Politics and Polo

Dearest Readers:

I have never been too keen on team sports. Except polo, my first love. A full 8 chukkas on an outside ground.

Excellent.

Politics is not polo and my interest wains. Nevertheless, as we handicap polo games, politics is a local team sport that I must make remark of when one side gains a distinct game changing advantage over another.

Such is the case now with CAO Doug Smith in City Hall.

You see, before being appointed CAO, Herr Smith had a political history. He came to prominence in Annapolis running the Ward One Resident's Association, a quasi-political group formed to enforce our own elitist Ward One right wing political order on the City (bully for that!). Remember dear Louise and John Hammond?

Most recently, in the primary elections he supported Trudy McFall, who went on to betray the entire Democratic slate in the general election. Then, less than 3 weeks before the general election, Josh Cohen's own campaign, in a phone poll, id'ed him as a Republican Dave Cordle supporter. Even now he posts self serving political rants on right wing blogs that have never supported local Democratic candidates.

One can only imagine the County and City Republican Central Committee's glee at having one of their own in power in City Hall. Sitting next to Democratic Central Committee Member and former Chair Gail Smith. Observing and reporting every move of the Democrat Josh Cohen. And every policy of the administration that might provide an advantage to his team.

When asked about it, Mayor Cohen has said Herr Smith is a good Democrat and will fully support Team 30 and Martin O'Malley in the general election. Even though he has never supported another local Democrat (except plutocrat Dick Israel in Ward One).

Does Cohen expect Democrats to believe this? Could he really be this naive? Or is he somehow in on the game?

There is no doubt it will be a very difficult election for Mike Busch in Annapolis City:
-- Busch won District 30 in 2006 by only 500 votes.
-- Toxins from Zina Pierre's failed effort are still in the stew.
-- General African American anger about their neglect in the new Cohen Administration and their treatment in the local paper.
-- It is unlikely a far right wing nut like the 'Constitution Party' will emerge to suck 2,100 votes off the Republican base as happened in 2006.
-- Ellen Moyer's political machine is in mothballs.
-- Busch's political machine is moribund with the departure of Sarah Flynn and an unclear campaign organization.
-- A national political sentiment that will likely curve right.

Josh's own political organization is poor, held together last fall by Kathy Nieberding, AFSCME and some bailing wire. None of these will be involved in Annapolis this year (except, perhaps, the bailing wire).

At the State level, Martin O'Malley won the City by 1,400 votes in 2006. This margin will undoubtedly be decreased but Annapolis is unlikely to have a significant state wide effect.

An early success at splintering the Democrat's base by Herr Smith's policies is the loss of the key support of the AFSCME labor union. Glen Middleton, the International's President and United States DNC member (who, purportedly, has President Obama on speed dial), routinely speaks against city policies and pickets City Council meetings. Local Democrats can not help but take significant note of the activist opposition of a national Democratic Party political figure like Middleton.

How this incredulous situation could develop is beyond many observers. Most chalk it up to gross errors in judgement by young Mayor Cohen. Added to this is Cohen's perplexing early endorsement of Judd Legum while nary a word about Messr. John Astle, Mike Busch, and Mme. Virginia Clagett.

Surely the ABC's and the Governor are smarter than this. Yet they appear to have lost control of the young man and the political situation in Annapolis.

So, bully for the R's. Their man inside the Democratic machine will be radioing confidential intel to his team. The final nail in the Democrat's coffin that they could not achieve at the ballot box.

Herr Smith, you've done it again.

Advantage in this chukka - R's!

King of George