Went on a quick camping trip to a state park on Lake Huron for our wedding anniversary. Just gorgeous in October. Pix is Huron.
I watched the Maine senate debate last night - I think Troy Jackson is an interesting candidate so wanted to see how he did. To be clear, I’m pulling for him. I like him as a candidate and I want him to win.
In conventional terms, Susan Collins won the debate. She was crisp, polished and well prepared. Jackson, OTOH, was clearly nervous, did too much paper shuffling, often completely neglected to answer the question asked and his suit fit him so poorly he was tugging on it like a 6 year old in a church. I do love his northern Maine accent though - OWWt for “out”- and I think his jittery delivery was relatable and endearing. He sounds like a normal person.
But here’s why I still think Jackson might have come out on top to a normie listener. Colins gave what was essentially a spirited and extremely self centered defense of the establishment order and status quo. Not a bad defense! She’s good at defending the status quo (although she uses “I” way, way too much). The problem is no one believes that anymore. So, for example, when Collins defends on Kavanaugh by saying judges have to remain neutral so therefore cannot weigh in on future decisions, we all know this is the supposed norm that is being held up- balls and strikes! - but we also know it’s a lie. Brett Kavanaugh knew he would vote to overturn Roe and Susan Collins knew he knew that when she voted for him. Or, when Collins defends on housing by pointing to the housing bill passed by Congress which she says bans private equity from buying single family homes, Jackson can (and did) come back with (paraphrasing) “yeah, but who is going to enforce it?”
People know the state of this country isn’t normal. They know it’s bad and getting worse. Susan Collins had a great 2012 debate or even a great 2016 debate, but it isn’t 2012 or 2016 and no one believes the status quo people or the the status quo protectors can get us out of this.
Quick Abdul updates: polling looks pretty good but it will be close. Elissa Slotkin came out and did some events and she was terrific. She’s funny - clever and quick witted and she and Abdul had a good onstage rapport. Obama is coming to campaign for Abdul so that’s exciting and I’m grateful to him for making the effort.
