With No Knockout, Now GOTV Lugar, Mourdock Debate Was Civil, but the Final Chapter Will Be Anything but
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V17, N30 Thursday, April 12, 2012 Debate: With no knockout, now GOTV Lugar, Mourdock debate was civil, but the final chapter will be anything but ... By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS - Richard Mourdock and Dick Lugar spent an hour before a statewide televised audience Wednesday night debating the issues with civility, with neither delivering a knockout punch. It leaves this campaign to be decided by the Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock and U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar just prior to their first and only incumbent’s ground game and debate Wednesday night at WFYI-TV. the challenger’s array of out- side partners who are pumping morrow and the next day, tens of thousands over the next millions of dollars into the state on his behalf. week.” Lugar said that after making 1.1 million phone calls, A buoyant Sen. Lugar, speaking to reporters after the pace “will accelerate in the next few days. They will tell the debate, acknowledged the polls had been narrowing us who is for us, who is against us and who is undecided and called the debate “a turning point.” so that we can get a turnout.” “I thought it was a great debate and I thought it Lugar said that he had never been in a campaign was a big turning point in the campaign,” Lugar said. “I’m “with such vigor on the turnout question when that is very excited about the fact that heading out of this debate tonight, we’ll be putting out thousands of yard signs to- Continued on page 4 The most important debate By MARK SOUDER FORT WAYNE - Senator Richard Lugar is and will always be an Indiana legend for multiple reasons: 1) as Mayor of Indianapolis he was the key person in taking “In- ‘‘This is an unprecedented diana-No-Place” to modern Indianapolis; 2) he is the longest serving Indiana failure of leadership and Senator in our state’s history, two times over; and 3) his leadership in Wash- oversight.” ington, especially foreign affairs, has - John Gregg, on the $206 made him world-renowned. I write this anticipating Wednesday night when he million the state failed to will be involved in a debate that could pay local governments end his distinguished political career. In 2009 Senator Evan Bayh HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 12, 2012 seemed nearly invincible. Bayh had cans. It was more: “Who do you think stockpiled funds the equivalent of mul- you are? You’re a Washington guy tiple community banks. The Repub- being jammed on us by your lobbying licans had no threatening opponent. buddies. Furthermore, you once voted My former boss Dan Coats declared for a bad judge, want to take my gun www.HoweyPolitics.com for Senate, and Evan Bayh bailed out away and how could you have pos- – money and all – hours later. Senator sibly voted for amendment number Bayh saw that a contest with Coats 23 on some bill back in 1983?” But Howey Politics would be hard, if not impossible, and Dan Coats, with attempts to sully his Indiana that both would wind up with dam- reputation as never before, got down is a non-partisan newsletter aged reputations. The political estab- and did it. based in Indianapolis. It was lishment was in shock. This type of Now Richard Lugar faces a founded in 1994 in Fort Wayne. thing does not happen. Except when similar challenge. His last serious pri- incumbent Senator Dan Coats did ex- mary challenge was 1976 from former actly the same thing when confronted Governor Edgar Whitcomb (for whom Brian A. Howey, Publisher with the entry of Evan Bayh against I was the 26 year-old Allen County Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington him in 1998. Coats was behind, but it Chairman). Lugar had already been Jack E. Howey, editor could have been overcome. However “Nixon’s Favorite Mayor.” He became Beverly K. Phillips, associate record fund-raising efforts would be a Reagan ally. In probably the most required to be used in the political personally offensive moment of his editor “nuking” of Bayh, and the reverse. In life, after having been considered for 1998, Coats just didn’t have the stom- President and Vice President himself, Subscriptions ach for the fight. he saw this young kid Dan Quayle get $350 annually HPI Weekly When Coats re-emerged in picked as Vice President for George H. 2010, I was asked by his numerous W. Bush. Those in the same party are $550 annually HPI Weekly and House and Senate friends whether he on the same team. We generally say HPI Daily Wire. could adjust to the more brutal politics nice things about each other. We all 'Call 317.627.6746 of 2010. One asked, “Can a former understand how politics works: Bush Senator and former Ambassador did not need an intellectual leader with adjust