Talkin’ point: Tester’s a liberal, or worse

June 8, 2006 in Conrad Burns, Jon Tester, Montana politics

You saw it: Liddy Dole called Tester a “…Democrat puppet of national liberal special interest groups who does not share the mainstream values of Montanans…” (What Dole knows about Montana values is beyond me. I don’t know why Republican millionaires keep claming they’re “average folks,” but it’s starting to get insulting.) And Burns himself wondered how Tester would have voted on the “defense of homophobia” amendment.

The implication…well, the outright accusation is that Tester’s a fringe dweller, an extremist, a nutjob, someone who’ll rape your babies or raise your taxes.

The rhetoric: Conrad Burns supports the two Constitutional amendments that would ban gay marriage and flag burning. Jon Tester doesn’t.

The message: Burns is a good ol’ boy who shares the same morals that regular Montanans do. Together, we can hate fags and hippies. Meanwhile, the other guy (Jon Tester) loves fags and hippies! Because he’s an East-Cost elite!

The reality: This is the old bait-and-switch, folks. Conrad Burns couldn’t give two sh*ts about either of these issues. In fact, he was against the anti-gay amendment (pdf) before he was for it. Burns is trying to paint Tester as an “East-coast liberal” and keep his opponent on the defensive instead of attacking Burns on his record and his associations with Abramoff and INSA and whatever other sordid affair he’s involved in.

Expect Tester to brush off these attacks. Most Americans couldn’t care less about these issues – or if they do, they realize Burns doesn’t care. After all, this flag-burning issue came up fifteen years ago, and the defense of marriage cropped up only after Bush decided to distract the national electorate from his dismal poll numbers, the sinking stock market, the war, domestic spying, torture…you get my drift. Anti-gay activists know Burns doesn't care, that he's using this as hollow campaign rhetoric.

Of course, one look at Jon Tester, one handshake from the man, and these allegations are meaningless. That’s why you should expect Tester to shrug off these attacks and bring up issues of jobs, health care, and fiscal responsibility, all issues where Burns falls on his face.

Tester’s going to run on his record in the state legislature, where he helped pass numerous bills on health care and alternative energy, yet remaining within the constitutionally-defined restraints of a balanced budget, which will contrast to Burns’ wayward spending and appropriated pork projects, much of which landed not in Montanans’ pockets, but in his freinds’. (See Saginaw Chippewas and INSA.)

And Tester is going to run on competency and honesty. In short, he’s going to run on character. And Burns can’t win there.

Burns’ tactics will be ugly and angering, Tester’s honest and empowering. Burns will try to divide Montanans along party lines; Tester will try to unite Montanans with issues that affect us all. Burns will distract and deceive; Tester will tell it like it is. Burns will try to stir up hate; Tester will seek to tap hope.

Seems obvious to me who to support.

Welcome to your summer, Montanans.