Connecticut's Third Wheel
Hey guys, look! I'm running for Senate too! Guys? Guys? Hello?
So, with the Democratic incumbent running as an independent against the Democratic nominee in the Connecticut Senate race, this seems like a great opportunity for the Republicans to take advantage and win a three-way race, right? Right?
Right?
Mr. Schlesinger, a former mayor of the town of Derby, first burst into the headlines this summer after The Hartford Courant reported that he had gambled under a fake name and once had gambling debts (he dismissed the accounts as irrelevant).
Pish! Who hasn't lost some money over at Foxwoods now and then? And used a fake name to hide the fact? This is just more of the politics of personal destruction, and the GOP is going to stand by their man.
Perhaps most telling, then, were the things Republicans did not say about their candidate on Wednesday. Almost no Republican leaped to Mr. Schlesinger's side, even as Democrats flocked to support the new Democratic nominee, Mr. Lamont. Officials at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the group in charge of electing Republicans, did not respond to requests for comment about Mr. Schlesinger.
Well, that Ken Mehlman, he's a nice fellow. I'm sure he's gonna jump on in and defend his party's guy.
Ken Mehlman, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, was challenged by the MSNBC host Chris Matthews to "say something good about Alan Schlesinger."
"He understands the importance of reducing taxes and staying strong on the war on terror," he replied. Pressed further, Mr. Mehlman continued: "He's somebody I've gotten the opportunity to meet and deal with and respect a lot. And as I said, it's going to be up to the people in Connecticut to make that decision."
Well, he sounds ... um ... very nice. He just needs more help getting his message out! Once that money starts flowing in from his fellow Republicans across the country, he'll be in business.
Republican officials said they could envision no situation in which Mr. Schlesinger would receive national assistance.
Um. Oh.