Ranting On...Alison Lundergan Grimes and Political Stupidity

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D-KY)

I'm just going to say it.  Sometimes, I struggle with being a yellow dog Democrat.  There are times when people do things that are not illegal or wrong, but just plain politically stupid.  And it bothers me too, regardless of party.  I probably still end up voting for them because it's a politically-stupid gaffe and not one that is egregious in their voting record, but don't think it doesn't bug the hell out of me.  That was my thought process when I watched the nails-on-the-chalkboard video of Alison Lundergan Grimes declining to answer how she voted in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections (and no, I'm not linking to it but it's very easy to find on the web if you want a reference point).

Listen, I know that Grimes doesn't want to remind people that she and Barack Obama are from the same party-really, I get it.  Obama hasn't been my favorite person lately either-the bungled launch of his plan against ISIL is one on-top of a number of small issues that have stuck in my craw (he is not immune from the "Democrats who do things that make me shake my head" sentiment).  However, you need to at least admit to voting for him.  You can say that you voted for him, but that doesn't mean that you endorse all of his policies.  You can tell people he's not on the ballot, you are, and that when you go to Washington you aren't just going to spend your entire time trying to sabotage him, but trying to find common ground that will be what's best for Kentucky.  You can point out that the Republicans want to make you think that this is a referendum on President Obama, but he's out of there in two years and you're the sort of candidate, unlike Mitch McConnell, who can actually work with both sides since this is for a six year term.  It's an easy answer.  I just came up with it this second, and I don't have elected experience and millions of campaign dollars and a team of advisors backing me up.  And you know what would have happened if you gave it?  FOX News would have played the clip a couple of times and the hard right who is never going to vote for you to begin with would taunt you a bit more, but you would have come across as genuine and real to the swing voters that you're trying to please, a factor which is what you have (excuse me, had) going for you.

But instead you punted.  You refused to answer a question we all knew the answer to, and as a result you lost.  This may have been a gotcha question, but this wasn't an unwinnable situation-everyone knows you're a Democrat, you might as well have embraced that fact and talked about how you can work with both parties.  Michelle Nunn nailed a similar sentiment in her debate with David Perdue earlier this week.  This isn't rocket science.  By doing this you had Chuck Todd (on MSNBC) lambasting you and saying you're unfit to be a senator (this is a body that regularly gives Jim Inhofe a paycheck, so think about that for a second).

And you know what the absolute worst part about this is-this problem isn't going away.  Any journalist worth his or her salt is going to come after you with this question until you give a definitive answer in a far more public way than if you had just answered the question to begin with.  You're going to have to not only tell them that you did vote for the President, you're going to have to explain why you didn't just answer the question (and I hate to break it to you, but that is the unwinnable situation here).  Plus, you've now opened up every other red-state Democrat to have to answer the question because you were so accurate toward it.  Plus, that poll early this week where you were leading Mitch McConnell is now a distant memory.  There's no hope that you'll win this seat because you tried to play a political game with a Bingo free space question.  I won't go so far as to say you're unfit to serve in the Senate (this is, after all, a body that gives Jim Inhofe a paycheck so the price of admission is pretty low), but I hate it when politicians, who are essentially paid to have opinions, don't share those opinions.  It's like when Mitt Romney said he wouldn't tell people his plans until after he was elected.  It's like when Sarah Palin wouldn't admit what newspapers she read.  It's equally as stupid.

So Alison, I have championed you throughout this entire year, I really and truly have been hoping you pull off this upset, and I truly do hope that by some miracle you win, because it would take a lot worse than this to make me cheer for Mitch McConnell, but I'm no longer hopeful for your campaign and question whether we should give you such a high profile nomination again.  Politicians frequently have to avoid the truth, but they don't have to be stupid about it.  And that's what you just did.  In front of a camera.  In a tossup Senate race.  With the majority on the line.  25 days before the election.