Worst Trial Balloon Ever

Where have I seen this picture before?

Well, that Kim Reynolds for Senate bandwagon sure threw an axle fast, leaving me, Craig Robinson and Golden Gnome looking silly. (UPDATE: The Gnome says it's all part of the Masterplan.) So maybe I can do the same magic for this campaign. Dorman:

There’s a website up seeking to draft former state Sen. Swati Dandekar, D-Marion, as a candidate for Congress in the 1st District. She’s currently a member of the Iowa Utilities Board, a good-paying gig that I’m skeptical she’d drop to run.

Dandekar left the state Senate to take that post, opening the door for Sen. Liz Mathis, D-Robins, to win the seat representing much of Marion. Mathis announced a few weeks ago that she’s not running for Congress. Quite a few Democrats are looking for a woman to run for the 1st District seat, opened up by Rep. Bruce Braley’s decision to run for the U.S. Senate. Iowa has never elected a woman to Congress.

The flames in the photo above are just a Zippo lighter compared to the bridges Dandekar burned when she put Democratic Senate control at risk to take a sweet paying gig for herself. Democrats held the seat, thanks to recruiting an unbeatable candidate (who unfortunately passed on the congressional race). 

But it's waaaay too soon for Dandekar to be thinking bygones are bygones. Combine her graceless exit with her too-conservative record, and I might be forced to say nice things about Pat Murphy. I hate the Iowa-Mississippi club, but I hate Blue Dogs worse. Please, REAL Democratic women of CD 1, don't let me sink to that.

Of course, that assumes she'd be running AS a Democrat. Site doesn't say which party...

Speaking of Blue Dogs, the Iowa Democratic Party is giving Leonard Boswell a gold watch:

Make sure to mark your calendars for the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame Ceremony on Saturday, June 8th at the Meadows Conference Center in Altoona, with Special Guest Sen. Tom Harkin. Tickets for the event will be available online soon.

 

This year, we will be honoring eight individuals who exemplify what it means to be a Democrat.  We had a lot of folks to choose from, and we thank everyone who submitted nomination:
 
The 2012 Hall of Fame Award Winners are:
Outstanding Elected Official Hall of Fame Award: Congressman Leonard Boswell 
Criteria: This award is presented to an elected official whose tremendous support and dedication influenced both the State of Iowa and the Democratic Party. The nominees for this award may be selected from all levels of government including elected officials of the United States or State of Iowa, and county elected officials.

So brag about being a "Blue Dog Conservative Democrat," vote for W's war, chronically underperform the ticket, stay past your sell by date, and ultimately cost us the seat, and get a big award. Busy that night.

Meanwhile, the famIly leader asks, re: Dennis Guth's speech, "Are These Remarks Ignorant?" Yes. Yes they are.