    What a terrible tragedy. (5.00 / 2) (#8)
    by Radiowalla on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:17:00 PM EST
    What terrible times these are.

    May peace come to his family and to all who loved him.

    tragic (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Little Fish on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:18:35 PM EST
    My thoughts go out to his friends and family. RIP.

    This is horrible news! (5.00 / 2) (#13)
    by JimWash08 on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:23:56 PM EST
    Sending good thoughts and prayers for comfort to his family and friends in this time of great grief.

    Here's a piece from an AP story. Gwatney was very close to Bill and Hillary Clinton.

    Gwatney, a former state senator and a Hillary Rodham Clinton superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention this month in Denver, had served 10 years as a state senator.

    Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, issued a statement calling the 49-year-old Gwatney "not only a strong chairman of Arkansas' Democratic Party, but he is also a cherished friend and confidante."
    At least we still lead the world... (5.00 / 0) (#14)
    by Dadler on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:24:20 PM EST
    ...in the lone crazed gunman category.  Who says we don't manufacture anything in this country anymore?  

    Sad and tragic and, even sadder, always par for the American course.

    How senseless (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by JavaCityPal on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:33:41 PM EST
    I was watching the breaking news on the shooting earlier when his condition was listed as critical, and they were looking for the truck. Sure wish the police could have found a way to capture without killing the suspect. Now the reason behind the act will be so difficult to know.

    My heart is with the family as they begin some very difficult days, weeks, months.

    I hope not (5.00 / 0) (#21)
    by Joe Bob on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:40:07 PM EST
    I hope we're not seeing the beginning of an ugly pattern. It occurred to me that this incident comes a mere two weeks after another 'lone gunman' killed three people at a Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville. The killer said he chose his target because he hated "liberals and gays."

    Beginning? (none / 0) (#23)
    by kdog on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:45:50 PM EST
    I don't know Joe Bob...sickos have been killin' the target of their sick hatred since forever.

    Parent
    Guns make the news (5.00 / 0) (#25)
    by Fabian on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 06:01:01 PM EST
    Gay bashers, child abuse and domestic abuse rarely do unless the story goes against the conventional narratives like "Woman kills husband, abuse alleged.".  That gets the headlines.  

    The thing that always bugs the sh!t out of me is how everyone suddenly is all interested and concerned about the perp after the fact - when it won't do a bit of good.  Occasionally some good comes of it, like proactive policies in schools, but mostly people point accusatory fingers in all the wrong directions.

    Parent

    Terrible (5.00 / 0) (#22)
    by Steve M on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:43:26 PM EST
    I hope this was not a political act.

    Lost his job (none / 0) (#37)
    by oldpro on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:20:24 PM EST
    according to someone I heard on the telly...

    Parent
    Yeah (none / 0) (#44)
    by Steve M on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:40:49 PM EST
    but that could mean he blames Democrats for whatever cost him his job, or it could mean he lost his job at one of the victim's car dealerships, or any number of things really...

    Parent
    Quite right. (none / 0) (#48)
    by oldpro on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 08:14:48 PM EST
    Didn't mean to imply that I knew what it meant.

    I don't.

    Parent

    PssttCmere08- I have asked you repeatedly (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by samtaylor2 on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 06:19:15 PM EST
    And I believe respectfully to stop rating my comments.  As you don't like my ideas, as you consistently give me a 1 (I don't have any idea in this case why), please be polite enough to tell me why.  Otherwise it is a guttless, anonymous attack.

    commenters who rate others a "1" (none / 0) (#35)
    by Jeralyn on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:01:44 PM EST
    for point of view will have all their comment ratings deleted.

    Parent
    I've never understood the ratings... (none / 0) (#38)
    by dutchfox on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:26:19 PM EST
    system, don't participate. If I disagree (or agree) with a person, I'd rather say it than use an easy numbering system.

    Parent
    Sam, what happened to your comment? (none / 0) (#40)
    by JavaCityPal on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:32:50 PM EST
    Was it deleted?


    Parent
    They were deleted along with other commens (none / 0) (#41)
    by samtaylor2 on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:37:55 PM EST
    They no longer made much sense.  

    Parent
    sad indeed (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by DandyTIger on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 06:31:43 PM EST
    and not a lot to say. I hope we can find out the motive some day, though since the killer dead we may not. The timing is obviously suspicious, but mental illness is more likely I'd guess.

    that is unfortunate. (5.00 / 0) (#36)
    by cpinva on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:15:02 PM EST
    i first heard he was in critical condition, was praying he'd pull through. my condolences to his family and friends.

    give the AR republicans credit, they put out a class statement upon receiving word of the incident.

    OT: i really don't give two rat's patooties about ratings of my posts; they are what they are, take them or leave them. if given a 1, somehow, i will reach deep down, and find within myself the means and will to carry on! :)

    What class statement? (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by wasabi on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 09:08:04 PM EST
    REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN DENNIS MILLIGAN:

    It is with great sadness that we have learned of the tragic death of Democrat Party Chairman Bill Gwatney.  He was an admirable Arkansan and gave so much to this state and his party.

    Classy?

    Parent

    Sad, indeed (5.00 / 0) (#39)
    by dutchfox on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:27:30 PM EST
    R.I.P.

    Don't (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by tek on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:38:29 PM EST
    understand why people who are upset over Republican economics are shooting Democrats.  Too sad.

    R.I.P (5.00 / 0) (#50)
    by LatinoDC on Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 08:33:46 AM EST


    Remember When Hillary's Campaign Office (none / 0) (#4)
    by flashman on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:13:38 PM EST
    was invaded by a crazed gunman?  This story bring back those memories.

    Durham, NC?? (none / 0) (#11)
    by JavaCityPal on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:21:43 PM EST
    Are you talking about the drive-by shooting attack on the Durham, NC campaign office?


    Parent
    I Think It Was (none / 0) (#15)
    by JimWash08 on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:25:46 PM EST
    in New Hampshire, right before the Primaries there.

    Parent
    Ugh, Bad Memory (none / 0) (#17)
    by flashman on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:30:40 PM EST
    I had to go back and find the story.

    Last November, a distraught man wearing what appeared to be a bomb walked into a Clinton campaign office in New Hampshire and demanded to speak to the candidate about access to mental health care. A hostage drama dragged on for nearly six hours until he peacefully surrendered.


    Parent
    Oh, how sad. (none / 0) (#7)
    by pie on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:15:18 PM EST
    Why?

    He (none / 0) (#43)
    by tek on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:39:37 PM EST
    said he lost his job before he shot him.

    Parent
    Well said... (none / 0) (#20)
    by kdog on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 05:34:41 PM EST
    sam...unbelievable.

    One could also ... (none / 0) (#28)
    by Robot Porter on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 06:22:32 PM EST
    discuss gun laws.

    But few politicians will use tragedies like this to discuss gun laws.  Or healthcare.

    They'd rather blame video games or something equally inane.

    Sigh.

    and praise the police in (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by sancho on Wed Aug 13, 2008 at 07:41:26 PM EST
    obama's case.

    Parent
    Arkansas Dem. Party Chair Killed in Shooting | 37 comments (37 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment