Big Gulps

In a Wall Street Journal article last week, debunked as a "false hit piece" by Think Progress, Jonathon Weisman asserts that "loyalty to Obama costs Democrats."  Weisman attempts to make his point using our own 1st District incumbent Democrat who is running an anti-Obama campaign, complete with scary, unflattering Obama imagery.  He even quotes John Foster, campaign manager for Congressman Walt Minnick, saying, "From Day One, we didn't drink the Kool-Aid."

So when, exactly, did "day one" begin, when did President Obama's policies turn into "Kool-Aid" and when did Minnick"s refusal to "drink" it begin?

Was it January 30, 2008 when then-candidate Minnick sent out a press-release endorsing Obama for President?

Walt Minnick, First Congressional District candidate and long-time Idaho businessman, announced today that he's backing Senator Barack Obama for President.

"Senator Obama will bring the kind of change we so desperately need in Washington," said Minnick. "I admire his passion for our country, his ability to bring people together across party lines to get things done and his commitment to elevating the political dialogue above the petty partisan bickering we've seen far too much of in the last few years."

Nope, sounds like a little "Kool-Aid" sipping there.

Was it three days later when then-candidate Obama appeared in Boise's raucous, over-flowing Taco Bell Arena?

Senator Obama in Taco Bell Arena, published here March 29, 2010

Nope, looks like Minnick was definitely imbibing in some Obama "Kool-Aid" there.

Was it February 24, 2009 when Minnick released this statement following the President's first address to the nation?

"Like all Idahoans, I join the president in a commitment to work together. These times are too tough and there is too much to be done to linger over the points where we differ. [...] I join the president, my fellow Americans and Idahoans in standing up, ready to go to work."

Nope, sounds like he's fully on board the Hope train there.

Was it March 7, 2009 when Minnick addressed the Frank Church Banquet?

[Minnick] praised President Barack Obama for his "grace and warmth" and predicted that he will become "perhaps the greatest president any of us will see in our lifetimes."

Nope, that's definitely a big ol' gulp of Obama "Kool-Aid" there!

Was it May 28, 2009 when Minnick was praising Obama's education policy?

Saying that President Obama has “hit the nail directly on the head” about changing the national educational atmosphere, Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, spoke to entrepreneurs this morning at the IdaVation conference in Boise.

Nope, sounds like Hope is still afloat there.

So when, exactly, did Minnick decide to join the Just Say Nope to Hope brigade?

Here's a theory.  The Rasmussen Report shows the Presidential Approval Index slowly declining from double-digit positive numbers to double-digit negatives in the twenty-two months since the inauguration.  June 21, 2009 the index turned negative for the first time and, except for a small bump back into positive single digits a few days later, has hung in negative territory since.

More than likely that's when Minnick decided Obama's policies had turned to "Kool-Aid" and to save his political life he had to abstain from partaking, despite downing big old gulps and riding the "Kool-Aid" wave into office.

What do you call someone whose policy positions sway with the political winds?

Comments

[Sisyphus]

I give up. Someone in comfortable shoes? Cause I've swayed plenty. And you need good shoes for that. Some that tap maybe.

I've tried to sashay too.

[Robert Smith]

Sisyphus must be Walt Foster. No one else could have such Swiss Cheese ethics. He once seemed otherwise to us.

[MountainGoat]

Hey, don't be hating on Sisyphus, now... he's one of the good guys.