Apr 27 Lightweights

My favorite definition of politics is "the acquisition of wealth or power without merit."  Even so, I'm puzzled how the DFL settles for lightweights like Taryl Clark, and now, Margaret Anderson Kelliher.  I'll leave Ms. Clark for later this fall, especially with Gary at LFR on the job in CD 6.  But like Clark's journey to go up against Michele Bachmann, Kelliher has come out of nowhere to win the DFL endorsement for Governor.

She's Speaker of the Minnesota House you say.  True.  And before that?  She reportedly had never even chaired a committee before that, which would explain why she even now still appears to be learning the job, painfully so her first two years.

Am I a sexist?  I'm trying hard not to be.  But to put it in those terms, women are people too, and therefore vary considerably in ability.  High on my list among Democrats is State Senator Ann Rest.  Maybe she doesn't want the job but I think she would make a much better Governor than Kelliher - or Rybak or Marty for that matter.  Maybe that's because she can speak competently on issues instead of just reciting bromides.

But I really think this is an age thing, not a female thing.  I'm old enough to remember Hubert Humphrey and the DFL of old that gave us Eugene McCarthy, Walter Mondale, Don Fraser and many other names most of you never heard of.  As were those years, yes, they were almost all men, but they were thinking men, well-spoken, and able to articulate an argument for a policy.  OK, I'll stop digging.

My point is, the DFL has many better people than they're putting up for higher office.  So why is that cream not rising to the top?

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Addendum: To answer my own question, a theory of the case occurred to me.  Margaret Anderson Kelliher, more so than any other candidate, would be a rubber stamp for a DFL Legislature.  One must presume that both chambers remain blue as part of a Kelliher victory.  And if I understand the DFL twitters last night, it was the super-delegates that effectively overrode the elected delegates who otherwise would have endorsed RT Rybak.  And the super-delegates are drawn largely from the Legislature.  So, my second conspiracy theory of the week says that this was the DFL politburo power installing a puppet to enhance their own power.

Cross-posted and comments welcome at Speed Gibson.