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Today's adventure in Political gossip

By tfk on August 22, 2006.

From the KC Star's blog:

Nah, a leading Republican strategist says, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius won't take on Sen. Pat Roberts in 2008.

Why? Roberts was once chief of staff to Rep. Keith Sebelius, father of Kathleen's husband, Gary. Too many family ties, the Republican says.

This is undoubtedly the silliest argument possible. Who is this mysterious Republican, and what is his game? And why would a Republican strategist be an authoritative source regarding what a Kansas Democrat would do?

Of course, a very popular governor who has managed to produce a resurgent party statewide is hardly someone who would worry about peeving her father-in-law. Perhaps someone has some dirt on Sebelius via the in-laws, but you'd think that would have made an appearance by now.

Unfortunately, the only warning the Star's blog gives about this game of musical chairs is:

Caveat punditor: If Sebelius loses in November all of this goes out the window, on the wings of a Kansas breeze.

But everyone will be too busy hiding from the epidemic of airborne poo emitted by all that pork on the wing.

The real question is whether Pat "Memory Pills" Roberts will bother running again in 2008.

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Policy and Politics

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It's an intriguing question but my sense is that our good Governor is a relatively untested commodity despite her likely reelection. Running for the Kansas governorship gives any politician the luxury of not having to weigh in on many major issues, in contrast to a senatorial election. The Governor has benefited greatly from this. She's a very attractive, uncontroversial, low-key politican. A Senate contest would change those dynamics. Historically, Senator Kassebaum was able to pull it off- so perhaps my analysis is off the mark. Things are much more polarized these days, however. I'm skeptical whether Kassebaum would've mastered her mid-course in today's environment.