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Hightower criticisms undermine Carnahan candidacy

March 6, 2010

Robin Carnahan announced on Friday evening (via video rather than in person) that liberal firebrand Jim Hightower would deliver the keynote speech at Democrat Days in Hannibal.

The Hannibal Courier-Post reported that Carnahan arranged his last-minute appearance:  [Democrat Days organizer John] Yancey credits Robin Carnahan, Missouri’s secretary of state, with helping land Hightower. “I think Robin Carnahan had an inside track to his organization and put the state committee next to him. I believe that’s how the accommodation was made,” he said.

It is ironic that Carnahan would request Hightower’s appearance and agree to introduce him considering his history of criticisms that seem to be aimed directly at Carnahan’s candidacy for U.S. Senate.

Hightower blasted beneficiaries of political dynasties, even coining the famous phrase “he was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.”  On Saturday evening, Hightower will be introduced by Robin Carnahan whose grandfather, father, mother, and brother have all held statewide or federal offices.

The Washington Post, December 16, 2000:  “It was Texas Democrat Jim Hightower who coined the classic line about George H.: ‘He was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.’  The quote was oft repeated during this year’s campaign: As much as he might have tried, it was impossible for George Walker Bush to run on his own merits… Without the connections, critics say, he would never have been given a second glance for political office.”

Earlier this week, Hightower criticized Barack Obama and the Democrats for being “incapable of taking firm stands;” yet he has come to Missouri at the behest of Robin Carnahan, who has gone more than one year without holding a single campaign press conference and who has refused to debate or discuss the most important issues of the day.

Perhaps Hightower is holding his nose while campaigning in Missouri.  Maybe he believes that Carnahan, like John Kerry who he campaigned for in 2004, is a “sack of cement” who will have to be replaced in the next election.  “There are those who say that John Kerry is not liberal enough. I don’t care if John Kerry is a sack of cement, we’re going to carry him to victory… First, we get rid of Bush, and then, if necessary, we get rid of Kerry.” (P-D, June 4, 2004)

“Jim Hightower is a far-left firebrand.  It’s no surprise that these are the kinds of people who Robin Carnahan has in her rolodex,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.  “What is surprising is that Carnahan would stand on the stage with someone who has a history of criticism that directly undermines her candidacy.  Hightower abhors political dynasties and criticized national Democrats for not having a backbone, but he has come to Missouri at the request of Robin Carnahan, who is the product of a political dynasty and who has refused to take or explain her positions on the most important issues of our time.”