Another Gift To The Dems - GOP Should Have Previously Taken Care of Stevens

Well, the Republicans have just given the Democrats another electoral gift. Fox News is reporting that the Justice Department is going to announce charges against Republican Senator Ted Stevens at 1:20 this afternoon. No other details are available at this time (1:00pm ET) at Fox News, but the "Alaska Politics" blog on the Anchorage Daily News' website confirms that Stevens has been indicted by a Federal Grand Jury, and promises more details shortly at adn.com.

Anyone who paid attention to political coverage of Congress over the past few years has known that this was coming. While there was word over the past year that GOP insiders were attempting to convince Stevens to step down, they couldn't even convince the man to not run for re-election. I assume that his re-election campaign will no longer be an issue, now.

The GOP leadership should have done more to sideline Stevens before the inevitable indictments came down. Even though he served his county admirably for a long time, in recent years he became the poster-boy for why the Republicans in Congress lost their way.

Instead, the GOP has another public corruption scandal on their hands immediately before an important election. They've given another gift to the Democrats. However, there is still a way that the GOP can minimize the damage that the indictment of Steven will do.

They should force the Senator to resign immediately, giving a replacement Republican (either an appointment by Republican Governor Sarah Palin or a candidate in the fall) an easy road against any Democrat contender. The GOP should then compare Steven's resignation to Democratic Congressman William Jefferson's refusal to do the same when he was indicted last year.

There's still time to get in front of this.

Comments

[Ted]

This helps McCain since his likely VP running mate, Alaska Gov Sarah Palin, ran and won specifically on fighting corruption. She already passes the following test:

1. Which McCain Veep pick is SIMULTANEOUSLY the safest AND boldest?

ANSWER: Sarah Palin

2. How can McCain SIMULTANEOUSLY attract both Hillary AND Bob Barr voters?

ANSWER: Sarah Palin

* * *

And there's this from the Conservative Voice:

“Desperately seeking Sarah
July 26, 2008

By Stephan Andrew Brodhead

Desperately seeking Sarah
Americans need a little Palin Power

Sarah Palin the current Governor of Alaska is John McCain’s ultimate choice for VP. I do believe a woman is next in line for the presidency. All Conservatives like her. She is popular in Alaska. Hillary supporters would relish her. She would solidify a 12 or possibly 16 year Republican executive.

John McCain’s boring campaign is wearing thin. I need a little Palin Power to get me interested again. They would say ‘but she is only a half term Governor!’ And your point is?"

[Ted]

This helps McCain since his likely VP running mate, Alaska Gov Sarah Palin, ran and won specifically on fighting corruption. She already passes the following test:

1. Which McCain Veep pick is SIMULTANEOUSLY the safest AND boldest?

ANSWER: Sarah Palin

2. How can McCain SIMULTANEOUSLY attract both Hillary AND Bob Barr voters?

ANSWER: Sarah Palin

* * *

And there's this from the Conservative Voice:

“Desperately seeking Sarah
July 26, 2008

By Stephan Andrew Brodhead

Desperately seeking Sarah
Americans need a little Palin Power

Sarah Palin the current Governor of Alaska is John McCain’s ultimate choice for VP. I do believe a woman is next in line for the presidency. All Conservatives like her. She is popular in Alaska. Hillary supporters would relish her. She would solidify a 12 or possibly 16 year Republican executive.

John McCain’s boring campaign is wearing thin. I need a little Palin Power to get me interested again. They would say ‘but she is only a half term Governor!’ And your point is?"