Show Me, Chris Koster
Chris Koster has switched parties, and I, for one, welcome his participation as a Democrat. I can't claim to be surprised, either. Way back in May of 2005, I identified Chris as a "legislative roundheels", and pointed out that "there may be a shred of dignity and conscience underneath all that shallow self-promotion and naked ambition".
Rumor has it that he is considering a run for Attorney General. I've already voiced my opinion on Koster's candidacy for AG:
Chris Koster is a pretty boy candidate who seemed like he was on the fast track to Republican prominence. He's a smart guy, and even tells the truth once in a blue moon. “There is a sense in this building that if an interest group brings four really bad ideas to the table, we are obligated to pass at least one of them because they are our friends,” Koster once said when the insurance companies tried to gain virtual immunity for their misdeeds. Unfortunately, Koster's conscience is up for the highest bidder. Even when his gag reflex was triggered by the insurance companies' avarice, it was only after he had started working for a trial lawyer.The fact that Koster has fired Roe and joined the party with a conscience doesn't quite get him onto the list of acceptable candidates, though. Let's remember - this is a guy who honestly thinks that Roe's tactics are okay, and is willing to pay Jeff Roe to work on his behalf. Does that sound like anyone you want to be associated with? Does that sound like a Democrat you can support?
Most damning for Koster, though, is that he has hired Jeff Roe. Roe has shown himself to be incompetent at anything other than self-promotion. His career is over, after he single-handedly sunk Becky Nace's campaign for mayor. Dozens of people told me that she was their favorite candidate, but they refused to vote for her because she hired him. One of the biggest fights in the Gottstein/Gamble race grew out of a rumor that Gamble had hired Roe - the Gamble people viewed that as poisonous slander. Well, Koster sunk his own campaign when he hired Roe. Neither Koster nor Roe has a discernible shred of morality.
Again, I welcome Chris Koster to the Democratic Party. I look forward to stuffing envelopes alongside him, and manning phone banks. I look forward to seeing Chris raise funds for good Democratic candidates, and work on their behalf. In a few years, after he has done those things, I might even consider backing him in an election as a Democrat.
But, please remember, this is the Show-Me State. Chris Koster has shown the Republicans. Let's be careful about what he's showing us.
Labels: attorney general, koster
posted by Dan at 8/01/2007 06:49:00 AM
28 Comments:
Koster backed Blunt's medicaid cuts and he hired Roe. Those two reasons alone should be enough to doom him in a Democratic primary. Nevermind that Democrats already have a better candidate in Jeff Harris.
I agree Dan -- let's welcome Chris to the Democratic party. In honesty, Koster is more progressive than some of the other rural/suburban Democratic senators. If Koster were to run for reelection to the Senate and compile a good Democratic record, I would consider voting for him in a statewide bid in 2010/12 (Bond's senate seat?).
But I'm still voting for Jeff Harris for AG. He's a fantastic leader we can trust.
I also wonder about the fact that he has fired Roe -- doesn't Roe now have all the dirt on Koster? Isn't Hanaway's first campaign act going to be hire Roe?
In any event, it sure keeps things interesting!
Boone County Dems (Jeff Harris' district) are already publicizing Koster's voting record...
http://www.pubdef.net/2007/08/koster-going-blue-day-2.html
As I was reading The KC Blue Blog I noticed how you called it "poorly researched and undocumented", but yet YESTERDAY, before everyone in the state, they informed readers of this move. I think they do a great job. With all respect, so do you, until you get into the business of blogging for Funkhouser, a mayor that I also supported but wont support again.
Jeff? Who WAS he?
"The" Brooksider??? Someone is vaguely usurping my sporadic Nom de Blog, ha!
Interesting about Koster. Rats? Sinking moral ship? Anyone? Bueller?
After reading Eric's link, I'm confused how a SLU boy ends up in Harrisonville. And a comment at that link reminds me, wasn't McCaskill prevented from giving the commencement address at her daughter's catholic high school in St. Louis because of her policies on "life" issues? Shouldn't the same people be preventing Koster from announcing at SLU?
