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Wednesday, February 25, 2004
I read this in the Washington Times:
Senate Republicans were optimistic about having a full Senate vote on (the Federal Marriage) amendment sometime this year, with Sen. Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania Republican, saying it could come as early as April.
Nothing is really surprising about that, except that it would mean John Kerry will have to go on the record regarding his stance on the FMA. Either way he goes, it will have a profound affect on the vote (at least, you can guarantee that his handlers are perceiving it that way).
Now, the larger point that comes to mind is this: Senators have a difficult time getting elected to the presidency. Governors tend to be more electable. Why is this?
I think that this phenomena can be attributed to two things. One, governors are executives of American government, but on a smaller scale. They have demonstrated that they can serve in that capacity. Senators represent constituents, and form legislation. This really is not a capacity best suited for the executive branch.
But the second reason is this: senators vote, and they vote often. In a national election, they must account for their record. Appealing to the wider audience, as opposed to pandering to the interests of a smaller constituency, is much more difficult.
So, if Kerry votes for the FMA, he alienates his home state, and the liberal base of the Democratic party. If he votes against it, he goes directly against public opinion, and casts himself as the quintessential liberal candidate. If this comes up for a vote before November, either way, Kerry loses.Labels: Archives_2004
.: posted by
Dave
8:41 PM
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