Ward wants nada for kids, says nada on noose for McCain

State Sen. Kelli Ward, a possible Republican challenger for Sen. John McCain, still hasn't answered the question a few of us had about her being at a gathering in Tempe where one of the speakers said McCain should be hanged as a traitor.

But she has spoken out about the legislature's decision to dump 1,600 families — including more than 2,700 children — from the state's federally funded welfare program in July.

Of that she has said, "I tell my kids all the time that the decisions we make have rewards or consequences, and if I don't ever let them face those consequences they can't get back on the path to rewards. As a society we are encouraging people at times to make poor decisions and then we reward them."

So, it's okay that the "consequences" for a parent being unemployed or underemployed is that we starve their children?

Apparently, that plays well to the fringe elements of the already far-right fringe of the Republican party, as does the comments made at the Tempe meeting of a group called the Oath Keepers. Founder Stewart Rhodes was upset about how the Ron Paul delegates were treated during the 2008 Republican Convention -- the one in which McCain was selected as the party's presidential nominee.

In a video of his comments he says of that process, "John Cain (Yes, he dropped the Mc from the senator's name) is a traitor to the Constitution. He should be tried for treason before a jury of his peers — which he would deny you, he supports your denial of a jury trial, he supported the NDAA saying that he could just have the president slam you into a brig in North Carolina or South Carolina or wherever else he wanted to, try you by military tribunal and have you executed. He would deny you the right for trial to jury, but we will give him a trial for jury, and then after we convict him, he should be hung by the neck until dead. But that was their candidate!"

Republic reporter Dan Nowicki has asked Ward what she thought of the comment, since she was there and said nothing about it at the time. (Neither did Biggs,) I also have sent word through Ward's office seeking some comment but have gotten nothing.

On the other hand, if you're a believer in actions speaking louder than words maybe we have our answer.

Ward was among the featured speakers at a Kingman event called "Freedom Fest."

Another member of what organizers called "a lineup of world-renowned speakers to share their messages of Liberty" was none other than the Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes, the guy who thought McCain should be "hung by the neck until dead."