When Democrat Troy Jackson and Republican Bobby Charles threw personal insults at each other during a recent debate, it was just too rough for the dainty Portland Press Herald.
The paper’s political columnist reports that the debate’s mudslinging tone failed to uphold Maine’s “national reputation for robust, elevated state politics.”
Steve Collins went even further, fawning over Angus King for having waged gubernatorial and U.S. Senate campaigns “that honored the state’s traditions and decency.”
That’s absolutely laughable.
Angus has a record of just the opposite. You can look it up, as Yogi Berra would say.
King is noted for having called gubernatorial opponent, Democrat Joe Brennan, 60, a mummy in a campaign ad when they ran against each other in 1994.
A mummy.
“Decency?”
That would be the same Angus King who pushed his way into the 2012 Senate race by elbowing out Democrat U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who was the heir apparent looking for a promotion to the upper chamber.
Angus made a deal behind Chellie’s back with members of her own party, promising that even though he were running as an independent he would vote with the Dems if they’d send him to Washington.
“Decency,” in the words of Steve Collins.
When Susan Collins was running for re-election to the Senate in 2020, King pretended he was neutral but used his wife put up an ad saying she was fully supporting Collins’ opponent, a Democrat.
“Decency – Angus King.”
In his column, Steve Collins never mentioned the “decency” of Democrat William Hathaway, who defeated Republican Margaret Chase Smith in the 1972 Senate race after going around suggesting she was too elderly at 74 for reelection.
“Decency.”
Or when Democrats started a whisper campaign about their own gubernatorial hopeful Mike Michaud’s sexual preferences before the 2014 primary – and blamed Republicans for outing him.
Though Michaud became the Democrat nominee, by then he was damaged goods, losing to the Republican Paul LePage.
A third candidate in that race “independent” Elliot Cutler, became the secret face of “decency” gone awry, as we since have learned. The later-convicted pedophile was engaged in pornography even then, as he now has admitted.
Decency “2.0”
A mudslinging debate may not delve into policy but let’s be real – Maine politics have never been any different than they are in any other state, big or small.
The other thing is, mudslinging creates public interest in political campaigns, which otherwise are dry as the desert.
The unfortunate collateral result may be hearing something about policy. (LOL).
Let’s hear it for more mudslinging – a Maine tradition that apparently comes as a surprise to the leading columnist for Maine’s largest newspaper.
Angus would appreciate it.
He believes it’s the only decent thing to do.
