24 January 2008 - Follow up, Then A Question for everyone
So here is the follow up.....
Governor Matt Blunt announced that he will not run for re-election and yesterday he explained the situation further. I asked the question, who does this benefit?
Well, after a lot of thought and a lot of reflection on many factors. And with a lot of discussion with members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, here is what I have come up with.
This will help the Missouri Republican Party.
Why?
The Republican Party will get a lot of media attention, good, bad and indifferent. You learn in Public Relations 101 that all publicity is good publicity, as long as you go out and spin it in your favor. So unless the GOP finds the Missouri version of Fred Thompson as their candidate, this publicity pushes the Democrat nominee, Attorney General Jay Nixon, into the background.
The first point that many will argue with me is that the GOP candidates will spend all of their money and have nothing left to spend when they take on Jay Nixon. To quote Lee Corso, "not so fast my friend..." The candidates may be tapped out, but the party will come to the rescue and fill up the coffers.
The second point that I have already heard is that a primary process would be self-destructive and would leave the GOP damaged. The example brought up is the Presidential campaign. This would not be allowed to happen. And as Governor Blunt said yesterday, he hopes that a candidate can be picked without a primary. While I think that would be a mistake, it does eliminate this cannibalization argument.
And finally, the self-removal of a successful but yet unpopular incumbent governor allows the GOP to find new energy, new leadership.
That third leg of the poltical stool could be what gives the GOP a bigger slice of the pie in the General Assembly.
As one Democrat told me, this is good news in the short term, but it could be very bad by November.
He does hope he is wrong.
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Among the several reasons given by Governor Matt Blunt for not running for re-election was so that he could spend more time with his family. He has a son who will be three in March, so I understand this. That is a BIG reason why I am here in Jefferson City.
Last night I was talking to my friend Ethan Mayers. I told him about Governor Blunt. Ethan said that he wished Isiah Thomas would spend more time with his family.
So, who would you like to see spend more time with his/her family?
Add you comments here, e-mail, or call the show (866-632-1240).