to the nasty populist style of foreign policy skills, he needed some- Contact HPI today? Things have changed.” one younger, deferential, not challeng- Howey Politics Indiana I replied that people always ing, who could appeal to a broader 6255 Evanston Ave. underestimated Dan Coats and his group including social conservatives. Indianapolis, IN 46220 gritty determination to win. Within his Still … a slow burn. Every day Sena- www.howeypolitics.com friendly and kind spirit there is a steely tor Lugar most likely told himself “get determination to triumph. It was best over it, the decision had nothing to do [email protected] exemplified in college when he learned with you” and then he’d read about 'Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 that the sport at Wheaton was soc- Vice President Quayle. 'Washington: 703.248.0909 cer, which he had not played before. Once Speaker Newt Gin- 'Business Office: 317.627.6746 Learning most skills as a freshman grich, when we all were particularly on a nationally powerful team would disruptive in Conference, said: “All of be impossible. But becoming a goalie you think you’re the leader. By the © 2012, Howey Politics Indiana. was. He bloodied himself, earning way, how many of you were student All rights reserved. Photocopy- the back-up position. The top goalie council or senior class presidents?” ing, Internet forwarding, fax- was injured. Dan Coats became a star All but a few hands, out of over 200, ing or reproducing in any form, goalie, and Wheaton won a national went up. Elected politicians are by na- whole or part, is a violation of championship. People who think Dan ture among America’s most competi- has a marshmallow core are always tive people. One day every few years federal law without permission surprised. for federal positions people vote on from the publisher. v So in 2010 Dan Coats raised YOU. In a sense, it is all about you. funds in ways he never had before. To illustrate, two of my congressional There was no coronation or “thank friends had a dispute. Congresswoman you” for rescuing the Indiana Republi- Michelle Bachman was quoted as HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 12, 2012 saying that she realized that others in the GOP Conference Lugar later, in the middle of an answer, suddenly quoted weren’t being personally critical of her. Congresswoman Edmund Burke, in a philosophically logical way when he Virginia Fox replied: “No, Michelle. It is about you.” realized that he had wandered into the weeds. If the 2012 Senate primary were about ideas, While 80 is old, and 86 at the end is very old Lugar would win. Hard-core conservatives like Richard in today’s political world, Lugar clearly demonstrated Mourdock (and me, for that matter) would generally get a that he is mentally capable. Crudely said, he didn’t third of the vote. In 2012 Republicans are more conserva- symbolically“drool” or show hearing problems, which could tive than normal, or at least more cynical about govern- have ended his campaign. ment, but we are also about to nominate Ford/Bush41/ Mourdock had a different challenge which I con- McCain/Romney again. stantly hear: “Lugar is really old, seems to have drifted The residency question, having to pay for India- more liberal, and is out of touch. Is Mourdock qualified?” napolis hotels, and the number of Adams County parades Variation number two on this: “I am worried if we nominate Senator Lugar has marched in are part of a broader issue: Mourdock that he will be like some of those 2010 Tea Party Is Lugar too old? Is he still a Hoosier? Or is he now some- candidates who then proceeded to lose the fall race to a what of an out-of-touch Washington monument to the Democrat.” past? Richard Mourdock had nothing like a “like you, I Richard Mourdock, while victorious statewide, is am not really a vampire” moment. He did not head WWF: basically unknown. While Lugar may be old, we know him. he was a former Vanderburgh county commissioner. He has Is Mourdock really Senate material? Is he just another less of a flaky side than someone whose idea of drama is carping conservative, or does he have a vision for Indiana to thrill you with details about Abraham Lincoln. When he and a positive outlook? becomes passionate and near tears, it is about repayment Ideas do matter in politics. But during this debate, of Chrysler bonds. He proved last night, like him or not, those who watch will spread the news fast. Did Lugar drift that he is NOT like those who blew the 2010 Senate races. off during the debate? Could he hear well? Can he talk The most about things we care about or ramble about obscure details surprising things in Egypt? last night from Did Mourdock seem angry or mean? Can he smile? Mourdock were: Is he reflective? Can he listen? 1) after a justified We have not seen Senator Lugar directly chal- deferential state- lenged.