| As 2nd District Congressman Lee Terry has come under fire for his vote against funding American troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, it doesn't surprise that panic has set-in with the Nebraska Republican Party. This is a serious issue that could cut deeply into Terry's base of support after two elections in a row in which voters have proven increasingly tired with Terry and hungry for some actual leadership in Washington D.C.
Last year's narrow victory over Democratic challenger Jim Esch was reason enough for the Nebraska GOP to be concerned about Terry's chances heading into 2010. Now, with this vote, Terry's risked offending military families that are a key constituency. At the same time, in incidents ranging from coming close to blows with a rival Congressman to being caught shouting obscenity at a busy Washington D.C. intersection, Terry's revealed a startling lack of class and composure that just makes Nebraskans look bad. Add in the fact that Terry seems likely to face his strongest Democratic opponent ever, and you can bet the Nebraska GOP is already feeling its 15-year stranglehold on the state's entire House delegation starting to slip away.
Facing such darkening prospects, they've embarked on a pre-emptive campaign attacking Omaha State Senator Tom White before he's even declared his candidacy. Of course, these attacks actually began at Gov. Dave Heineman's behest as soon as White took office in 2007. Intelligent, articulate, and - worst of all - independent-minded, White's sometimes been a roadblock to Heineman's completely having his way with the Legislature. That's led to White's becoming something of a rival to Heineman, which has meant a very large target on his back from day one.
White's been accused of being too partisan. He's been accused of being too ambitious. He's even been accused of being a trial lawyer. But, at the end of the day, his only great offenses have been a willingness to challenge the Governor and an understanding that the legislative process exists to serve democracy, not the other way around. That hasn't stopped the Nebraska GOP, Heineman's legislative allies, and the Omaha World-Herald's editorial board from consistently taking these sorts of shots at White every time he's stood up for the voters who elected him or given voice to a more progressive vision for our state.
Now, looking to 2010 and recognizing that Terry's already in trouble, the Nebraska Republican Party is bringing its attacks on White up to a whole new level. First, they've set up a Report Tom White telephone hotline where voters can report on "White's negative campaign tactics, their various experiences with the State Senator and their concerns about his liberal positions and votes in the Nebraska Legislature." In other words, they're fishing for dirt on White and are desperately casting the widest net possible.
The Nebraska GOP also sent out a very telling press release last week. Unable to offer a reasonable defense of Terry's vote against funding our troops - especially when Sen. Mike Johanns had voted for the same funding - they instead called on Tom White to "denounce these negative Democrat attacks." They then proceeded to attack White as "divisive" while accusing him of "looking to fill a position of 'rubber stamp' to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the liberal Democrats in Washington."
Of course, the idea of attacking Lee Terry's oppponent as a "rubber stamp" is pretty damn absurd when that's all he's ever been in Washington D.C. Except for those instances when his temper's gotten the best of him, Terry's been nothing but a go-along-get-along backbencher voting as told by party leaders for the last decade.
More than this blatant hypocrisy, though, it's in their choice of targets that the Nebraska GOP's line of attack really falls apart. You can see that in the Nebraska GOPs other criticism of White for being too divisive. Their idea of "divisive" is anyone who thinks independently and won't just accept the status quo in which they call all the shots but still accept no accountability. If there's been one thing established about him in his three years in the Legislaure, it's that Tom White is nobodys yes-man and nobodys rubber stamp.
The Nebraska GOP writes, "Nebraskans want a check-and-balance to the ... Democrat Congress, and Congressman Lee Terry is just that." Yes, Terry is just that, and that's all he is. What the Nebraska GOP doesn't understand is that this is precisely the problem. After six terms in Congress, the big argument for Terry is still that he's not a Democrat. That's pathetic, and it does nothing to justify his personal lack of accomplishments or his growing record of embarrassments.
Even just defending Terry has become a dangerous and ridiculous endeavor. Earlier today, Nebraska GOP Chair Mark Fahleson declared Terry "an affable Omahan." This is the same "affable Omahan" who made headlines for shouting "fuck you" at a Washingon D.C. motorist just last week. If that's Fahleson's idea of affable, White should be proud he's being called divisive.
You can be sure Terry and the Nebraska GOP are going to be doing everything they can to make this race about Nancy Pelosi. They want to run against those "liberal Democrats in Washington". Yes, they'll even want this race to be about President Barack Obama - the same man Terry worked so hard attaching his name to during last year's campaign.
On the other hand, what they definitely don't want to see is an election decided between Lee Terry and Tom White. This is because White's not an easy target for their usual attacks. He's got a record of independent leadership. And, most importantly, he's got a record of strong leadership.
That, right there, is Lee Terry and the Nebraska Republican Party's real nightmare. They're right to fear an election between Terry and White that isn't about Republicans vs. Democrats and liberals vs. conservatives. This election should be about finally bringing real representation to the voters of the 2nd Congressional District.
2010 isn't about hope and change - it's about leadership. Terry vs. White is a race between weakness vs. strength. That's an election Tom White wins hands down, and I say bring it on. |
