Go Republicans! Fight it Out!

BlogCCP has a great post today about a new Missouri gubernatorial poll. In a nutshell, Jay "Not My Favorite, But I'll Settle" Nixon stomps both Kenny "Matt Blunt's Equally Evil Twin" Hulshof and Sarah "No Nickname" Steelman, but Steelman comes 7 points closer than Hulshof.

Gotta like our chances in this race, especially if Hulshof gets the nomination.

Killing Kids and the Politics of Desperation

Matt Blunt is getting desperate, as he sees his once-bright political career ending as a single-term Governor who couldn't even thrive with an insanely partisan Republican legislature.

Going to the Republican playbook, he flipped to the Chapter entitled "Talk Tough On Crime - But Not White Collar Crime". Because he's been doing so badly in the public's eye, he decided to try to contrast his form of corruption with the lowest of the low - sex criminals. Even better - sex criminals who rape children!

Perfect! You cannot offend anyone by being tough on child rapists! It's foolproof!

On Thursday, Matt Blunt issued a call for the death penalty for child rapists.

Then he sat back waiting for the adulation that ought to come for a strong response to one of the most despicable crimes imaginable. True, some might complain that he's been in office for more than three years, and he's kind of late to realize that child rape is bad, but he could explain the delay away by claiming he accidentally deleted the emails about it. True, some people might view it as a little pathetic that our boy governor needs to reach so low to find someone with less popularity than him, but these are tough times.

So, in the deafening silence that resulted from his bold, politically courageous stand against child rape, who can blame him for the blank, confused expression that took over his face. Who can blame him for being shocked that instead of hearty applause and enthusiastic slaps on the back, people averted their eyes, or rolled them?

Finally, somebody leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Umm, Governor, they'll just kill the kids."

"What?!"

"If you give the death penalty for child rape, the rapists will have an extra incentive to kill the kids. Why leave a witness - often the only one?"

"You mean that my attempt to score cheap political points could mean that kids could get killed?"

"Exactly, Governor."

"Too bad. I need to look tough, so people will stop talking about how I lied about emails and fired Eckersley. If a few kids have to die, so be it. It's all about the polls . . ."

Such is the state of Governor Blunt these days. Let's hope he can't do too much more harm before Governor Jay Nixon takes over.

If You Can't Say Something Nice, Don't Say Anything at All

As longtime readers know, I'm not a huge fan of Jay Nixon. Indeed, the titles of my prior writings on him do a pretty good job of conveying my feelings on the subject. But, like it or not, he's the guy running against Matt Blunt to be Missouri's governor, and it is absolutely beyond dispute that he would be a better governor than Matt Blunt.

This is the part of politics I don't like - being faced with a candidate I don't like running against a candidate I despise. It's the flipside of how I felt about the recent KC Mayor's race - I had a strong favorite running against a man I admire.

But, I'm a 95% loyal Democrat, and I definitely want Nixon in the Governor's Mansion. But I still have trouble saying nice things about him without taking a shower soon after.

That's why this news is so gratifying. Nixon is whipping up on the incumbent by a margin of 57-38, winning every part of the state. Even the Ozarks region is supporting Nixon by an astonishing 9 point margin.

This is good news for me. Not only are we likely to get Blunt evicted from the Governor's Mansion, but it looks like it won't even be much of a race. I'll be able to remain silent about it, and not feel obligated to write much about Nixon. Since I have trouble saying anything nice about him, it will be nice not to say anything at all.

Quandary

I just got an invitation to a fundraiser for Jay Nixon at Boulevard Brewery. Hmmm. The state's least appealing democrat at the state's most appealing brewery.

I've stated my feelings about Nixon here, here and here.

I think I'll stay home and drink my homebrew.