Blanked Out

Mark Kennedy has finally run so far from the Republican Party that he now endorses an “independent Democrat” against a Republican for the Senate seat in Connecticut. (emphasis added) [Via the Big Question]

“At times like these, when our country is fighting a global War against radical jihadists, and there is so much at stake for our nation’s security, we must put politics aside. The arrests this morning in Great Britain make it clear that now, more than ever, this is an on-going battle and we need leaders in Washington who remain committed to doing what is right instead of what may be seen as politically advantageous.

It’s in that spirit that I would like to offer my support for Sen. Joe Lieberman’s bid for the U.S. Senate from Connecticut. There are many things the Senator and I disagree on. In fact, I doubt he wants many Republican endorsements, given that millions of dollars have been spent attacking him for being too close to Republicans in fighting terrorism.”

Kennedy will try to use this to further frame himself as a moderate. You can be a moderate in your views on the issues, but bucking your own party’s endorsed candidate is not being “moderate” – it’s being politically expedient.

[UPDATE]

Let us be crystal clear on this one: this is not Mark Kennedy crossing party lines. In Kennedy’s press release he often talks about principle over politics. If Kennedy’s principle in this case is supporting the Administration’s policy positions on terrorism, why would he not support the Republican candidate, who would caucus with the Republicans, and thus keep strong Republican leaders as heads of important national security and military committees?

Lieberman has made several statements that he would still caucus with the Democrats. Until that changes, Kennedy’s support for Lieberman endangers Republican control of Congress, and thus undermines his own “principles”. This endorsement has nothing to do with principle and everything to do with politics. We will see how the press interprets Mark Kennedy’s press release.

Mark Kennedy in his speech to the RNC meeting in Bloomington had this Klobuchar’s position on the war:

“They want somebody who has a firm point of view. Whatever point of view you have, my opponent has said it in one form of another,” said Kennedy. “In one form she’ll try to sound like she’s being prudent. In another form she’ll say Iraq is a fiasco and we got to get out troops out of there now.”

Whatever your own position, Klobuchar has remained absolutely consistent on her position that she is against an immediate withdrawal from Klobuchar’s website:

Since April, I have been asking the President to give the nation a clear plan to bring our troops home safely. As with any effective plan, there should be a realistic time-frame based on specific milestones and benchmarks, with honest and current information from the administration about the status of our efforts…

If the president is unwilling to provide a plan, Congress should call upon the Joint Chiefs of Staff to do so.
(…)

I also believe we have to manage our exit from Iraq in a responsible way. I do not support immediate withdrawal of our troops, as has been suggested by some, because the situation is just too precarious.

Going back to Kennedy’s remarks, let’s substitute Kennedy’s lie with the truth: “Iraq is a fiasco and we have to draw down our troops based on a realistic time frame.”

I will leave it to the reader to decide whether or not the above statement is prudent or not.

[UPDATED]

I have heard a rumor that new Rasmussen poll will show Klobuchar at 50 and Kennedy at 38.

Kos verifies the poll data.
The same story also alleges that KvM heard the same rumor fact, posted on it, then deleted the post. I guess if you don’t have anything nice to say…

Flash verifies the KvM post removal.

Mark Kennedy tried and failed to tie the League of Conservation Voters and Amy Klobuchar to a false radical position.

What Kennedy forgot to mention is that he agrees with the LCV: manure is not toxic waste. The difference is that the LCV actually promotes positive solutions. From the LCV’s website: (emphasis added)

While most hog farms stink, and some contaminate waterways with waste-laden runoff, Legan’s operation is one of Indiana’s model farms, earning praise for consistently exceeding environmental requirements.

Legan’s business, Legan Livestock and Grain, experts say, exemplifies how modern pork producers can balance responsible farming and smart business.

The farm is a showcase of conservation. Manure is channeled into clay-lined lagoons filled with bacteria that help digest it. The waste is later sprayed onto crops as fertilizer at carefully determined rates.

Manure is not all that gets recycled on Legan’s farm. Even dead hogs are put to use, their remains shredded into nutrient-rich compost.

If Kennedy is going to claim he can “reach across the aisle” to get things done for Minnesotans, this would be a great place to start.

Mark, get the B.S. out of your stump speech and into the fields of Minnesota’s farmers.

UPDATE: MN Publius reminds us that Mark Kennedy salted the fields of many farmers by becoming the deciding vote in a $1.8 billion cut in farm aid. It will require a lot of manure to make that soil fertile again for Kennedy.