The Admiral wins

The Admiral's ship is ready to sail. After yesterday's stunning upset of Abby Finkenauer, a young woman most everyone thought would cruise, Franken came out of nowhere (actually Sioux County, far northwest corner, somewhere out there where no one visits) to take the Democratic nomination for U. S. Senate. As far as I know, no one hated or even disliked Abby--she's energetic, a real fighter for Democratic politics, and an old style libs, a mighty union scrapper. 

But Iowa Dems couldn't have made a wiser choice. Abby had experience, having served a term in the House; but the Admiral has a story that includes commanding a Navy ship or two and working in D. C. at the Pentagon. What cornfield Libs  couldn't miss is that an established veteran stands a much greater chance of defeating Senator Chuck Grassley, whose been around as long as Iowa dirt. 

Grassley chose to run again for yet another six-year term as senator. He's an Iowa farmer who's done some very good things in his lengthy time in Washington. The man has earned a solid and honored place in the state's history. But his time has come and gone. Take it from an 74-year old, 88 is not the time to think about yet another six-year term. 

What's more, Grassley's been a lapdog for a man who has endangered American democracy like no other single human being--Donald E. Trump. Every chance Grassley had to disagree with, to wrangle about, to say no, he didn't. He's passed on two impeachments and the necessity of some sort of January 6 investigation. 

There could be more despicable moments, but his duplicity, teaming with Mitch McConnell's horrendous self-appointed guardianship of Supreme Court nominees, was almost evil. Together, he and McConnell refused hearings on Merrick Garland--who demonstrated his sense of justice, then swept in Amy Coney Barret for exactly that reason--her political agenda.  All of that and more, in a political sense, is unforgiveable. For a ton of reasons, Grassley need to go back to the farm. 

And Admiral Mike Franken is just the candidate to do it. I'm not proud to say this, but Mike Franken is the man to do it. His presence and his gender won't hurt him one bit in November. 

Franken grew up here, in Lebanon, Iowa. He will--if he hasn't already--put Lebanon on the map. It's a one-horse town with a population of 100 on Sunday, during church--maybe. But Franken's surprise win will bring all kinds of attention to the place, and all kinds of money to Franken's coffers. If the Democrats can beat Chuck Grassley, they'll gain a seat in an election that otherwise looks far too much like curtains.

Grassley's indebted to the gun lobby too. He's cup runneth over with their loot. But it's going to be impossible for Chuck to pull a 2nd Amendment offensive against lily-livered libs because Franken was career military. 2nd Amendment b.s. is moot. Chuck's going to have to have load up with other ammunition.

Me? I'm greatly pleased. For the last several years I've been represented at every level with Trump lapdogs, people who refused to vote for his impeachments, people who write bills banning the evils of Critical Race Theory (whatever that is) as if it were a plague, people who consistently vote in a block, people who want to write lesson plans for public school teachers, reps scared to death of the disfavor of the MAGA sycophants. All of them--every last one, every governmental rep--has snuggled up to the worst President in American history and his outlaw minions at every step.

No more. There's a beautiful sunrise outside my window this morning, but even if there wasn't, I'd tell you it's a new dawn for Iowa Dems. Abby would have been a fine candidate, but Mike Franken is going to give Iowa Dems a voice once again.