Mike! McGavick! gets some help

Mike McGavick, whose campaign for U.S. Senate seems to be stuck in the mud of obvious and false pretenses (like "civility") apparently hasn't doing so well in the fundraising department.

Why else would McGavick decide to loan himself $2 million and bring in Laura Bush for a series of events designed to whip up cash for the campaign and the state Republican Party?

The First Lady's (tenative) schedule is as follows:

On Aug. 30, Bush will headline a $250-a-head breakfast fundraiser at the Bellevue Westin. Photos with the First Lady will cost $2,500.

Later that day she travels across the mountains to Kennewick for a $150-a-head lunch event, with $1,000 photos.

Raising money is unquestionably hard work, and it seems McGavick and his staff are tired of doing it (either that, or they're just really bad at hitting up GOP donors for dough).

Besides, what better use is there for that extroadinarily generous (and over the top) severance package Mike got from Safeco?

Of course, Mike's check to himself has ignited a debate over whether the action triggers the Millionaire's Amendment. As Neil Modie explains:

The two campaigns disagreed on whether the contribution triggers the "Millionaire's Amendment" in the 2002 federal Campaign Reform Act, which is intended to let candidates match the fundraising of wealthy, self-financing opponents.

If it does apply, it would allow Cantwell to ask her supporters to donate as much as six times the normal individual contribution limit of $2,100 for the primary and $2,100 for the general election -- in other words, a total of $25,200 per person.

And, as you'd suspect, McGavick & Co. are trying to have it both ways (again):

"Mike's contribution triggers the Millionaire's Amendment for his primary opponents only. It has no effect on Senator Cantwell," [McGavick spokesman Elliott] Bundy said.

[...]

So far, the only "opponent" McGavick has criticized or mentioned is Cantwell. And in a July 25 letter challenging her to nine debates, McGavick wrote, "Simply put, both of us have made it clear to the public and the press that this race is between the two of us, regardless of primary opposition."

Isn't it interesting how Mike!'s view of the race changes to become the most convenient position for the campaign at any given time?

With just under three months to go before the general election, we now have a pretty good idea of who Mike McGavick is and what he represents. Mike! is:

• Someone who likes to have it both ways (see above and here)
• Someone who is not very good at telling the truth
• Someone who breaks their promises
• Someone who uses false pretenses and themes to sell themselves
• Someone who represents more of the same (Republican corruption and a failed conservative agenda)
• Someone who has no qualms about encouraging and participating in corporate welfare
• Someone who doesn't mind being bankrolled extensively by special interests
  

We already have enough rubber stamp Republicans in Congress on Capitol Hill. We don't need any more. What we do need are more representatives and senators like Maria Cantwell, who will work for an America that is stronger, healthier, safer, cleaner, and freer - not an America where the federal government is just a tool to do the bidding of big corporations.