Lobbying Scandal Casts Doubt on Montana Senator's Chances

[Judi Lynn]

8:48 PM PST, February 18, 2006

Lobbying Scandal Casts Doubt on Montana Senator's Chances
Democrats wield Burns' ties to Abramoff in a bid to derail his reelection. He denies wrongdoing.

By Janet Hook, Times Staff Writer

BOZEMAN, Mont. — A huge outfitting store on the edge of this mountain-ringed town should be a conservative bastion: The ranchers and farmers who come to shop tend to be reliable Republicans.

But here at Murdoch's Ranch and Home Supply — amid the calf pens, muck buckets and bags of horse feed — there are signs of trouble for the GOP. And that could be bad news for the party from coast to coast.

Jack Bolender, a retiree who voted for three-term Sen. Conrad Burns because the Republican delivered mounds of federal aid to Montana, said he was deserting the incumbent in the state's 2006 election. Allegations that Burns was cozy with Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist central to a wide-ranging corruption scandal in Washington, has Bolender steamed.

"I appreciate what brought to the state, but at what cost?" Bolender said one cold afternoon outside Murdoch's. "We seem to be selling out to the special interests."
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-senate19feb19,0,2764365.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[saltpoint]

1. Burns is going down. He should take a little photo tour of the DC-area

monuments for the grand kids and then go home to pack.

A Democrat is going to sit in that chair after November 06.

So long, Conrad darlin'.

[maseman]

2. Ok Let's Analyze this...

This is Montana folks. I'd like to think that we could secure this seat. I hope the nice gentlemen in this article represent a lot of voters in Montana. But don't put it past the loyal Repuke base in that state to vote for Burns anyway.

[Erika]

3. Montana is democrat in many ways

Burns is in trouble.

[rpannier]

4. Their governor is a Democrat

and he ran on a fairly populist platform. We got a great chance - imho

[William Seger]

5. Makes my head spin

A huge outfitting store on the edge of this mountain-ringed town should be a conservative bastion...

It "should be?" Why is that?

Jack Bolender, a retiree who voted for three-term Sen. Conrad Burns because the Republican delivered mounds of federal aid to Montana...

Huh? I thought "federal aid" (a.k.a. "guvmint handhouts") was the main thing "conservatives" hated about liberalism...?

"I appreciate what brought to the state, but at what cost?" Bolender said one cold afternoon outside Murdoch's. "We seem to be selling out to the special interests."


Oh, now I get it. "Special interests" = someone else. "This mountain-ringed town should be a conservative bastion" because of the rampant hypocrisy.

[mitchtv]

6. to farmers and ranchers subsidies and bargain basement leases

are not welfare.(Urban people get welfare) And the moon is made of green cheese.