The flap over Senator John Kerry’s statement in California (prior post here) has led to a number of things: howls of outrage, demands for apologies, and — at last — a hook, however late and tentative, on which Republicans can hang their attacks. That gaffe also pulled him off the campaign circuit, sending him home to(presumably) Massachusetts (WaPo):
The White House and Republican allies orchestrated a cascade of denunciations throughout the day to keep the once and possibly future presidential candidate on the defensive and force other Democrats to distance themselves. Kerry canceled plans to appear with several candidates and returned home to avoid becoming “a distraction to these campaigns.”
That last bit triggered an issue for Polimom: Why on earth was the Senator from Massachusetts stumping in California? I coulda’ sworn Massachusetts included people who don’t belong to the Democratic Party. Do those non-Democrats feel their Senator’s time is being well-spent by campaigning in other states?
And who’s paying Kerry’s salary? (ahem…)
Meanwhile, George Bush has been in the news a lot lately, zipping about the country to lend support to fellow Republicans in key races — lifting shrieking babies, raising funds, and generally trying to rally his party (Forbes):
Twenty-eight years after his first campaign, George W. Bush is waging his last. If the polls are right, the president could wind up experiencing the sting of defeat for the first time since that 1978 race.
[snip]
Bush has raised more than $193 million at about 90 events this election season. He has posed with dozens of smiling candidates on the steps of Air Force One. He has eaten ice cream with a candidate who admitted to marital infidelity. He traveled across the country to sign a bill sponsored by California Rep. Richard Pombo.
It’s not hard to understand why he’s doing this; the outcome of this election affects him, too… but then, he was front and center even more in 2002:
By contrast, before the 2002 elections, a much more popular Bush began appearing at rallies in August. In October alone, he appeared at eight and nearly all of his political events, of any kind, were open to cameras and reporters.
Needless to say, of course, all this frenetic activity has been spent supporting the Republicans, and… um… aren’t the American people paying his salary, too?
And then there’s Tony Snow — the White House Press Secretary. (Chicago Sun-Times)
After warm-ups in Wisconsin and Iowa, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow arrives in St. Charles on Saturday to headline a $175-a- person fund-raiser for beleaguered House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert.
[snip]
It’s unusual for a presidential spokesman to go out on the stump, but Snow has his campaign calendar filled through the Nov. 7 election. He’s got 16 events — speeches, fund-raisers, drop-bys — on his schedule and five more in the works.
Again — correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Tony Snow’s salary paid by the American people?
The more I think about this, the less I like it.
If Polimom were a Republican living in MA, I think I’d be ticked that “my” senator was gallivanting all over the country; I’d be even more angry that he was spending his my time raising money and support for the Democrats.
I’m positive that George Bush has a full-time job leading the country… not just the Republicans. I’d have sworn there was enough work already packed into his job-description to keep him busy.
Polimom, of course, is a non-partisan Independent and a tax-payer, but for some reason, I’m partially footing the bill to further the fortunes of both parties. How did I get sucked into paying for all this?
I want my nickel back, please.