As most of you know, the Maine Republican Party adopted a Tea Party-inspired platform at their convention last week. Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank calls it a "manifesto of insanity." Joan Walsh at Salon says it "commits the Maine GOP fully to the crackpot fringe."So what do Maine's Republican gubernatorial candidates have to say?
The Associated Press asked all of them if they would accept a Democratic challenge to reject the document. None would.
In the quoted remarks, Peter Mills came the closest, saying it contained things most Maine Republicans don't support.
Bruce Poliquin said he agrees with parts of it; Bill Beardsely says he supports "the spirit" behind it.
Steve Abbott and Paul LePage didn't even respond.
Six days after the convention, Les Otten had the most remarkable reaction to the widely-available three page document: "I haven't studied the changes." He also added that he wasn't sure how it tied in with his campaign themes.
That's either a failure in political courage, or Otten spent the last week in a cave. Maybe Abbott and LePage are still inside....
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Lost: Political Spine. Last seen... well.. I can't actually recall. If found, could you please bury it somewhere. I'm pretty sure it will only cost me votes.
ReplyDeleteReward: An opportunity to attend a political fundraiser with me. Dinners will be $500 per plate. Please, no personal checks.
What's the point in rejecting it? One of the candidates has a voting record that shows he doesn't agree with parts of the old platform. That's real political courage - more than any comment to the press.
ReplyDeleteOf course Otten's remarks are the usual, classic "My handler didn't give me an answer for this one yet."