Will Cheney Help Bury The Republican Party In The 2010 Midterms?

As though the GOP doesn't have enough problems to face going into the 2010 midterm election cycle-- primarily a perception among moderate voters that they caused the country's problems and that now they are mindless, partisan obstructionists, coupled with high level retirements in blue-trending (and not so blue-trending) states and an inability to recruit competitive first tier candidates-- the most detested figure in American politics has now inserted himself, front and center, into the campaign.

Pollsters may debate whether Cheney has a higher public approval rating than Paris Hilton or not, but in the shriveled and shrunken Republican Party he's still considered a respectable figure. Always looking to promote ratings-friendly food fights, the media has shamelessly propped him up. A few days ago, the beleaguered chair of the NRSC, Texas Know Nothing John Cornyn, said he'd be "proud to appear with the vice president, anywhere, anytime.” Not even anywhere in Texas would be a good idea and for many Republican candidates the idea of campaigning with Cheney is anathema. McCain refused to allow him out of his cage bunker during the 2008 campaign and many non-Southern Republicans wish he was still locked away somewhere.

Even a high profile right-wing Mormon, Utah Senator Robert Bennett, facing a serious primary from an even more extreme winger, has indicated that he doesn't want Cheney coming around Utah during campaign season. Utah! (That's almost as lame as Oklahoma.)

Asked whether he’d like Cheney to campaign with him, Utah Sen. Robert Bennett-- who faces a primary challenge in 2010-- said: “The most powerful national politician in Utah is Mitt Romney, and he’s already come to Utah to campaign for me. And I think I’ll leave it at that.”

Bennett isn't the only Republican who doesn't want to be identified with the unpopular ex-vice president who most Americans see as part of the problem rather than as part of the solution. Even radical obstructionist Richard Burr, a complete Cheney clone, isn't eager to see Cheney coming to North Carolina to lend a hand. And, petrified, neither Florida's Charlie Crist, Ohio's Bush Regime leftover, Rob Portman, nor Lisa Murkowski (AK) would go on the record when asked if they'd like having Cheney campaign with them or not.

In Florida, Marco Rubio, who almost makes Cheney look mainstream by comparison, is eager to have the ex-VP come help him out against his popular closeted gay opponent. KKK supporter Johnny Isakson (GA) as well as John Thune (SD) and Tom Coburn (OK) also feel they would benefit from some joint appearances with Cheney in their states. McCain, who just reminded a writer that Cheney's position on torture is basically advocating a war crime and comapared it to the Spanish Inquisition, still doesn't want Cheney campaigning for him. Not that Cheney would. Cheney hates McCain with a passion and is far more likely to support Chris Simcox, founder of one of the Minutemen terrorist groups, who is challenging McCain for the Republican Senate nomination in Arizona next year.

Interesting rumor: when someone asked right-wing ex-football player Mike Minter, who we reported was mulling over a run against popular freshman Larry Kissell, whether he was interested in having Cheney come down to North Carolina to campaign for him, he said he'd pretty much decided not to run after all but that he would have been proud to campaign with Cheney. We also asked a Paul Ryan (R-WI) staffer if the congressman would invite the former vice president to Kenosha, Racine or even Janesville and the string of expletives was so intense that I wish I had had my recorder on! Anyway I hope someone asks Cheney enablers like Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), David Dreier (R-CA), Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Frank Wolf (R-VA), Brian Bilbray (R-CA) and Peter King (R-NY). They all rubber stamped the Cheney agenda that landed us in trouble. They should all appear onstage in their home districts with Cheney around their necks.




h/t: Glenn Greenwald