Giving it the old college try: Kaus's concession statement

Rouge Democrat and political gadfly, Mickey Kaus, didn't win yesterday's primary challenge against one of the most heinous legislators of our time, Barbara Boxer. However, he did clock in about 100,000 votes and gave a hell of a concession statement. Not bad for an honest blogger who ran on only $40K. Here is a high-light from his statement.

"I'm a blogger. I spent about $40,000. I had one part-time aide, a recent college grad who was prepping for his LSATs. We had no headquarters, no pollsters, no highly paid strategists and consultants. We had a couple of laptops and an old Volvo. And we still ripped off more than 100,000 votes from a three term incumbent because there is  a large group of voters who are dissatisfied with the prevailing dogma of the Democratic party.

I entered the race because I wanted to start up an argument among Democrats about the party's direction--about the need to say "no" to the unions and to insist on securing the border before we even talk about amnesty."

Although the werewolf was a Tom Campbell fan, he will always have a soft-spot for any honest, anti-establishment types that try and rock the vote.

Tories back in the saddle. Is this a horse they want to ride?

The werewolf is pleased that the eternally frumpy and unimpressive Gordon Brown resigned from the Prime Ministership of the United Kingdom. That simple act was long overdue. Brown was a dud extraordinaire.

Tony Blair, despite his flaws, was a tough act to follow. Every trait that made him such an impressive, likeable and charismatic PM, Brown seemed to lack. Where Blair articulated, Brown stumbled; when Blair charmed, Brown put to sleep; Blair project a moral conviction, whereas Brown seemed to unenthusiastically read retreaded talking points. Was their ever a more stark study in contrasts?

 Although a little left for the werewolf, Blair possessed a combination of personal tact, political deftness, and deep appreciation for the transatlantic “special relationship” that should define Anglo-American relations. Brown is a freakin’ Scottish dial-tone. Brown may be one of the most underwhelming and unimpressive leaders of a great western power since that joke of a U.S. President Jimmy Carter. At least Carter can find marginal redemption via his eccentric killer bunny sightings, naïve county bumpkin act and bad peanut farmer jokes.  Hopefully, with David Cameron as the newly ascendant Prime Minister, a degree of charm, conviction, style, and gravitas will be restored to the venerable office. Let it be noted that Mrs. Brown looked far more stately and elegant than her drab husband, something that took the werewolf  unawares.

This brings a second point to bear. It’s a shitty time to govern, anywhere in the civilized world. That unto itself should be a call to govern in order to try and usher in stability and a restoration of something better than what we currently have in place. However, given the United Kingdom’s bizarre electoral system, and the Tories shortfall of the minimum votes needed to form a government, the werewolf wonders if slipping into bed with the naïve and strangely out-dated Liberal Democrats is the best course of action towards achieving their long-term goals of righting the various deficiencies and hurdles Britain faces both economically and strategically. The last time a hung-parliament was formed in the mid-1970s, it lasted a few months before crumbling. Here are the question the werewolf wonders, will the Liberal Democrats prove to be reliable coalition partners who will deliver the needed votes on recovery centric legislation and fiscal austerity that the U.K. needs? Is there a risk of Labour’s recent reputation of do-nothingism and ineffectual governance being transferred to the Tories by entering into this untraditional coalition? Will voters be sympathetic and forgiving of the obvious hurdles or hold their new government to exacting standards?  Would it have been strategically sound for the Tories to eschew a coalition, and let Labour and the Lib-Dems govern ineffectually for a few months? There is a clear and definite risk to the latter and it is always dangerous to pass up opportunities in politics. However, I am trying to assess to best strategic move from an amateur political analyst perspective.I am well aware of the multitude of additional considerations.

If the werewolf were a Briton - in more than fan-filled honorary spirit - he would likely align himself with the Tories. The werewolf was imbued with a profound admiration and fondness from PM Thatcher from a young-age and holds her and her stewardship of the UK in the highest regard.  He is interested to see how Cameron will measure up given the profound circumstances surrounding his ascension, although he does welcome the fresh face at 10 Downing. Still, as noted, Cameron seems more like a creature of opportunity, and less like man of conviction.  I am ready to be proved wrong.

Tunku Varadarajan: 10 Truths About the British Vote

Tunku Varadarajan's nails some key themes from the British election in his latest article over at The Daily Beast. The whole article is worthy, but here are some highlights:

"Gordon Brown is a dour, dithering, dry, dislikeable loser. He is Dukakis with a Scottish accent. So if (and when) he loses, let us rejoice."

