Never Believe Dick Morris

Dick Morris had this article published today in The Hill. I'm now going to tell you why a significant part of what he wrote is dead wrong.


First, I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Republicans will not lose control of the Senate this year. I'll post more detailed information on this as the election draws nearer, but Democrats have no shot. Can they get closer? Yes, probably. But they would have to not only win all of the close races, they would have to make sure they didn't lose any surprises AND they would have to generate some genuine upsets. Not going to happen. (Incidentally, if you're a Democrat, just wait until 2008 when the Republicans will be defending 22 seats to 11 for the Dems - THEN you will see a Democratic Senate).

Next, Morris suggested that corruption is an issue that favors the Democrats almost exclusively. The Republicans, says Morris, are the only party that is subject to corruption problems in this falls elections. He suggests that the spectacle of Tom DeLay leaving the House dwarfs the Cynthia McKinney, Patrick Kennedy, and William Jefferson debacles. He may be right about McKinney and Kennedy, but he's dead wrong about Jefferson. The DeLay story is complicated and clouded by issues of whether the DA was "out to get" DeLay. It's a story that most Americans don't care much about, and have already forgotten. DeLay left the House with little fanfare.

Contrast this with Jefferson. This story is easy: Jefferson took money. Who cares for what, or why. HE TOOK MONEY. Everyone knows about this story. It just happened. And now, he is refusing to step down from his leadership position, let alone resigning from the Senate. That is prolonging the story, making it more compelling. It is also making Democrats look worse and worse. I don't understand how Dick Morris can suggest that Democrats don't have to worry about corruption.

How someone who has been around the powerful and in the political game for so long can be so completely wrong, I don't know. If I were you, I wouldn't listen to a word this man says. Then again, I'm just a student with a computer who likes to spend my free time thinking about politics and baseball. Guess that's kind of a toss-up...