That isn’t even me, that is the headline to an article in the Post-Dispatch from Sunday’s edition. I had planned on dropping this, but the regular media isn’t so…..
Let me make this clear, we don’t know much about what is in the sealed portions of the file. We do know that Ryan tried to have it sealed apparently due to embarrassing portions that might have an effect on him politically, and we know that a rival campaign has claimed that some very bad things are contained. We also know that Jeri Ryan didn’t want the records sealed, at least at first.
The larger point, as has been made in comments is that whether there is damaging information or not, the story will continue and for as long as that story is out there Ryan will never get to address the issues he wants to use to define the race. Right now that is critical to getting initial favorable impressions for voters. While it goes on, it allows Obama to deplore the negativity while defining the election in his favor.
Now Edgar has suggested he needs to get the files out there, as has former Edgar aide, Mike Lawrence. One complaint to the P-D about this, they should have identified Lawrence as an Obama supporter for the interview. While Lawrence is as honest as they come, this is a conflict readers should know about.
The undercurrent of much of the reporting is already who might replace Ryan on the ticket if he melts down. Errrr….this is not the way to use your honeymoon after a fairly decent victory in a divided primary.
Now to get on to the speculation, who might replace Ryan? Not Topinka or Edgar. Topinka has little desire to go to D.C. and if she is to go for higher office it’ll be in a final showdown between social conservatives and Combine Republicans over the Statehouse. Edgar seems to like his life and a Senate race is more than he wants to go through from all indications I’ve seen.
My guess if the party replaces Ryan? Rauschenberger–squeaky clean and popular with both combine elements and with social conservatives. I know, I know, I always overestimate how well Rauschenberger will do. It is hard to imagine such a campaign overcoming the craziness if Ryan were to drop out, but it might raise his profile over O’Malley and others providing a more sane alternative that is still conservative for the Governor’s race.
Rauschenberger would be out under the sore-loser rule. He ran in the primary, lost, and cannot be put on the ticket.
I think it is premature to speculate on a replacement.
It is, however, awfully fun to watch the Republicans rip their own candidate to shreds trying to get him replaced.
I would like to recommend John Shimkus as the sacraficial lamb. Has he EVER lost an election? And he’s a Madison-county Republican! He should lose to Obama. It would build character.
The Don!
Would Rauschenberger? I thought the sore loser rule applied to running as an independent, but not as a replacement candidate? I have and could be wrong….
Mr. Ryan made his bed, now he can sleep in it. Ryan made his mark as a big “defender” of heterosexual marriage, and even supports a constitutional amending banning gay marriage. He can’t bash gay relationships then try to keep his own family values a secret. Either we do or we don’t discuss the propriety of people’s relationships in public, it’s Ryan’s choice. He’s chosen to bash gay relationships, he can’t now claim that his private relationships are irrelevant.