Tester, Time
Time Magazine’s Joe Klein has noticed our people powered campaign, calling Tester’s flattop “the best symbol” for Democratic progress in the U.S. Senate this year. After visiting Montana and watching the first debate, Klein has come to understand the down to earth popular connection Jon Tester has to Montanans, and the grassroots team supporting him this year.
Indeed, Tester’s physical presence???he’s a big old farm boy with a flattop crew cut???is a political statement that stands close to the heart of the national Democratic congressional campaign of 2006. It says, I’m not a slick Washington guy. I’m a Montana farmer.
The contrast between Montana’s Tester and Washington D.C.’s Conrad Burns was clear at the first debate. Klein picks out a few zingers, including this exchange:
Asked about alternative fuels in his first debate with Burns, Tester went full-court farmer. “If I weren’t here right now,” he said, “I’d be out getting a vegetable press so I could press my own oil to burn in my tractors and trucks.” There wasn’t much Burns could say to that. He had been out-Montana’d. He tried to blame the Democrats for blocking energy legislation. “Last time I checked,” Tester shot back, “your party controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress.” Which may be the ultimate comeback Democrats have this year.
There were a number of these moments during the debate. Senator Burns’ silence on important issues like alternative fuels underlines the contrast in this race and clearly illustrates to Montanans just how long he’s been lost in the fray in Washington, D.C.
Posted on Wednesday, July 5th, 2006 at 7:08 pm. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
