August 10, 2009

8/10: Mel's Had Enough

Conservative bloggers weren't sorry to see Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) resign his seat early. Michelle Malkin bid a curt farewell to "Mel 'Shamnesty' Martinez" while Paul Mirengoff observed that "Martinez won't be missed." However, conservative bloggers were still upset that Martinez didn't provide a specific reason for leaving before the end of his term. Quin Hillyer wrote: "[I]f he is getting out just because he's sick of the job, or for some other lesser reason, then he's a quitter and is exhibiting bad character."

Bloggers are currently speculating about whom Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will appoint as Martinez's replacement. Most bloggers believe that Crist is likely to appoint someone who won't threaten his own Senate ambitions, such as ex-AG Jim Smith (R) or ex-Gov. Bob Martinez (R). Ed Morrissey thinks the latter would be a poor choice, since Martinez was unpopular when he left office and putting him in the Senate "is not going to make too many Floridians very happy." Meanwhile, Erick Erickson argues that it doesn't matter whom Crist appoints, since ex-FL House Speaker Marco Rubio is going to "beat everyone in 2010 to get there anyway."

What else is happening in the blogosphere?

• Liberal bloggers (Hunter, Aravosis, Marshall, Cole, Lemos, Llorens) are blasting ex-AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) for warning that the "evil" Dem health care plans could threaten the life of her infant son Trig. Liberal bloggers (Benen, Blue Texan, Cole) are also criticizing ex-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) for defending Palin's remarks. Meanwhile, conservative bloggers (Hinderaker, Malkin, Jacobson, Althouse) are defending Palin's comments.
• Liberal bloggers (Hamsher, Lewison, Sudbay, BooMan) are criticizing WH CoS Rahm Emanuel after he reportedly warned liberal groups to stop running ads against Dems.
• Conservative bloggers (Lopez, Reynolds, Hinderaker, Allahpundit) are criticizing Pres. Obama for saying: "I don't want the folks who created the [financial] mess do a lot of talking. I want them to get out of the way so we can clean up the mess."

FL SEN: Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out, Mel

Conservative bloggers aren't sorry to see Martinez resign as Senator:

• Malkin: "Mel 'Shamnesty' Martinez steps down."
• Power Line's Mirengoff: "Martinez won't be missed. His last significant act was his vote to confirm [SCOTUS Justice] Sonia Sotomayor. But for the opportunity to cast a vote for the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, Martinez might have skipped town earlier in the summer, as many of our residents like to do."
• AmSpec Blog's W. James Antle, III: "There's a quote I've seen attributed to both M. Stanton Evans and John Schmitz when conservatives were criticizing Richard Nixon for his trip to China: 'I don't object to the president going to China. I object to him coming back.' My thoughts on Mel Martinez's tenure in the Senate, in light of conservative criticism of his resignation, are similar."

Conservative bloggers are also criticizing Martinez for not providing a specific reason for his decision to resign:

• AmSpec Blog's Hillyer: "We don't know yet what the truth is about Martinez. But if he is getting out just because he's sick of the job, or for some other elsser reason, then he's a quitter and is exhibiting bad character. Such a resignation is inexcusable."
• Mirengoff: "I don't understand politicians who decline to finish their term for no apparent reason other than their personal preference. The only 'explanation' Martinez offered was this: 'it's time I return to Florida and my family.' In other words, 'I felt like it.'"
• NRO's Jim Geraghty: "I'm hearing two different explanations for the out-of-the-blue resignation. The first, from a Hill source, is that members of Martinez's family are going through a difficult personal circumstance at this time and he's responding to that. The second, via Marc Ambinder: 'He's fed up w/ the Senate, his colleagues, his party and wants to get on w/ life.' If it's the first, he'll have my sympathies and a full-throated defense; Florida can always find another senator, but a child can't find another dad, a wife can't find another husband, etc. (I do not know whether the family members experiencing a hard time are Martinez's wife or child; I'm just using those titles to make the point.) If it's the second, he's going to catch hell."