"Second, we have in Barack Obama a president who values Britain as meanly as he might Arizona. OK, I exaggerate, but Obama is to the "Special Relationship" what Angela Merkel is to Greece (OK, I exaggerate again, but only a smidgeon.) So for those who say that there's anti-Atlanticism in the U.K., I say: "What about the anti-Britainism in Washington?"

"Seventh, the British electorate is genuinely unsure of what it wants, except for the fact that it's sure that it doesn't want more Gordon Brown (whom the voters never really wanted in the first place, and who was foisted upon them). Of all the world's major peoples, the British make the most unforgiving "foistees.""

"Finally, it would be nice to have the Tories back in power, if only because alternation—as any American will tell you—is the life-blood of a healthy democracy. From an American perspective, a Tory government is always useful, for it is only the Tories who subscribe, reflexively, to an unapologetic view of Britain as a great power. America—Hegemon, hyper-puissance, whatever—needs, in these times, a muscular smaller ally without a sidekick-complex. Only Britain fits the bill."

Today will be interesting on multiple levels for both the U.K. and the trans-Atlantic relationship. While Cameron doesn't really thrill the werewolf (although his wife is a beauty), Brown is so odious and flaccid, that watching his career (hopefully) flame-out, will be worthy unto itself. Still, this race is one for the history books.

David Cameron: We can’t just snap our fingers and fix Britain

What takes 18 months of non-stop media broadsides and bombardment in the United States, usually takes about 18 days in the United Kingdom. Although being a political junkie himself, even the constant campaign mentality and disingenuous partisan overdose forced into our veins wears thin on the werewolf at the end of each presidential election cycle. In a perfect world (no such thing), the werewolf would like to think that the long-in-the-tooth American approach, and the short-and-stumpy British approach to elections could meet somewhere in the middle. A cycle where debates are thorough and genuine, convincing and persuasion of the electorate meaningful, and the urgency of the pending deadline is felt driving appropriately calculating decision. Wishful thinking indeed.

Anyhow, David Cameron, the conservative leader, is set to be the likely replacement for the frumpy, stodgy, and uninspired socialist blob that is Gordon Brown, has penned a decent  "why elect me" piece in the Times of London. While the werewolf prefers David Cameron, he finds Cameron's wishy-washyness on issues like global warming, his bizarre social posturing, and lust for media attention at rate that should even make a politician blush, all legitimate points of concern. However, the U.K. is ripe for a course correction.  All politicians are full of shit to some degree. After this country foolishly swooned over a rotten crock of "hope and change," Cameron's article for all of it's pro forma political bull, has a few decent and worthy sections to it that even impressed the werewolf, oh so slightly.

"So the manifesto we are publishing today is a comprehensive and cohesive plan to change Britain for the better. It will change Westminster and Whitehall for ever. It is a blueprint for reform that is rich in policy but rooted in a core idea of replacing state control with social responsibility.

But it is not a traditional manifesto. We are not saying that we will solve all your problems and, with a snap of the fingers, create a better Britain out of thin air. Because I don’t believe it is in the power of politicians to do this. And in truth, all those phoney pledges and simplistic promises have contributed to voters’ cynicism when it comes to politics."

The people of the United Kingdom have a stark choice ahead. Let's hope they don't screw the pooch as badly as we did in the fall of 2008.

Mickey Kaus: A Democrat the werewolf can get behind

Investors Business Daily has an interesting little blog blurb about Mickey Kaus's nascent senate campaign in California. The fact that thoughtful and unorthodox Democrats actually exist is a good omen. Kaus fits that mold beautifully. He is certainly a liberal in several regards and on substantive issues. What makes him unique in the modern political sphere is a respect for fact based metrics, an inherent contrarian streak that questions blind political hackery, and a understanding that the world is governed by several changing dynamics that static political positions can not effectively manage. Here's an inspiring excerpt:

"You don’t have to be a wild-eyed libertarian to realize something is very wrong with that. But, as Kaus points out, “You can’t find a Democrat politician criticizing the teachers unions.” That silence is hurting the liberal cause. “Unions are what make affirmative government unpalatable,” he said."

The werewolf is no Democrat, and finds many elements of modern liberalism intellectually appalling and a righteous cause for severe indigestion. He thinks Barbara Boxer is an ignorant slut at best and a vile, bigoted and condescending brutish genderless left wing wacko who deserves to contract some putrid STD at worst. He despises her as much as one can. She is the worst creature that modern politics breeds.

