Damn. A voluntarily revealed DUI, with the appropriate acts of contrition, is a huge plus for a Republican candidate. He's just one of the guys, made a mistake, had a problem, faced up to it, blah blah blah. As crazy as it seems, this hurts Cantwell.

I sort of agree with FNARF. My view on politics was forever skewed, however, by reading the novel "The Manchurian Candidate". Eleanor Iselin was a freaking political genious, and a cynic after my own heart. Too bad about the whole incest, drug addiction and psychotic personality thing.

If you really want to understand the GOP though, read that novel. You'll understand how a DUI can be a good thing for a conservative pol.

I'm not sure. McGavick is trying to win in the middle... This may help him with the good old boys, but maybe not with the moderates.

Anyway, it doesn't matter. Help or hurt, it won't be by much. DUIs, divorces, addictions and "indiscretions" come standard issue with politicians these days. They're just like us.

Yeah, this sudden burst of honesty feels like the sort of dirty campaign tactic that Bush used. "Look at me, I'm a normal guy who makes mistakes just like you. Aren't I so honest? Don't worry about any of the fucked up things I stand for, or the fact that this is a political race not a confessional. I'm a good guy deep down because I can talk about my flaws like a regular person."

Bush won in part BECAUSE he was unglib, unintellectual, unwise, and unclever. Liberals have a hard time understanding that, but it's true. Ordinary workin' Joes don't much like clever fellows, and even though the dirt under Bush's fingernails was applied by a cosmetician, doesn't mean that the symbolism escaped its audience. The middle doesn't care that Bush is a fake; they're just interested in which side he's faking to be.

McGavick is playing exactly the same game. Differences can be chalked up to WA vs. TX.

This is hardly accepting responsibility.

Plain talk: I was drunk and ran a red light.

Political Dodge: I was cited for DUI when I cut a yellow light too close

Jerod, if i remember correctly, Bush copped to NOTHING as a candidate. Didn't it go like this? I got busted for DWI, but it was a youthful indiscretion. I felt the need to stop drinking cold turkey, but I am not an alcoholic. i never snorted coke. I served my entire required National Guard stint while my less privileged contemporaries were getting shot up in 'Nam. And my favorite: I am a successful businessman who knows what it means to be responsible for a payroll.

I don't like McGavick's campaign or his positions, but it's pretty hard to quarrel with this one. No way this costs him with any significant number of voters.

Oddly enight, I think this might actually hurt him with his base. True, he admitted his mistake, but it looks bad to be getting a DUI in your 30s. Then again, we know how those Irish boys like to drink, i.e. Sen. Teddy & Sons

how is getting divorced a failure? i would think a failure would be staying together miserably and raising a totally fucked up kid because of it.

Look gang. Mike? is on myspace. Won't you be his friend?

http://www.myspace.com/mikemcgavick

He needs to admit to all the lies he's been telling since he started running for the position too.

Well?

We're waiting ...

I like Plain Talk's differentiation. I quibble with Mcgavick's claim that he got a DUI for "cutting a yellow light too close." Ummm, no Mike. You got a DUI because you were driving under the influence and cut a yellow light which exposed your alcohol influenced ass to the cops.

Still, I give him credit for doing this. It's good to control the story.

Am stilllllll waiting for Kaka Maria to come clean about her sweetheart (sweatheart?) Y2K deal with US Bank.

It's Friday, the day media-savvy folks release news unfavorable to them in the hope that its news value gets exhausted over the weekend, when people aren't paying attention. Watch for a news outlet to have a larger Sunday story, which this may have been attempted to preempt. The larger issue, which may or may not get followed up on, is how much this guy ordinarily drinks and if he's dealt with it. That blood-alcohol level suggests a serious tolerance, which is one of the few physical indicators of a drinking problem or dependency or whatever you want to call it.

<a href=http://erosive-esophagitis.net>erosive esophagitis</a> all about