FL SEN II: What Will Crist Do?

Several bloggers are speculating about whom Crist will appoint as Martinez's replacement.

Hot Air's Morrissey thinks it would be a mistake to appoint ex-Gov. Bob Martinez: "Martinez? Well, at least Crist won't have to worry about competition, but that's hardly going to cover Crist in glory. Martinez left office after losing to a Democrat when his approval ratings hit somewhere below George Bush's. He went to work as [George] Bush 41's drug czar and did nothing to improve his reputation in the two years he served. Crist doesn't want to give the office to someone who could challenge him for the seat, but picking Bob Martinez is not going to make too many Floridians very happy."

RedState's Erickson argues that it doesn't matter whom Crist appoints, since Rubio will eventually win the seat anyway: "Word on the street in Tallahassee is that Governor Crist intends to appoint Jim Smith as Mel Martinez's replacement. Smith, a former Attorney General, is now a lobbyist. He's also the Chairman of FSU. How fitting. He could save everyone a lot of trouble and money by just going on and putting [ex-FL House Speaker] Marco Rubio in the Senate and let him establish some seniority before he beats everyone in 2010 to get there anyway."

Meanwhile, liberal blogger Nate Silver offers his thoughts: "There is absolutely no upside here for Charlie Crist. When you're running for Senate, and you're protecting a huge lead, the last thing you need is a wild card like this that can cause people to grow upset with you. Odds are that Crist will take a look at what happened to [NY Gov.] David Paterson and at least make a decision quickly. [...] If Democrats really wanted to play hardball and squeeze Crist on this decision, then someone like [FL Rep.] Robert Wexler could take one for the team and announce he had decided to run for Senate. That's probably too much risk for too little reward. But don't be surprised if you see a few bluffs/trial balloons along these lines if Crist takes too long to make his pick."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: A Triumph For Inertia?

New Majority's David Frum:

"What would it mean to 'win' the healthcare fight?

For some, the answer is obvious: beat back the president's proposals, defeat the House bill, stand back and wait for 1994 to repeat itself. The problem is that if we do that...we'll still have the present healthcare system. Meaning that we'll have (1) flat-lining wages, (2) exploding Medicaid and Medicare costs and thus immense pressure for future tax increases, (3) small businesses and self-employed individuals priced out of the insurance market, and (4) a lot of uninsured or underinsured people imposing costs on hospitals and local governments. We'll have entrenched and perpetuated some of the most irrational features of a hugely costly and under-performing system, at the expense of entrepreneurs and risk-takers, exactly the people the Republican party exists to champion. Not a good outcome.

Even worse will be the way this fight is won: basically by convincing older Americans already covered by a government health program, Medicare, that Obama's reform plans will reduce their coverage. In other words, we'll have sent a powerful message to the entire political system to avoid at all hazards any tinkering with Medicare except to make it more generous for the already covered. If we win, we'll trumpet the success as a great triumph for liberty and individualism. Really though it will be a triumph for inertia. To the extent that anybody in the conservative world still aspires to any kind of future reform and improvement of America's ossified government, that should be a very ashy victory indeed."

LEST WE FORGET: Area Man Uses 'Big Buck Hunter' Score To Determine Ability To Drive Home

From The Onion:

"FAIRFIELD, IN -- After spending five hours at Dunn's Irish Pub on Wednesday night, Michael Sampson, 31, was overheard citing his Big Buck Hunter score as proof of his sobriety, and thus his ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. 'I shot the hell out of every one of those deer in the background, I didn't kill any does, plus I got bonus points at the end for gettin' those duck bastards,' Sampson told bar patrons, staggering as he put down the game's gun-shaped neon-orange controller. 'All right, let's go.' Sampson then finished his beer, paid his tab, and severely injured all three passengers when he swerved off the road and slammed into a 10-point buck at 65 mph."

Posted by Ian Faerstein at August 10, 2009 09:18 AM