U.S. Senate Primary
Montana Democrats Barnstorm for Unity
By Courtney Lowery, 6-16-06
Montana Senator Max Baucus (from l to r), Senate Candidate Jon Tester, Governor Brian Schweitzer, State Auditor John Morrison, and U.S. House Candidate Monica Lindeen rallied around the Democratic flag in Missoula on Friday. Photo by Chris Lombardi.
After what could have turned into a divisive primary election, Montana Democrats rallied in four cities Friday to show that the party is united behind Jon Tester in what promises to be a no-holds-barred U.S. Senate race against Republican incumbent Conrad Burns this fall.
Sen. Max Baucus, Gov. Brian Schweitzer and State Auditor John Morrison hit Missoula in the afternoon to stump for Tester and U.S. House Canidate Monica Lindeen. Tester, who opened his speech with a 'thank you' to Missoula (where he won by one of his biggest margins), told the crowd that what was true in the primary will be true in November. "What's going to win this election ... is a good grassroots effort here and in the rest of Montana."
Schweitzer and Baucus talked up Tester's personality and heritage, calling him a "real Montanan" who knows how to work for farmers, small business owners and seniors. The message battle between Burns and Tester in the last week has very much been about who is more "Montanan," with the Democrats trying to tie Burns to special interests, corporations and lobbyists, and the Republicans trying to paint Tester as a tool of east coast liberals. Schweitzer blasted Republicans for using "socialite" Liddy Dole in their initial attack against Tester, and said the Democratic candidate "took the state by storm, and today the Republicans can't begin to lay a glove on."
Schweitzer apologized for not beating Burns in 2000, and said, "I got on the biggest, meanest bull in Montana ... and I only stayed on for seven and a half minutes. (Tester) will ride that bull for eight and a half seconds and get off and kick it in the ribs."
When it comes to the issues, Morrison, perhaps surprsingly, is emerging as the Dems' golden boy. While Tester is thick on personal appeal, Morrison's egde is on policy. When Morrison took the microphone Friday, it was all about health care policy, prescription drugs, special interest lobbys, tax equality -- the biggies. Afterward, when asked if it was a difficult to be standing behind the candidate he was running against just a few weeks ago, he said, "it was an easy step." The issues, he said, are "bigger than any one candidate and bigger than any one campaign. We're going to be working together."
Said Tester: "I'm damn happy to have him on our team."
Tester said after the rally he's ready to leave the character battles behind and start getting to the issues. Again on the tip of his tongue were health care, taxes, agriculture and education.
Baucus looped the conversation back to character though, telling the crowd again after the others had left the stage that Tester's personality will prove important in the race. "It comes down to the values of the people who represent us back there. He's genuine, he's the real deal. That is so important when issues come up."
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From the article: "Last year, Tester solicited campaign money with prerecorded phone messages, a practice that violates state law. Tester at the time said he believes the 1991 law is unconstitutional, and Democrats said Republicans have done the same thing."
I don't know the truth of this matter, but I think Mr. Tester is right to steer the discussion to the meat of the issues and away from rock chucking from a glass house. Saying that he believes a law to be unconstitutional and pointing to the same violation by the other guys does not buttress and claims of superior character and justification in my opinion.
Ronald Regan said; "The highest tax you can give is inflation."
I will pick up my signs and take them to Georgetown Lake as well.
My friend Andrea Merrill Maker works for Baucus.