Last month, voters in Maine picked a split government -- a rarity these days in national politics. Mainers returned a Democratic majority to the state legislature, where they'll get to deal with hard-right Governor Paul LePage, a Tea Party Republican.
How's that going? Not so great.
LePage called off a budget meeting today with the new Democratic leaders because he objects to the video tracker hired to follow him by the Maine Democratic Party. From the Bangor Daily News:
The Republican governor said he won’t meet with Democratic legislative leaders until the cameraman is removed. LePage said that the so-called ‘‘tracker’’ has followed him for months, but that he hasn't made an issue of it and that it didn't bother him until Veterans Day, when he said a private conversation with an elderly veteran in poor health was taped.
"The people of Maine are not props, and I will not allow these special interest groups to use them to score political points," LePage said in a statement.
It's easy to see why someone might find it irritating to be followed around in public by someone with a video campaign, but trackers are very much a fact of modern political life. The MaineDems channel on YouTube contains surprisingly few videos of LePage.
In the MaineDems video posted above, Republican Senator Susan Collins sets an example for smooth relations with a tracker by telling him, "Make sure you get my good side" and later, "OK, I'll be seeing you on the campaign trail." At the other end of the spectrum, Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel got himself headlines he didn't want by getting into an altercation with his tracker in an elevator. Sometimes a tracker reveals much about a politician just by showing up.
UPDATE: If LePage had kept that budget meeting today, he might have talked about $35 million in cuts.
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Just what part of the term Public Office does LePage not get? -Kevo
Quite so. We should have a video tracker for Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and especially for Joe Biden. Then there's Al Francken, Gov. Moonbeam, Jesse Jackson Jr....
What the hell, let's have a tracker for every elected official in the country!
Yes.
Add Boehner, Ryan, Cantor, Price, McCarthy to the list as well.
And: I think that people should start tracking trolls on this site as well!
LePage is afraid someone will see something he doesn't want them to see. Wonder what he's got to hide?
Everything.
Here we go again the democracy seeking left against the "we are a republic" right.
Back off! How can we make secret deals if you are here? What if I slip and say what I mean? I'm a politician not a frickin' reality show.Whaaaaa.
OK, so DON'T meet with Democratic leaders, crybaby.
They can pass legislation, and LePage can sign it or veto it. That's a good way for him to make himself less relevant. Great for his re-election prospects too, I imagine.
Now that I think about it, he's probably giving up on running the state his way. Now his efforts are to find some way to guarantee himself a nice salary after he loses re-election. And THAT has to be hard when you have a video tail.
Sort of like the republicans in congress, go ahead push for the no tax no compromise budget and even if you get the votes you will not have enough to override a veto. Go ahead show us what you are made of and just who or what you really serve. Maybe next time your constituents will find a candidate that wants to serve them and the nation.
If you want to turn people off from running for office, this is just another way to do it among dozens.
I for one prefer elected officials that know how to engage brain before opening mouth. I would hope this would encourage public minded citizens to run for public office knowing the watchers will help keep them honest and put a fence between them and those that would seek to corrupt them.
I guess you'll have to rule out any future Bill Clintons then because he never would have made it out of Arkansas with a camera following him around.
Wow yet he sure is popular. He handed Bush a balanced budget and a surplus but all you want to talk about is his groupie?
Boo!
Dang it don't sneak up on 'em and go boo. No wonder they are so paranoid!
(Just call me the bad humor guy)
uh-oh, 666, Now what? Malachi, where are you?
http://@!$%#politics1.blogspot.com/2012/12/maine-governor-no-budget-talks-or-any.html