Cranky Ted Stevens went to Washington State to make good on his vow to attack Maria Cantwell. He's really pissed because she led the opposition to drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge:
When Cantwell again worked last December to torpedo the drilling, Stevens warned on the Senate floor that he would go to her state and "tell them what you've done." And so he did last week, but more in sadness than anger.His goal, of course, was to hurt Cantwell. Instead, he's helping her:
"I can't remember until these past few years any senator from your state who wasn't a close friend of mine," Stevens said. "That is a problem."
The problem, though, does not appear to be costing Cantwell voter support. Polls here show that the public is opposed to ANWR drilling and increasingly frustrated with Republican leadership on Capitol Hill.Thanks Ted. Maybe the DSCC should give Stevens other states where he show up and help Democratic candidates. campaign.
Stevens's ire, in fact, may prove a political windfall for Cantwell, who squeaked into the Senate six years ago with a winning margin of just over 2,000 votes and whom some Republican strategists have described as beatable.
In the past year, Cantwell's knack for getting Stevens's goat has won widespread attention across this Democratic-leaning state, garnered favorable local press coverage, partially drowned out the campaign of her formidable Republican challenger and, polls suggest, may help her win reelection.
