Feingold Loss to Johnson: We've Traded Down in That Senator Seat Before
Telling, isn't it, that there is precedent for the complete overturning in philosophy and depth represented by Ron Johnson's defeat of Russ Feingold?
It was Democrat Feingold who defeated incumbent Republican Robert Kasten, Jr, to win the seat in 1992, after Kasten had ousted incumbent Democratic heavyweight Gaylord Nelson 12 years earlier.
Nelson was the author of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, and founded Earth Day, among other things.
Kasten was a lackluster place-holder, racking nothing memorable in Washington, DC except a DUI arrest in Washington, DC (charges dismissed); he's now a corporate executive and lobbyist for military contractors, among other things.
Feingold's defeat is a tough one to absorb. Rhodes scholar. Harvard Law. A ton of experience and courage, a champion of transparency and campaign finance reform - - replaced by a wealthy secretive plastics company owner, supported by a flood of outside corporate cash, and so evasive that it helped cost him the endorsement of his hometown newspaper, the Oshkosh Northwestern.
It is interesting that the Senate seat Feingold is about to vacate has had its share of stars and duds.
And that the pendulum does swing both ways.
6 comments:
Ironic indeed that Feingold is as pathetic as Gaylord.
Losers.
Didn't Russ lose the endorsement of his own hometown newspaper as well?
Champion of campaign finance reform? Wasn't most of that bill struck down by the Supreme Court?
i worked for gaylord, anon 1. he was a great, principled senator. in a way, his defeat was a little more understandable. got caught up in the reagan wave and lost to someone who, while another towering mediocrity, had some legislative experience.
@ Anonymous #2:
The same supreme court packed by corporate cronies, who apparently equate money to speech.
Any rational person would think otherwise. Where money is speech, totalitarianism is not far behind.
We'll have to see how Plastics Boy does when he gets to Washington and gets to play in the big boys yard. . .. Funny, how when I was watching the Feingold-Johnson debates, I thought Johnson was made of wood, not plastic. Still fake, though. And full of it.
Wow, Anon 2, you haven't even read a paper this election season. Feingold got every endorsement in the state. Even ones that would normally go against him, like the State Journal, Northwestern and Press-Gazette.
The fact that SCOTUS struck down part of the finance reform is what made a difference in this election. Feingold refused money from others for outside attack ads. That's just class.
Also, what will Johnson do when he actually has to govern? Not too much, I'll bet. Especially since he sees little use for government...
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