Democrats Dust Off Milk Scandal From Their Playbook

With America's unease over Obama's imperial presidency and Obamacare, I strongly suspect the Democratic Party has dusted off their milk scandal strategy that destroyed the presidential ambitions of Gov. John Connally in the late 1970s.

http://www.laits.utexas.edu/txp_media/html/exec/governors/25.html

Connally switched parties from Democrat to Republican in 1973, three months after LBJ's death. In the wake of the bribery-related resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew in October 1973, Nixon passed word that he would name Connally to fill the vacancy. This would have put Connally in a strong position to run for president in 1976. Nixon and Connally had privately mused about starting a new Whig-type party in the tradition of Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. But Democrats and Republicans alike in the Senate erupted in a "firestorm of protest." Warnings went up that if Nixon pursued the appointment, some powerful Senate Democrats "would be determined to destroy Connally." This was during the height of the Watergate scandal, which ultimately forced Nixon to resign. Nixon named House minority leader Gerald Ford vice president but said that he intended to support Connally for the 1976 GOP nomination. In the aftermath, Connally rejoined Vinson and Elkins but soon confronted a criminal prosecution for alleged bribery and conspiracy in a "milk-price" scandal. He was acquitted after a trial in federal court.

Connally was exonerated, but the damage was done. I see Hillary and Holder dusting off that same strategy to ruin N.J. Gov. Chris Christie's presidential run before it gathers steam.

I wonder what the odds are that the official immediately calling for a probe, (assistant attorney general Paul Fishman) is a Democrat who will earn a nice promotion from Holder for dragging an "investigation" out through 2016 or until Christie drops out.

Even though Christie is not yet my first choice as the Republican standard bearer, at least he took action and accepted responsibility for the errant actions of subordinates -- something Obama will never, ever do. Even when Obama admitted the Obamacare software boondoogle, he didn't really accept responsibility for his part or any of his subordinates.

Hillary gets back on track with her shadow campaign, Holder ensure himself of continued position as a well-paid power player and Obama evades the public scrutiny for his many administrative failures. It seems a little spilt milk may once again mask a lot of Democratic corruption.

 

Looking into the mirror again, Sam?

 

As Obama's former chief of staff loved to point out, "Never let a good crisis go to waste." In his spirit, we should never let an opportunity to point out what a poor job Obama is doing.

 

Agree.

 

My original premise was faulty, I admit -- formed from listening to occasional NPR reports while I was out fishing. Christie's staff apparently was trying to play Obama-style games but were not as skilled. Still, there are some interesting comparisons to the way Democrats are trying to pile on Christie the way they did Connally.

I find the news media coverage absorbing. The media is giving this story 10 to 20 times more coverage than the Obama/Clinton Benghazi cover-up. The Christie scandal made a number of commuters late for dinner whereas the Benghazi scandal resulted in four dead American heroes.

Christie owned up to failures in his administration, taking full responsibility for his staff's actions. Will Obama or Clinton ever do that? Of course not.

Traffic in New Jersey for one night is more important to the national press that the misuse of the IRS against the tea parties; the deaths caused by Holder's Fast and Furious policies; the NSA spying on Americans since, apparently, we are all terrorists; the reckless destruction of America's health care system; or even the ever growing American debt crisis.

 

Yes, I'm working in the Democratic precincts as fast and as furiously as I can. Who knows? I may even get an invitation to the Texas Democratic Convention. Won't that be a hoot?

Now, just because I am working in the Democratic Party doesn't mean that I suddenly have to support Obama. There is a lot of unrest in the ranks because Obamacare threatens to capsize the ship. Quite a few people fear they will lose their insurance or be forced to pay exorbitant sums for their premiums, deductibles and co-pays. Obamacare is a great tool for moving the herd back into the center or center right.

 

Agree ... but that's why we should severely curtail lobbying. I suggest these changes:

1) Lobbyists would be allowed to be in contact with legislators only at public meetings with agendas published at least two weeks prior. Direct or indirect ontact outside that public arena would be a felony for both lobbyist and legislator.

2) All sides of each issue would be represented at the public meetings.

3) Legislators would not be allowed to accept money from a lobby, although a lobby could donate money to the government for equal distribution to the parties.

4) The lobbies would be allowed to use money to advertise their positions to the public without constraints. The publicized information could be used by legislators.