WHAT YOU NEED NOW - CONTENT UPDATED THROUGH THE DAY
June 23, 2005
COMMENTARY: Manchin Losing His One Asset: His Charm
by Eric St. James
Huntington (Special to HNN) –The day Joe Manchin lost his charm was when he said that if Massey Energy CEO President Don Blankenship insisted on sticking his nose into Manchin's pension refinancing bond vote, maybe it was time that his administration looked more closely into Blankenship's businesses. Here's the way Ken Ward, Jr., reporter for the Charleston Gazette, tells it in his June 18, 2005 story entitled, "Manchin still sparring over pension bond bid":
Governor Joe Manchin continued Friday [June 17] to spar with Massey Energy President Don Blankenship over the governor's multimillion– dollar pension bond proposal.
The governor said Blankenship, who has launched a personal campaign against the bond plan, should expect tougher scrutiny of his business affairs.
"I think that is justified now, since Don has jumped in there with his personal wealth, trying to direct public policy," Manchin said.
Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Stop the presses! Did we just hear a Governor not only try to use a threat but to actually justify his threat to deny an American citizen to use their free speech rights, given to them under the Constitution? I believe we did. News to Joe: ANY citizen can try their best to influence public policy in America.
And even if you disagree with Blankenship's position, one has to say that he has behaved much more intelligently and like a gentleman in all this than the illustrious Governor from Fairmont. So much for the "Friendly City."
Joe, Joe, such raw, immature, "out there" political roughhousing! But it only impresses the stupid girls who go in for the bullying types.
Now they have a choice to go to the prom with: Don or Joe. Don Blankenship has actions that look bullyish, whether in beating up on Warren McGraw without mercy or now in getting involved in the Governor's pension bond refinancing vote.
But give Blankenship this– he never actually sounds bullying but lets his money do his bullying for him. As a result, he doesn't overplay his hand, doesn't respond to every criticism, just keeps on plugging.
Contrast that with Joe Manchin's approach lately. It's pure emotion– and not very statesmanlike at all. In addition to his alley cat street– talk towards Blankenship (which will hardly deter Blankenship), Manchin has now shown how completely brain– dead his entire administration is by the totally uncreative TV ads he's running– as compared to Blankenship's better ones.
Yes, once again, folks: "It's all about JOBS!" (you're allowed to laugh now)
Yes, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs. Again! This was Joe Manchin's brilliant rhetoric as Master of the Obvious during his first run for Governor, where he got thrashed like Charlotte Pritt, who assumed everyone already knew it was all about jobs in West Virginia.
Joe then spent a full eight years to get a new catchy slogan, er, word for his next campaign: "It's all about PEOPLE!" Alright! It's all about people, says Joe. Hey, if he said it, it must be true.
Personally, when I see this kind of meaningless crap out on the airwaves, I realize that it's not about jobs or people when it comes to Manchin.
Rather: "It's all about JOE!" Oh yes. It's ALL about Joe. Like the rooster who thinks that the sun rises in the morning because of his cockadoodle do, Joe Manchin is under the delusion that his presentation is making a difference in the big vote on Saturday.
I've got news for you, Manchin: if you win, it will be DESPITE your campaigning, not because of it. Yes, it's always been about self– absorbed Joe, as it often is for any politician. There's no great mystery here.
But what CAN we tell about our chief executive these days? What some of us have already known. He's sweet as cotton candy and with all the substance therein, too.
Manchin may win this election, due to all the teachers wanting a pay raise with the extra money that Joe can have on hand to spend. But it won't be due to any great brain trust in his inner circle.
When will politicians realize that we really don't eat baby food out here?
Maybe they think we'll like what THEY like– is that it? I guess so.
Win or lose, we now know that we have a Governor who may not know how to handle the power he's been given. Thanks, Joe. It's good to know this.
Kick his butt, Don! I don't know you, but anyone who stands up to government bullying has my vote.
Eric St. James is a guest columnist from Huntington.
