Is Linda McMahon CT's Jesse Ventura?

by: ken_krayeske

Mon Oct 05, 2009 at 00:40:52 AM EDT

The New York Times just ripped out a piece on Linda McMahon - and it notes that Daily Kos has already mocked her.  Strangely, the Times didn't reach for local criticism of her on MLN.

Nor did the Times mention another pro wrestler, Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura. Perhaps he ran an insurgent third party candidacy, and most likely would criticize her foray into duopoly politics, so they didn't want to compare them.

The NYT story is here. Right now, it is on the front page of the Times website.

The profile talks to everyone Watertown Republican Sean Williams (a Simmons supporter), Dick Ebersol and an anonymous senior GOP thinker, who criticizes her. Williams suggested that McMahon's affiliation with WWE left her vulnerable because WWE objectified women and glorified violence.  

The CT GOP is moving to the center when a rising star admits women are objectified - that wouldn't go over much in Mississippi.

Make no mistake - the Senate primary is a fight for the soul of the CT GOP. Rell is behind McMahon, by promoting her to the CT BOE.

But note the higher education story that McMahon's eyes point to: the prepaid college savings plans heralded as a way to ensure affordable education, since they are tied to the stock market, are pretty much crap.  McMahon, though, will be avoiding major issue statements for months. She is introducing herself to voters.

She has a plan. A timetable. She didn't just get into this. She has been thinking about it for months. She had to have a succession plan in place at WWE for her departure.

Details, Linda, details. Her WWE executive bio is one of the first things that comes up when you google her.
The worst part, to me, is that according to Jon Pelto, we taxpayers subsidized this rebuilt WWE website. And she promises on she "will work to stop the tax-and-spend practices that Washington has grown accustomed to." Um, do you think those subsidies grow on trees, Linda?

We underestimate her at our peril. She has focused on image, which should not surprise considering her company, and she has a rapid response team, which will block attacks on her quickly. Days before the Times mentioned her giving to both parties (as the DC whorehouse demands), she had a response:

Although I've given more to Republican candidates than to Democrats, as the CEO and the public face of WWE, my contributions were consistent with the fact that WWE, like most businesses, is nonpartisan. Make no mistake: I'm a Republican.

What makes her a weak candidate, though, is her pure lack of gravitas, like in foreign policy or domestic policy. Stock photos of multicultural classrooms don't make her legit. When you do go to linda2010.com, her issue statements show she can buy good copy, but its rather run of the mill claptrap:

"Connecticut families want to know that the next Senator from our state has both the experience and the strength to end business as usual in Washington, put an end to out-of-control Federal deficit spending, and turn our economy around so that we can put people back to work."

Pigasus could run on that statement and poll at 30% with Simmons and Caliguiri. Specifics, please.

As much as I loathe Dodd, I don't see Linda McMahon on a fact-finding trip to Syria.  Nor does Dodd chum chum with Jim Calhoun, as tomorrow morning, McMahon will show up at the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce breakfast at 7:45 a.m. to meet the adoring fans lining up for powdered scrambled eggs and Calhoun.

She got vulnerabilities, but with $30 million, she's going to be tough. The question is will primary voters forgive her weaknesses like not voting and giving to both parties.  The more we crack on her, the more we do the GOP's work.

Now that I've wasted a bunch of words on McMahon, Dems should be thinking about how to make Dodd a better candidate, or find a replacement for him who is progressive, and who can demolish the regressive politics sure to come from the GOP candidate.