“Brian Being Brian”: Culture of Corruption
September 10th, 2008 by Wiley CodyI’m incensed. And I’m not the only one (although thanks to MTPundit, who posted this story three or four times before it got any traction in the Dextrasphere, I was one of the first). Brian Schweitzer has had a bad week.
As someone who “guaranteed” a victory for Jon Tester in 2006 while extorting money from American Trial Lawyers, it’s easy to imagine that he also guarantee victory in Montana for Obama prompting five visits at key photo-op moments during the 2008 election cycle, and a relatively massive amount of resources dedicated to the state. What is it now a gazillion offices? He hired Baucus’ Chief of Staff Jim Messina and gave the Montana Delegation and Brian Schweitzer some serious love at the Dem Convention… and after all that. McCain is up by double digits in Montana. Is that egg on your face Governor?
But it gets better. Governor Blowhard started believing all the hype about how great he was (probably some of the Divine rubbed off on him from The One in Denver) and boasted in a public speech among out-of-state friends about how he delivered the 2006 Senate Election (just like he guaranteed) for Jon Tester.
Poor Jon probably thought he had something to do with it too.
And the beautiful thing is… he had an enemy in that room. An enemy with a tape recorder. An enemy that knew how to upload that speech to the internet.
Governor Schweitzer’s idiotic political move finally gives Montanans a peek behind the curtain of the Schweitzer Administration. They are beginning to see it as gang of partisan Democrats who will do anything to wrest power into their own hands while parading around in bipartisan sheepskins claiming to represent Republicans and Democrats fairly. Tell that to the 195,556 people who voted for Burns in 2006 and whose votes were a nothing more than insignificant pawns to a man who had guaranteed a victory for the other guy.
When asked about Brian’s boasts, Jon Tester said this: “This is just Brian being Brian, and there’s nothing to it.”
Nothing to it? I think there’s a lot more to it.
Montanans are wondering: what else does he say when he’s around out-of-state friends and no reporters are around?
Montanans are wondering: where’s that Montana ethic he waxes so eloquent about when the TV camera is rolling?
Montanans are wondering: what kind of man can orchestrate this crap with his left hand while criticizing Senator Burns for unsubstantiated ethical violations with the right?
Montanans are wondering: if he brags about this, what else did he do that he will never tell anyone but Jag?
I do agree with Tester on one thing. He said this is just Brian being Brian. Yep. Schweitzer’s got a long and loose history with unethical behavior. And that’s not even counting the transgressions he’s been fined for.
It comes down to this. Brian Schweitzer is a slimy, political bully who plays fast and loose with the law and has gotten away with it until now because he’s got a clever turn of phrase. But in a Shakespearian turn, the forked tongue which has been his salvation has become his curse.
This story is finally getting some attention. In the Blogs. In the new media. In the papers. On the TV. In the national wires. People I’ve talked to are pissed. Both Republicans - for the obvious reason - and Democrats for the stupidity of the action.
And so, Brian Schweitzer took a page out of The West Wing Handbook and apologized. He seems to be saying he’s sorry a lot lately and eventually saying “I’m sorry” isn’t going to cut it anymore. People are beginning to see a pattern.
And with due respect, Mr. Governor, and to quote one of my favorite movies, “You can take sorry and shove it up your ass.”
Resign, sir. Now.
