In Kentucky it’s the day today for the 113rd Fancy Fram political forum — not to be confused with the funny arm (Congress). The political class has been waiting with Listerine-required baited breath for this event, because it is pitting Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell against his Democratic challenger Allisan Lundergran Grimes.
Would McConnell make short work of her? Would he try and portray her as the twin of Barack Obama and basically run against Obama? Would she point out that McConnell is highly unpopular not just among Democrats but among Republicans, who seem to have voted for McConnell in the past holding their noses but afraid to give the seat to a Democrat?
The answer to the first question is NO (she is still standing).
And the answer to the other two are YES:
Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell faced off Saturday against Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes at the heavily anticipated 133rd Fancy Farm political forum.
The candidates pulled no punches at the traditional red-meat slugfest broadcast nationwide on C-SPAN and online by Kentucky Education Television.
McConnell, who spoke first, avoided direct attacks on his opponent, instead speaking in broad strokes: “Over the next 15 months, we are going to decide what kind of America we want … Barack Obama’s vision for America or Kentucky’s.”
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“Kentucky’s voice is the voice of opposition to the Obama agenda, and I’m proud of that. That’s why every liberal in America is out to beat us next year.”Grimes, who followed GOP Rep. Ed Whitfield on stage, took direct swipes at McConnell:
“Sen. McConnell is the most unpopular senator among Democrats but Republicans, as well. … There’s a reason he’s so disliked. He sowed the seeds of dysfunction, and after 30 years, Sen. McConnell is in the center of it. As long as he remains in D.C., D.C. will stand for dysfunctional capitol.”
These comments are particular interesting, instructive and illuminating for centrists, independents and moderates:
1. McConnell is linking Grimes not just to Obama but doing yet one more speech in American where a conservative makes liberals a kind of dirty word. It’s a hot button that shows the weakness of today’s Republican Party which seems unable, more often than not, to take a position on an issue without trying to push a hot button against a segment of America (liberals, moderates, Latinos, teachers — you name it). Mobilization elections where you get your base out to keep someone and their fellow travelers or enablers from getting in do work. And it’s clear that’s what McConnell will do: run against Obama and “the liberals” who hate him (i.e. if they hate me you should vote for me).
2. Grimes is correctly pointing out that McConnell could not win a popularity contest (which is why he presses every hot button he can when running against someone else) and notes his role in gridlock. You might say McConnell has put the lock on gridlock (I’ll take a royalty for that campaign slogan, thank you very much…)
Which approach will win?
If you had to make a bet you’d have to bet on McConnell in the long run since hot buttons and demonizing segments of the polity do work and he’s adept at that. But he is facing a Tea Party challenger so much will hinge on whether he can defuse or force out the Tea Party challenge so he has a clear field take on Grimes with a quintessential grimy McConnell campaign.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.