Former Sen. George Mitchell, probably the finest statesman the people of Maine have ever sent to Washington, D.C., recently wrote a piece in a Maine daily newspaper endorsing Mike Michaud for governor.
In his post-Senate career as a successful mediator of difficult issues, Mitchell earned a reputation for diplomacy and tact, the lubricating oils of human relationships. Those skills are again on display in his obligatory plug for Michaud. Not once does Mitchell whisper a word about Michaud’s six terms of obscurity and passivity in Congress. The best he can find in Michaud’s 34-year political career are two anecdotes about his unexceptional record in the Maine Senate 12 years B.C. ”“ before Congress.
As the ranking member of the Veteran’s Affairs Committee, Michaud had the opportunity this past July to partially redeem himself. While his independent and Republican colleagues on that committee remained in D.C. over a hot summer weekend to hammer out a compromise on the Veteran’s Health Care Reform Bill, which was subsequently enacted into law, Michaud stayed in Maine, campaigning for another job.
That absence from his lawful responsibilities at a critical time says a lot more about Michaud’s priorities than his campaign rhetoric. And he’s still on the government payroll.
Mitchell says that “Michaud has strong convictions” and “keeps his word.” I respectfully disagree. But don’t take my word. Ask the voters of the 2nd Congressional District.
Michaud is competing for a job that is the political equivalent of a quarterback in the NFL, yet he has never scored a touchdown, made a first down or even completed a pass.
File this under out of his league.
Walter J. Eno, Scarborough
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