If you work all week shoveling manure, it’s probably a good idea to not wear those boots to church.
Alas, a Missouri political “legend” insists on spreading more manure and taking us to his church.
John Danforth entered the political scene in 1968, a Republican winning the Missouri Attorney General job in an era of Democrat control. Less than a decade later he joined the U. S. Senate where he earned a reputation for honesty, moderation and showed a willingness to work with his fellow Missourian, Tom Eagleton, to promote things good for this state and the nation. Since the Senate he served as Ambassador to the United Nations, undertook a vital mission to war torn Sudan and installed himself as a voice of reason in his party.
Meanwhile, back at reality: he championed Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court and Josh Hawley for Attorney General and thence U. S. Senate, doing heavy lifting to put two ultraconservative theocrats in positions of power. While in early 2021 he publicly lamented supporting Hawley, I’ve never heard a discouraging word about Uncle Justice Thomas or his coup-supporting wife from the former Senator. Until we hear otherwise, then, we place Danforth among the Republicans wanting to overturn court decisions on privacy, contraception, gay marriage and such. If they have time, maybe they’ll even get to Loving v. Virginia (though that one hits home for Thomas).
Now comes Jack Danforth – influential patrician rich white guy – with a new candidate, a quasi-independent already promising to support Mitch McConnell and the ultra-conservative GOP agenda.
Here’s what we know about John Wood…
He served under a Republican administration as U. S. Attorney for western Missouri;
Until this week he was a Washington, DC area resident and taxpayer;
He resigned a position on the current January 6 committee staff;
He clerked for Clarence Thomas, and,
He worked for John Danforth early in his career.
“I recognize the fact that I’ve recently been living in the Washington, DC area will be something that people will criticize me for,” Wood said. [FOX4, KC] Duh!
He asked Wood to run, Danforth said, because, “My view in our state today is that Democrats have no real chance.” [FOX4]
So, to Danforth what’s best for Missouri is a carpetbagging lawyer who has never been a candidate, chosen by Jack and a few other elites. They’ve pledged $20 million ($5 million from Jack’s petty cash fund) to fund the crusade. Beating Eric Greitens and ordaining one of his kind into his old job is what Reverend Danforth knows is best for all of us in Missouri.
As ought to be expected, the Democrats running for U. S. Senate disagree. For example, Lucas Kunce sent out an email about Wood’s run, noting, “He’s running because he’s afraid of me, our movement, and our chances of beating Eric Greitens in Novembers.”
To recap, after hoisting Clarence Thomas and Josh Hawley on Missouri and America, John Danforth has a shiny new toy, politically-connected attorney John Wood.
Smell that manure? Stop believing the legend of Jack Danforth and look at his track record. Make up your own mind.
Glenn