How do we know Koster fired Roe? Koster paid Roe $10,000 on his last MEC report.
I think this is more a reflection of the candidate pool than it is of anything else. CK may be a political trollop, but that's where the electorate has gone.
Unless the republicans of our state can find someone who is really better than CK(and I doubt that), I'll have to hold my nose and vote for him.
To paraphrase George Carlin: "If the candidates suck, maybe that's because the people suck."
I'll agree with one thing. Just look at those dimples and piano key perfect set of choppers.
His teeth and that pic of his are a good reason not to vote for the guy.
Soooooo, does a turncoat/latent democrat merit accolades over a long time, died in the wool democrat(s)?
I'm at a disadvantage here because I don't know a thing about Koster. Obviously his conversion makes good hay for democrats and generally hurts all republicans. Publicizing the heck out of his defection is just good politics.
However, when the noise dies down, is this a guy we want representing us? I haven't the faintest idea.
I'm hearing mixed reviews.
Brooksider, Jr.,
I know you like the Blue Blog - you've posted that on a lot of blogs, almost like a sockpuppet or a PR agent. Glad to know you've found a blog you enjoy - I enjoy reading that site, as well, though, as noted, "their" posts are often diminished by sloppy writing and creative spelling.
By way of clarification, though, the post they had about Koster was only a link to what the Post Dispatch had already published. They didn't do anything "before everyone in the state." I read about it elsewhere before I saw it on Blue Blog.
I hope the Blue Blog continues to publish, though I think their comment-policing is damaging their credibility and hindering conversation. Just my opinion, of course.
No, Mainstream, he's not the kind of person we want representing us. He'll blow his money in an unsuccessful primary, coming in third to Harris' 46%, Donnelly's 23%, and above Gaw's 10%.
I posted it on two blogs (Gone Mild and TKC)which hardly calls for your name calling. I would say that a "sockpuppet" or "PR Agent" would qualify as a blogger who doubles as a mayor's legal counsel at the same time that he is shining his shoes through softball blog posts. I read blogs for a message not to count grammar errors; otherwise I would be busy on everyone's blog, including yours.
Heh - when I posted about this today I linked your "Legislative Roundheals" post. Here is the paragraph:
With the Roe caveat, I am going to be magnanimous here and welcome him aboard, (keeping in mind that he brings with him a streak of craven opportunism a mile wide. Remember that the guy asking for a ride across the river was hatched a scorpion, and act accordingly). That said, we have a big tent, with plenty of room for the moderate Republicans who are feeling uncomfortable with where my Grandfather’s Missouri GOP has gone. I hope Koster is the start of a slow bleed of the current state GOP's life force. I hope there are a dozen more who have some common sense and come on over before the end of the year. The more the merrier and the sooner the better!
I didn't come right out and say "Show Me" but it was certainly implied! And it is always good to find myself in agreement with a veteran of the areas politics.
Brooksider - I'm not the mayor's legal counsel. Perhaps you have me confused with someone else.
Yea Dan, I think that The Brooksider has you confused with the other Dan R*** that Gloria told the paper was attending meetings to advise the mayor.
Hmm. Mercy me. I read that piece, but I can't for the life of me remember her or anyone else describing me as Funk's legal counsel. Perhaps I didn't read carefully enough, but I don't remember that at all. Do you?
Speaking of politics, what did you think of the Pitch article?
The one about Lahr? I thought the story is awfully sad, and the writer was a bit of a jerk with the whole "high school" theme. These are real people involved in Kansas City's civil life, and lives appear to be in real turmoil. Maybe he thinks its all an unimportant game, but I feel a little bit more compassion for all concerned.
This hands the race to Donnelly. Remember Nancy Farmer, Brian May and Scott Lakin in the 2000 treasurer's race?
Donnelly is a smart and tough progressive who isnt a political opportunist like so many of these white boys.
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