The Grown-Ups In The Room

I've been watching the debates for Congress across Indiana and one thing keeps striking me: The Republicans and Democrats sling mud at each other and dance around the questions, and the Libertarians are the grown-ups in the room. From Indiana Public Media, on the first US Senate debate:

Both Democrat Brad Ellsworth and Republican Dan Coats were on the offensive during last night’s Senate debate in Indianapolis… while Libertarian Rebecca Sink-Burris remained more focused on questions and responses.

Absolutely, I'm going to prefer the Libertarian candidate's answers 95 times out of 100, and Rebecca is a friend. But the glaring difference in demeanor gets me. I can understand the Democrats going negative. They're trailing in the polls by and large. I don't get the Republicans taking the bait. When you're in the lead, you dismiss the negativity and go on about what you're about. For all the money these guys spend on their campaigns, precious little goes towards training and solid advice.

But hey, their idiocy is our gain. I love the coverage Scott Wise got on a Fort Wayne TV station along these lines:



Rebecca Sink-Burris will debate two more times with fellow candidates for US Senate. Well, she will debate. The others will sling mud. I hope she tells them to knock it off and behave.

Fri Oct 22, at Fort Wayne
Mon Oct 25, at Vincennes

These should be widely televised again. If you missed the first US Senate debate, see it by clicking here.

Poor Coverage

I was really miffed to read an Evansville Courier & Press article on the Indiana Secretary of State's race. It was bad enough that it read like a paid advertisement for the Democratic candidate and not filed under 'Opinion'; but it also failed to mention Libertarian Mike Wherry at all.

So, I wrote a letter to the editor. It follows:

I found it ironic and unfortunate to read Sunday's article on the Indiana Secretary of State race. Ironic that the article quoted one of the candidates about not forgetting those with a right to be heard. Unfortunate, in that the Libertarian candidate, Mike Wherry, wasn't even mentioned.

The Secretary of State race is crucial to the Libertarian Party, as its' candidate needs to secure a minimum 2% finish in this race in order for their party to remain on the ballot for the next four years.

But more to the point of the article, regarding whether or not paperwork irregularities make a candidate fit for office or not, it is incredibly ironic that Republican's errors are commented on, while the Democrat, who has also committed plenty of irregularities, was given a pass.

Both parties have slung a fair amount of mud at their traditional foes, and both parties are fairly convincing when they both make the case that the other is unfit to be Secretary of State.

Libertarian Mike Wherry stands heads and shoulders above this. He is a veteran US Naval officer, having served on the USS Indianapolis. He is on the ballot and is an eminently qualified candidate. He should have had equal consideration in the recent article on the basis of being a balloted candidate alone, but when you consider the relative merits of his paperwork, perhaps he should have been the feature.

Sincerely Yours-
-Mike Kole
Libertarian Candidate for Secretary of State in 2006

I'm fond of this clip: