A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is polling at just over zero in his effort to win the Democratic Presidential primary, so his being endorsed by former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer can only help. Schweitzer also agreed to serve as co-chair of O’Malley’s campaign, their differences on gun control and other issues notwithstanding.
There was, notes Ed Kilgore at the Washington Monthly, a time when Schweitzer was considered a credible alternative to Hillary Clinton. Then he used his Techicolor powers of expression to offend various pillars of the Democratic establishment, effectively taking himself out of serious consideration for President or even Vice President.
He climbed aboard O’Malley’s ship six days ago. I missed the announcement, although I did notice Kilgore’s comment on the event. So I’ll close with Kilgore’s penultimate and ultimate paragraphs:
Well, Schweitzer never got past the “exploration” stage, and pretty much blew up his slim prospects by making remarks about Diane Feinstein that sounded sexist and remarks about Eric Cantor that sounded homophobic.
I mention all this because Schweitzer just resurfaced at the outmost periphery of the presidential contest by endorsing Martin O’Malley’s candidacy. Interestingly, both his statement of endorsement and O’Malley’s statement hailing his endorsement mention that the two former governors “don’t agree on every issue.” I’m guessing this is an allusion to Schweitzer’s famous opposition to gun regulation, a bedrock principle of Western Populism that does not play real well among Democratic audiences in Iowa or New Hampshire. But in any event, Schweitzer’s reduced standing in national Democratic politics suggests maybe he should have given more consideration to a run for the Senate in 2014. Had he run and won, he’d be a really big deal right now.