So I’m reading my NH Sunday News, (as I’ve done since 1985) pondering how much the Granite State has changed since then. When I moved here, it was the most Republican of states, and I was the envy of all the conservative friends I left behind in RI (well, I say "conservative", but heck, we didn’t know we were such, until much later- but we were all definitely Reaganites). The GOP (a much more conservative lot, they were, back then) absolutely RULED the political landscape in most places and levels of government throughout the state.
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Twenty-two years later, they wander about like lost souls amidst the rubble that remains of the mighty edifice that once was the Grand ‘Ole Party. Back then, the Democrats couldn’t muster enough candidates to run for elected office, leaving Republicans to be shoe-ins year after year on election day. Now, it is the Republicans that can’t find candidates. When was the last time they fielded a strong and credible candidate for governor?
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Back to my NH Sunday News reading– When I got to page A3 there’s this picture accompanying a story of NH Sen. John E. Sununu in which he strikes a pose looking rather pensive, as if worrying about the future of his current job… and rightfully so, I think.
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Today in NH, it’s "cool" to vote Democrat. It’s "cool" to be an independent. Partisanship? That’s a dirty word these days. Unfortunately for Sununu, thanks to this new reality, by default, he’s in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Couple all of this with his technocratic air, and his lack of any engagement with the folks back here during his few years in Washington, and you have a recipe for a disaster in the upcoming election of ’08. Let’s face it, where’s John been lately? I’m a political junkie, and I do get around from time to time. Never, do I ever run into Senator Sununu. Oh sure, his surrogates are around, sitting in the back of the room, eyeing the situation, but that’s about it. There’s just not much, really, to get excited about. For me, the conservative, or, quite frankly, nothing for anybody else, either (unless you count his recent support for the Lebanese side in the battle with Israel).
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Now, as we get closer to the election, every utterance he makes (or doesn’t) is geared towards what will help him get re-elected. Do the right thing? What’s best for America, even if it’s unpopular? No can do. Watching him being asked questions by reporters is almost painful to see (as noted in this prior post), as he tries to say just the right thing, attempting to either please, or not offend everyone. In doing so, he impresses no one. Consider this gem of a statement, as reported by the NH Sunday News article I refered to above, when asked about his position regarding the different "war" resolutions coming up for a vote this week in the Senate:
What’s important is that people in New Hampshire know the concerns I’ve raised, my position on the issue, my support for the Iraq Study Group recommendations and my concerns about the increase in troop levels.
Huh? What IS your position, Senator? What I want to know is whether he wants us to win or not. I want us to win the war. In order to do that, we must remain as a people committed to see this through to the end, no matter how long it takes. To that end, we need leaders that can explain in a clear fashion what needs to be done, and why. Senator Sununu has completely failed in that regard. And it’s not just the war, really. For me, with Sununu, it’s pretty much everything. Oh sure, he votes right more often than not, but nobody knows that. He needs to be heard. Be a leader on the issues. Promote some bold, innovative ideas. If people get fired up about particular causes, they will follow and reward those that are leading the way.
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No, instead we get carefully "nuanced" answers, or, to be more accurate, "non" answers to questions about the main issues of the day. And of course, more often than not, he’s seemingly "triangulating" with regards to anything President Bush proposes in an obvious attempt at distancing himself to curry favor with NH voters. I wish that the Senator would stop this nonsense now. No matter what he does, he is probably in trouble, especially if a Jeanne Shaheen steps into the race, so he might as well make the most of the next 2 years.
Get out, speak up, and lead, man!
Maybe if he spent the rest of this term doing what’s best for America instead of what he thinks might gain him favor with the greatest number of voters, he might discover that it’s one and the same. To spend the next two years dancing on the head of a pin will help nobody– especially him.
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***UPDATE*** 2/6/07***
Senator Sununu voted with the Republican minority in the Senate to block consideration of the so-called "resolutions" due to Democratic rules blocking debate. According to another piece in the Union Leader, he had this to say, which makes his position somewhat clearer than noted above:
Sununu said to ensure a full debate, he voted "no" on the motion to proceed."I voted no on today’s motion because the Democratic leadership is refusing to allow an open debate that considers a range of proposals and amendments," Sununu said in a written statement last night. "Unfortunately, that only makes this process even more partisan and divisive.
"I remain disappointed with the progress on Iraq on security, the economy, and political reconciliation. Americans want the Iraqi government to succeed, but ours is not an open-ended commitment."
Sununu continued: "When the Iraq Study Group released its report, I supported its recommendations.
When President Bush presented his new strategy for Iraq, I made my position clear. The United States should not make a sustained commitment to increase troop strength until the Iraqi government has delivered on its promises to deploy their own forces, pass a new oil law, hold local elections, and take other steps essential to long-term stability. The time has come for them to take on a greater burden for security and legislative action that will build stability over time."
He concluded: "As the Senate moves forward, I will give careful consideration to those measures that best serve our national interest and make clear the path toward progress and security in Iraq."
Again, as I said, he should be promoting the notion that we WIN the war. At least his position acknowledges "our national interest."
