Posted on 06/08/2005 1:34:48 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper
HELENA - Gov. Brian Schweitzer's populist message about the "stench" of politics emanating from Washington, D.C., has struck a nerve with Americans all over the country.
Schweitzer, who dished on Washington politics with Lou Dobbs on CNN two weeks ago, railed against the cozy relationship between politicians and lobbyists, and told viewers that he has to wash the "stink" off every time he leaves the nation's capital.
His candid remarks prompted Americans from around the country to send him e-mails of adoration. Schweitzer will be on Lou Dobbs' show again at 4 p.m. Thursday on CNN.
"Here I am at 80 years old, in love AGAIN!!!" wrote Ruth Guarino of Bishop, Calif. "More power to you, stay honest and you cannot lose. God bless and I am sending a BIG HUG to someone who is one in many million."
Craig Wilson, a political scientist at Montana State University-Billings, said Americans' discontent with politics as usual is running high against the backdrop of the war in Iraq. The nation is also divided over President Bush's judicial nominees and his proposals to privatize a portion of Social Security.
"He's hit the mother lode of populism here," Wilson said of Schweitzer on Tuesday. "Yes, it's touched a popular nerve, but it's a stretch to say this means he has a role on the national stage."
Others, however, think differently. Chris Novota of Colorado Springs, Colo., urged Schweitzer to consider higher office. Schweitzer is Montana's first Democratic governor in 16 years, and took the reins of office from former Gov. Judy Martz, a Republican.
"Please consider running for president of the United States, please!" Novota wrote. "It's folks like you that give me hope for the future of this great nation."
Schweitzer downplayed the e-mails and said people pushing him to run for president need to "stop smoking those pine cones." He said Americans are just reacting to his candor.
"I think what they're responding to is that it's refreshing for a political figure to answer a straight question with a straight answer," Schweitzer said. "It's just unusual on the national scene."
Schweitzer said he's surprised at all the national media he's attracted since taking office. He's been in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times and other prominent national papers. The New York Times Magazine is currently working on an article about him.
Schweitzer's populist message even plays well in New York City.
"I know nothing of Montana's political climate, being from New York and all, but I must say your approach to politics and governing has convinced me there IS a way to cut past Washington's partisan atmosphere," wrote Ernesto Malave, of Yonkers, N.Y. "Doing what is right for your people should ALWAYS be first priority in a politician's eyes. You embody that, and I salute you."
Schweitzer is enjoying strong popularity in Montana. Likely voters gave him a higher job approval rating than they did to his two predecessors, Martz and Gov. Marc Racicot, in the fifth month of their tenures, a recent Gazette State poll shows.
Schweitzer, who took office in January, received a positive job approval score of 57 percent, the poll shows. His grade compares with Martz's 44 percent in May 2001 and Racicot's 47 percent in May 1993.
E-mails of support also came into Helena from Florida, Kansas, Illinois and elsewhere. Some of the people wanted information on relocating to Montana. During his television spot, Schweitzer encouraged people to come to Montana.
And he said he plans to again trumpet the virtues of the Treasure State when he's interviewed by Lou Dobbs on Thursday.
"I don't know what his questions are, but I know what the answers will be," Schweitzer said. "He'll ask his questions, and my answers will be that Montana is the best darn place."
Ya. We all love him.
Who are we talking about again?
The Democrats latest Liberal savior and saint, who's nothing more than a goober with a cowboy hat.
it's just empty politician drivel. He didn't take anybody on in those statements. Rants about lobbyists but doesn't actually challenge any lobbyists? He's a phony and a coward.
I would guess that this has more to do with the D after his name than anything else.
Testing Presidential waters..... just dipping in a toe.
I personally didn't see the interview with Lou Dobbs, but the fact he's a phony and a coward, does not surprise me. He's nothing more than your typical tax hiking Liberal. The only campaign promise he's broken are every single one he's made.
Still never heard of him but I'm guessing he's "all hat, no cattle"
That stench in DC that he's on about, was Ted Kennedy bending over to pull another bottle scotch out of his wet bar.
"No candidate for political office may accept monetary donations or any other item of value from any person unless that person is registered to vote for the candidate in an election for public office".
It would never happen but imagine how this would change things. The politicans would have to spend time with their voters. No more Hillary Clinton's with something like HillPac involving themselves in elections they are not a party to. No more George Soros money. No more Chinese money. No more John McCain yapping away on issues that have nothing to do with the state of Arizona. And, almost everyone would register to vote because they would have power because no outsiders could stick their noses in "their" election.
Oh, and no more lobbyists.
Schweitzer got into the Governorship by the same people who had no clue who he was. He's just busy pulling the wool over the eyes of a nation.
All I can say is that I hope this guy's cleaner than Caesar's wife....
Marlboro Country Heartland...Governor...Not Hillary...Not Kerry...No baggage...Running on economic populism...
Maybe Hillary isn't as inevitable as I thought.
The stench of state politics isn't much better. Guess some people can't smell it after a while once it starts coming off them.
That too is a myth. He's looking to make it practically illegal to light up anywhere in the state. I have no clue why people in Florida want to move up here, unless it's to screw up Montana's election process. More people isn't going to make Montana more economically viable. There's no jobs to be had. Schweitzer is busy chasing every single job out of state, borrowing from the Republicans of the last 12 years. Government shouldn't be in the business of creating jobs, they should only be in the business of enhancing business, not killing them with stifling property and income taxes.
I seriously believe that twenty years from now, the empty spaces of the heartland will have retirement communities for baby boomers who never saved enough to go someplace warmer.
That's your new growth industry in Montana. Broke retirees.
Twenty years from now, Montana will be an environmentalists wet dream, and millionaires playground.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Drivel is right, since lobbyists are us. They represent people and business who need protection from government, or want something from government.
Since the everyday person cannot speak to their reps about legislation they want stopped or started, they have to have lobbyists.
If government is going to be involved in every aspect of our lives, then we must be allowed to lobby, to petition our government, or protect our business from government.
The answer is less government, that leads to fewer lobbyists.
He's already gunned for (pardon the pun) big box stores (Costco and Wal-Mart) with higher property taxes, his next item is to chase businesses out of state, run bars and pubs and restaurants out of business with the no smoking law. He's worse than your typical "Governator" or Limousine Liberal from New York. I'd say Hillary is probably more "conservative" than Schweitzer could ever dream of becoming.
For those who don't know Schweitzer, his claim to fame was bussing blue hairs into Canada for the AARP so they could get cheaper prescription drugs.
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