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Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Schweitzer Should Have Known Better
By Rusty Shackleford | September 16, 2008
Schweitzer should have known better
Revelations of Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s wildly inappropriate remarks at an American Association for Justice convention in Philadelphia this past summer beg a number of questions, chief of which is: What could he possible have been thinking?
Another—possible more important—question is: How many of his claims that he tried to manipulate the outcome of the 2006 U.S. Senate race between Conrad Burns and Jon Tester are true? Because if enough of them are true, Schweitzer could face some serious legal questions in addition to the ethical questions already hanging over his head.
Schweitzer this week apologized for the speech and maintained he was merely joking. In the speech he claimed to have told a Butte-Silver Bow election official—whom he characterized as “nervous as a pregnant nun”—not to disclose election results until he called. He also claimed to have bullied the Associated Press Montana Bureau chief for not calling the election in favor of fellow-Democrat Tester’s favor soon enough. And he said he suggested that tribal police harass Republican poll watchers on Indian reservations until they left their posts.
The speech surfaced recently in the Internet (note to politicians: You’re never really away from the microphone anymore). And at least some of the stories Schweitzer related in his speech apparently have some truth to them.
The AP bureau chief confirms that he had a conversation with Schweitzer on election night, though he denied the governor had any influence on when the AP called the election. The Butte-Silver Bow election official said she declined to accept a call from the governor at 3:30 in the morning after the 2006 Election Day.
Schweitzer maintains that the story about the Indian reservation poll watchers in fiction.
Federal and state officials say they are looking into the remarks, though no formal investigations had been launched as of late last week. Given the seriousness of what Schweitzer said he did, a full investigation should be conducted. Even if no legal violations are found, Montana voters deserve to know the unethical extent to which their governor is willing to go to manipulate the outcome of an election.
Anyone who has seen Schweitzer speak on the national stage recent can’t help but have noticed the bolo-tie-wearing, down-home, just-folks image that he likes to convey. But suggesting—even jokingly—that Montana is a state where election results are breezily manipulated by cigar-chomping politicos if going too far by half.
And a governor who likes to talk about how he promotes Montana’s best interests when he goes around the country ought to know that.
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
“Our Opinion”
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
I’d post a link to the editorial, but none exists. I just typed it up from my printed copy.
I wonder if the Chronicle knows that they’re beating a dead horse?! I mean, there’s nothing to see here people…move it along!
And priding myself on my intellectual honesty, credit must be given when credit is due…
Federal and state officials say they are looking into the remarks, though no formal investigations had been launched as of late last week. Given the seriousness of what Schweitzer said he did, a full investigation should be conducted. Even if no legal violations are found, Montana voters deserve to know the unethical extent to which their governor is willing to go to manipulate the outcome of an election.
That is probably the single most honest statement I’ve heard/read from any member of the traditional media in quite some time.
A big *thumbs up* to the Chronicle’s editorial board.
Topics: Schweitzer's 2006 Election Day Shenanigans, 2006 Election Day Shenanigans, Blogosphere, Media, Schweitzer, Stupid things the Left does/says, Montana |
One Response to “Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Schweitzer Should Have Known Better”
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September 16th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
RECALL SCHWEITZER!
KICK MCGRATH OUT!