We are right in the midst of the so-called political “silly season” – that eight week post-Labor Day lead-up to Election Day when everything any politician does has to be viewed through a political prism.
A few observations:
1) Senator Bob Smith – heartily endorsed in this space in August – indeed lost his primary to Representative John Sununu. Why did Smith lose – especially since he had twice as much money in the bank for the primary? The answer must be that Smith’s 1999 departure from the GOP to run for President as an Independent- blasting his party for “abandoning conservative principles” – and then meekly returning just weeks later when a juicy committee chairmanship was dangled in his face – made Smith the laughingstock of the New Hampshire Republican Party.
Bob Smith is a good man – and was a damn good Senator. But many Granite State Republicans were ’embarrassed’ by Smith’s national ambitions. They were the ones – including former Senator Warren Rudman – who urged young Sununu to give up his safe House seat and challenge Smith.
OK, that’s over and done with. For those of you who generously sent donations to Bob Smith because of my on-line letter, thank you! Now we have to rally to Congressman Sununu’s side and help him win this vital seat. He is, by the way, ahead by nine points over left-wing Governor Jeane Shaheen, a Hillary clone. We must keep that seat.
2) Of course the tight race to get control of the US Senate is the key overall race this fall. The House is staying in Republican hands – for certain. But lingering behind the scenes is another key race: governorships that may impact the 2004 presidential race. Specifically, the Big States – California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan. As of today, the Democrats feel they may keep California, re-take Michigan and Pennsylvania, and make Republican Governors in Florida (Jeb Bush) and New York (Pataki) sweat – and spend money.
These states are crucial in the 2004 Electoral College count.
Of course California – which went heavily for Gore in 2000 – is the Big Enchilada. Governor Gray Davis is very beatable but his GOP opponent, Bill Simon, Jr., has run a weak campaign so far. But he is still ‘in’ the race; anything could still happen.
The Democrats have their eye on an even more ‘sexy’ taget: Jeb Bush. They feel that if they could knock one Bush off this year, then in 2004 the older brother will also be vulnerable.
Keep your eye on these Governorships – especially Florida. That is the Democrats’ Biggest Race this year.
3) Fox’s announcement that its FX cable channel is going to stage an American Idol-type television contest to pick a new Presidential candidate in 2004 is a total joke.
Politics is serious business. It should not be reduced to some phony contest. War, death, safety and security are serious topics that shouldn’t be MTV’d into sophomoric television.
Prediction: This show will go nowhere. FX is difficult to find and there won’t be enough audience for it to be a big hit. Sure, the media will give it some attention – but let us not demean serious political work by making a game show out of it.