This has been bugging me all week and now that it has played out exactly as I knew it would, I figure I might as well get it out of my system by writing about it...
Political operatives think they are the smartest guys in any room, but when you get them in to a "war room" environment that arrogance gets ramped up big time. I don't know which political operative was responsible for this particular play, but it is one of the most tiresome "politics as usual" gambits in the book.
It goes like this: Something happens on the national stage. Office Holder A doesn't do or say anything about it right away. Candidate B's team decides to issue a "recommendation" to Office Holder A in which Candidate B takes the only logical position. When Office Holder A takes that same position, the Team Candidate B says, "Aha! Office Holder A took our advice! Candidate B is a good guy and deserves attention." It's what political operatives call a "win-win" because if the Office Holder doesn't do the right thing, Candidate B can make an even bigger issue out if it.
Mike DeWine "hit" Dick Cordray "hard" on the Nebraska exemption in the Government Take-Over Health Care bill and issued a "recommendation" that Cordray join a lawsuit on the matter. The statement made its rounds on Twitter and Facebook through all the usual suspects. There was much chest bumping and high-fiving when Cordray actually did his job and joined the suit.
That's right, sports fans, Team DeWine was thrilled that Dick Cordray did his job.
Is this still looking like a win-win?
More politics as usual from the guy that brought us Senator Sherrod Brown.....
UPDATE: Don't Blame Me, I Voted for PIERCE.
