Wow. You know a statewide candidate has gotten truly desperate when he starts attacking the most popular man in his state and embracing one of the least popular. But, amazingly, that's exactly what Jerry Kilgore and his crack team have decided to do in the closing weeks of Virginia's gubernatorial contest. In today's Washington Post, Michael Shear and Steven Ginsberg have an article entitled, "Kilgore Slams Governor on VDOT Road Projects." That's right, Jerry W. Kilgore is slamming Mark "70% approval ratings" Warner on one of the Warner-Kaine Administration's main accomplishments -- "revamping the Virginia Department of Transportation." As Shear and Ginsberg point out, Kilgore's strategy "left political observers puzzling...as the election season nears its end." You can say that again.
Here's public policy professor Mark J. Rozell of George Mason University on Kilgore's new "strategy":
I don't think it makes sense politically to be attacking a governor with over 70 percent approval ratings. It distracts the campaign from its own message. It's not a smart strategic move, as far as I can tell.
Or as far as anyone else can tell, I'm sure. Duh!
For good measure, Governor Warner's spokesman, Kevin Hall, commented, "This is categorically untrue and displays an astounding lack of understanding [by Kilgore] of how the process works." Ouch. The truth hurts.
Meanwhile, as the Kilgore campaign attacks Virginia's most popular and respected politician, Gov. Mark Warner, it continues to embrace one of the state's LEAST popular and LEAST respected politicians, George "58% disapproval in Virginia" W. Bush. Note that only 40% of Virginians now approve of Bush, compared to 66%-70% who approve of Mark Warner.
So what next, will the Kilgore team be leaping to the defense of disgraced former FEMA head, Michael "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" Brown? Or maybe the Kilgore team will embrace scandal-ridden House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)? Or possibly scandal-ridden Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN)? How about Lynndie England while they're at it?
I don't know, but maybe top Kilgore advisor Scott "Black Hands racist ad in Oklahoma" Howell has some kind of brilliant plan to help his client by attacking the state's most popular politician while embracing one of its least popular (32% approval and 65% disapproval for Bush among critical Independent Virginia voters). For the time being, however, nobody can figure out what that plan is. I guess that just proves how truly brilliant it must be! Either that, or it's as dumb-as-a-doorknob as it appears.