Still, he thinks it is important for the long term health of the republic to erode strictly partisan assumptions and practices as a norm. Plus, how conservative would a GOP senator from California really be, and wouldn't greater value be added via an honest and renegade oriented Democrat in terms of getting that leeward party to question itself at times?  Also, the werewolf is unsure of how he feels about Carly Fiorina given her topsy-turvey tenure at H-P and finds Tom Campbell more appealing at prima fascia. That means his preferred candidate has a snow-balls chance in hell of making it through the general if he clears the primary. However, that is a fluid observation subject to change. Mickey Kaus offers a promise along those lines. In many ways, he can be the liberal version to the straight-shooting contrarianism of Republican senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. That seems like something this country could use at the moment. Thoughts?

One Biden is enough.

Beau Biden, the Vice President's son, has decided against pursuing his father's old senate in Delaware. This is a good thing for Republicans and for the national political paradigm.

On the political front, Mike Castle, Delaware's lone congressman, and well-liked former governor, has been virtually guaranteed an easy victory without any credible opposition. The RNC can spend its money elsewhere. Plus, the Republican pick-up of a traditionally safe Democrat seat can only help create more desperately needed political gridlock and power balancing in DC.

Joe "The Mouth" Biden may be one of the more amusing politicians on the national scene. His bizarre utterances are never predictable, and the werewolf values that, despite disliking the man's politics. However, the werewolf hates extreme political nepotism and political dynasties from both parties. He thinks it fosters a detachment from the people, erodes the integrity of the office, and smacks of the landed/entitled aristocracies that are best left to fester in Europe. This time last year, it looked like by virtue of his name, Biden was a sure thing for his daddy's senate seat. "Hope" and "change" have manifested themselves in the most beautiful of ways in the state of Delaware.

The SCOTT heard around the world!

The werewolf's tail is wagging with uncontrolled joy and he can barely keep his paws still. To think that one year ago today, President Obama was being inaugurated on the empty wave of "hope and change" and now the bluest of the blue states has elected a semi-conservative Republican to fill the sloppy Kennedy's seat is truly a historic moment. Incredible. *Guido Fist Pump!*

While this is an important and historic victory, with profound ramifications, it is by no means license for the GOP or the various voices of rational thought to get complacent or ahead of themselves. There is still much to do before November. Watching the fallout and how the dust settles over the next few days ought to be interesting. Also, the werewolf wonders if the profound shock waves of this election may save the Democrats from their own suicidal approach to politics as the gravitational pull anchors them back to reality. He hopes not.

Brown Rising? Let's hope so.

The blogosphere has been ablaze with speculation about tomorrow's special election in Massachusetts. For good reason, it's the most remarkable political story this country has seen in some time. A little known Republican state senator, Scott Brown, is challenging the chosen successor to Teddy Kennedy's former senate seat in the bluest of the blue states. In some ways, Brown's spectacular rise is not dissimilar to the origins of the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But the werewolf doesn't want to get ahead of himself.

There are multiple dynamics that make this race remarkable. Many perceive it as a national referendum on the vile health cae legislation currently under consideration, some see it as a referendum on Obama himself. The democratic candidate, Martha Coakley, has been subjected to heinous attacks from her own party as they preemptively write her obituary to mitigate the fallout from a potential defeat. (If she wins, payback could be a bitch to key national democrats) She has also run a lazy and gaffe prone campaign. Whereas, Brown has run a highly disciplined and impressive campaign that has propelled him to the national spotlight.

As for predictions, this is a toughie. Turnout for special elections is always tough to gauge. Plus, this race is a real barn burner. It's shocking that Brown leads in most polls in a state where Democratic registration outweighs Republicans by more than a 3 to 1 ratio. It's legit, just shocking, and speaks to how poorly Americans view those in power. This may also lend some steam to the notion that Democrats have severely misread their mandate and are futher out of touch than anyone fathomed. Beyond a natural registration advantage, Democrats are also extremely gifted at stealing elections, so if it is close, the Democrat machine may tip the scales for Coakley. Plus, Massachusetts hasn't had a Republican senator since Edward Brooke left the senate in 1979.

The werewolf is pulling for Brown. He thinks he has all the momentum, is amazed by his discipline and prowess, but isn't ready to call it for Brown because it feels premature, and he learned long ago, to hold your hope in reserve. Regardless of tomorrow's outcome, 2010 looks to be a very bad year for Democrats. That unto itself gives the werewolf cause to grin.

The werewolf also wonders, if Brown wins, does it merit consideration for something larger in 2012?