Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb.

Just to be clear, I’m not in Texas, so I’ve got no dog in that particular hunt. Pretty much everything I’ve heard about Governor Greg Abbott, however, is that he’s a solid guy.

He’s continued the growth and positive conservatism that was perpetuated for 14 years by his predecessor (and one of my political idols, if there could be such things), Governor Rick Perry (now Energy Secretary Perry).

That’s why it’s so deflating when an otherwise solid conservative leader says something so… dumb.

.@GovAbbott goes shooting after signing bill that reduces handgun license fee. #SB16 #txlege pic.twitter.com/mb0lJye1wN

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) May 26, 2017

Seriously, after doing something awesome (signing a bill to lower licensing fees for handguns), Abbott went target shooting, and while showing his well-pierced target off:

.@GovAbbott shows reporters his target sheet. #txlege pic.twitter.com/tQpPEVzecM

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) May 26, 2017

“I’m gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters,” Abbott reportedly joked.

Don’t get me wrong. The comments alone are pretty mayonnaise. But couple those comments with the climate we’re in today, where the perpetually aggrieved wait with bated breath to dive onto the slightest twist of phrase and foist their victimhood upon us.

"I'm gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters," @GovAbbott joked. https://t.co/ME7X8nbVx5

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) May 26, 2017

Would I be offended by the comment?

Not at all.

Would you?

If you’re here, reading this, probably not.

Would the average, left-leaning reporter, in an age where our president has whipped up a frenzy over “fake news” and has called media the enemy of the people?

Yeah. I’m going to say they, and anyone even marginally left of center could make a lot of hay out of that comment.

Conservative lawmakers and leaders no longer have the luxury of speaking off the cuff.

No, Governor Abbott was not threatening the media. He was being playful, at best, thoughtless, at worst.

It’s not that this hasn’t been going on for years. It has.

Liberals are still stinging over their 2016 loss, but they’ve got a game plan for 2018, with hopes of saving some face and regaining some lost ground.

How do they do that?

Victimhood, of course.

What? You thought they’d try it with superior policies?

They have ramped up their efforts to point at everything conservatives do. They comb over every comment, every subtle nuance of conservative leaders’ day-to-day, and then they blare it out to the world, as proof of the uncouth, destructive nature of conservatism.

And how do I know they’re going to do that, in this case?

Well, I found the story out there, didn’t I?

Think, Governor Abbott (and every other conservative leader).