HEY, GOP, JUST DO THE RIGHT THING
December 21, 2006
Michael Smerconish
MAYBE
MY eggnog has been spiked. Or my fondness for big colored gaudy Christmas
lights has blinded my sensibilities.
But
I'm one Republican hoping that in the event South Dakota Democratic Sen. Tim
Johnson can't serve - and I pray he gets healthy and can fulfill his
responsibilities - Gov. Mike Rounds replaces him with a another Democrat.
Disability
is no way to win control of the Senate.
Yes,
I know that history is replete with examples of situations where partisan
advantage has arisen from tragedy. Gov. Bob Casey Sr.'s appointment of Harris
Wofford to replace John Heinz after the airplane catastrophe comes immediately
to mind.
And
Gov. Rounds himself was faced with the death of a Democratic state senator in
2002 and named a Republican to replace him. I have no problem with those cases,
or the many others with which I've become familiar.
But
never before has control of the Senate hung in the balance in a circumstance
like this.
And
it may not now, depending upon Johnson's health, the timing of any decision
that he's unable to to serve, and some wrangling between the parties.
But
Rounds and the GOP should serve notice now that no advantage will be taken that
tips the balance of power.
When
I first expressed this view on my radio show, and then as a guest host for Bill
O'Reilly on "The Radio Factor," many in my own party were quick to
say that the Dems wouldn't hesitate to gain an upper hand if the roles were
reversed.
And
others said that where Gov. Rounds just won re-election to a second term with
over 60 percent of the vote, and given that his job responsibilities
legitimately include naming a successor, his re-election can be viewed as an
affirmation of sorts by the voters of South Dakota that they want him do as HE
sees fit in such a circumstance.
None
of this dissuades me.
It's
just not right. Worse, it'd be downright unseemly. A brain trauma is no way to
maintain enormous power.
I'll
tell you something else that replacing Johnson with a Republican would be -
political suicide for the GOP in 2008.
On
Nov. 7, the nation spoke. Reasonable minds can quibble as to what exactly the
voters said, but one thing is clear: It wasn't good news for the GOP.
Clearly
it had something to do with being out of touch. And from the looks of things,
it's about to get worse. On the heels of the election, the administration took
the political cover afforded by the Baker commission, rebuked it, and is now
soliciting additional political cover to ignore the recommendations.
So
we have a party viewed as being out of touch, and a climate where people are
fed up with partisanship. They are sick and tired of the black and white
divisions that separate the parties and the refusal of elected officials to
work with each other.
All
of which presents an opportunity. It's an unprecedented chance for the GOP to
rise above the fray, and distinguish itself as the stage is set for a
presidential showdown that is going to be very difficult to win.
Hey,
Gov. Rounds, issue a press release before Christmas. Wish Sen. Johnson well,
tell him you can't wait until the day arrives where he'll again stand in the
well of the Senate saying things about which you can disagree from the
governor's mansion.
Then
make it crystal clear that if he can't resume his position, and if control of
the Senate hangs in the balance, you'll honor him by naming a replacement from
his own party.
And
to all a good night.
Michael Smerconish can be heard weekdays 5:30-9
a.m. on the Big Talker, 1210/AM. Contact him via the Web at www.mastalk.com.