Call me bonkers, but what about Max Baucus?

[Comicstripper]

I know he's a little bit Dullsville, but he's impressed me on C-Span lately. www.ontheisues.org rated him a "Moderate Liberal" (which is further to the left than most Dem. Senators on that site), he's been elected five times (I believe) in a very red state. He'll be 67 in 2008.
I know we're looking for Governors, and I doubt he's feasible as a candidate, I was just curious as to what everyone here thinks of him.
(Hell, he could run just as an excuse to use a wicked pun. Just think: "Let's turn the IOWA caucus into the 'BAUCUS CAUCUS!'")

[liberalpragmatist]

1. He's a hack

Better him than a Repub, but he's sometimes called completely lacking in principles. He literally does flip-flop quite often and he was the lead negotiator in putting together the Bush $1.4 trillion tax cut "compromise."

Of course, I don't know a LOT about him besides a few things I've read. Everything I've read indicates he is easily malleable and constantly willing to compromise.

But I could be wrong. Maybe Montana DU'ers could correct any wrong impressions I have.

[ibegurpard]

2. I don't know how appealing he would be

I don't care for him. He's supported some very bad things, in my opinion. But for a Senator from a relatively conservative state, he's okay.
He's not afraid to fight dirty. He utterly destroyed his opponent in his last election with an ad with homophobic undertones.

[stevedeshazer]

5. That ad was devastating

And one of the funniest damned things I've ever seen.

[ibegurpard]

7. It was brilliant

And I say that feeling that it was also utterly unnecessary and despicable.
It was brilliant because there was plausible deniability built right into it. They never accused him of anything. They played upon conservative Montanan's stereotypes of effeminate men and let them jump to their own conclusions. There was no way that the guy could protest without sounding petulant because the ad's CONTENT was about financial improprieties in his old beauty school endeavors.
I thought it was disgusting but at the same time I admired its ruthless effectiveness.

[stevedeshazer]

10. We're in complete agreement

Despicable, yet effective.

[illflem]

3. Baucus fucus

Take it from a Montanan, Baucus is a joke, many people in Montana are embarrassed by him.
I sent Max a letter a few months ago asking he support bills for alternative energy. His response back was that all we had to do to achieve energy independence was eliminate strip mining regulations.
I vote Repug to just not vote Max

Now the newly elected Montana Demo governor, Brian Schweitzer, is hot, I see much future for him but doubt it will happen in '08

[flygal]

4. I was just going to post another Montanan's viewpoint

and it's basically "no no no no no no no......." I hate to say this, but his wife would get the THK treatment - she's no stepford wife.

As for Schweitzer - looks good so far! I really thought he would have unseated Burns in 2000. He has some great ideas - he got a lot of repug votes. He had a lot of positve campaign ads, he promoted his sportsman side.

[asjr]

6. I know when elected a rep or sen usually votes

as their constituents wish, but if a Dem is elected I want him (or her) to vote like a Democrat. Dems used to pack a wallop, but when they began "compromising" they lost. I don't like it when one or the other starts talking about bi-partisanship. They know there is no such animal anymore. And I with the reps in the house would call Tom Turkey Delay out and say out loud--You are a liar!

[newyawker99]

8. Hi illflem!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[grasswire]

9. I can think of a lot...

...of back-benchers I'd rather seen than Baucus as candidate. I think he's too Montana-centric to be much use to the rest of us. But boy, does the Baucus family have a beautiful old home in Helena!

[Tweed]

11. You should have dropped that thought at 'Senator'

You can't run Senators and win. Show me the last Senator that won the election.

[illflem]

12. Schweitzer

At least Schweitzer's election cut much of the pain of Kerry's loss

[Tweed]

13. Yeah, I think Schweitzer should run for President

[CBHagman]

14. JFK

N/T

[Tweed]

15. I was waiting for that one so I could say this

He was the first Catholic with a shot and he hadn't served an entire term yet. He didn't have the long vote record other Senators have and the Catholics came out for him in droves. JFK was an exception to the rule. Now try and find another Senator who was elected President.