Former Lee Atwater protege and Bush I senior staffer Jim Pinkerton had these insightful words on the cost of Dreier being shoved aside by Roy Blunt:
“Blunt is a standard partisan, more of a DeLay Jr.,” said Jim Pinkerton, a former GOP White House aide who is now a fellow at the New America Foundation in Washington.
“Dreier would have been a little bit daring for them, a little too thoughtful, too independent. . .It’s not surprising they wouldn’t quite want him to have the keys to the kingdom.”
Daring, thoughtful and independent are traits that should be welcome in both parties right now — but are in particularly short supply in Republican leadership circles.
Big missed opportunity.
But if the Dems get their act together, Blunt/DeLay will be an easier target than Dreier would have been.
— Steve Clemons
