| Attorney General Jon Bruning can no longer fuel his campaign for the U.S. Senate by attacking the soon-to-be-retired Chuck Hagel. With the new dynamics of a Hagel-free Senate race, you might think Bruning would change styles and adopt a less divisive tone, but his response to Mike Johanns' resignation as Secretary of Agriculture suggests Bruning has grown to like the taste of blood and won't be giving up without a fight.
Bruning on Johanns' departure before completing the 2007 Farm Bill: "This was an opportunity to have someone fighting for our primary economic engine...Not only did [Johanns] leave early, he didn't do a particularly good job fighting for Nebraska while he was there." (Omaha World-Herald, 09/21/2007)
Having cornered himself by firebombing Hagel and earlier staking his claim with Tom Osborne against Gov. Dave Heineman in the 2006 gubernatorial primary, Bruning might have no choice but to remain committed to a win-at-any-cost strategy as a matter of survival.
Bruning is campaigning like a man who has seen the writing on the wall for his political career. It seems he understands that he's burnt too many bridges with the entrenched Republican leadership, leaving the 2008 Senate race make-or-break time with Nebraska voters if he's ever going to fulfill his endless ambitions.
Of course, Bruning wasn't alone amongst Republicans taking issue with Johanns' resignation. Hal Daub told the World-Herald, "I feel it's unfortunate that he has decided to quit his job as secretary of agriculture, a Cabinet post that could have been instrumental in securing the passage of a strong farm bill - legislation that is so desperately needed by our state's farmers, ranchers and agribusiness owners."
There's a world of difference, though, between the respective responses by Bruning and Daub. Both might question the timing of Johanns' resignation, but only Bruning criticizes Johanns' performance during the two-and-a-half years he actually served as Secretary of Agriculture.
Jon Bruning says Mike Johanns "didn't do a particularly good job fighting for Nebraska." If he hopes to win in 2008, that's a charge Bruning is going to have to make stick. Not an easy task but not an impossible one either - if only Bruning were a better Attorney General, more competent at making his case. |
