I thought Richard Mourdock was different. I believed his promise of an unfliching commitment to conservative principles. Insofar as this indicates a deviation from that promise, it is very disappointing. If the Senate campaign campaign of Republican Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock has been trying to shed his declarations against bipartisanship and compromise lately, perhaps it's because even the GOP's fiery vice presidential nominee doesn't agree with him.
Over the past week, Mourdock has been trying to cast himself as more of a team player who can work with anyone. His latest ad features Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman saying exactly that.
But Mourdock said often in his primary campaign to oust incumbent Sen. Richard Lugar that the elder statesman's style of working across the aisle was part of the problem, and that "We need less bipartisanship in Congress."
He also argued that if there's compromise, it should be entirely on the part of Democrats. Such a notion was recently summarily dismissed by none other than Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Mitt Romney's running mate, in an interview he did before being named to the ticket.
"I obviously don't agree with that," Ryan said at the Peter G. Peterson Foundation Fiscal Summit early in the summer when asked about Mourdock's comments.
Certainly I know this is not unusual; in fact, it's very much politics as usual. You're fiery in the primary to keep the base engaged, then tone it down in the general election so you don't scare off the "moderates" and "independents." And whether compromise is good or bad depends on what you compromise on and whether you're negotiating from a position of strength or weakness. But in a true compromise, it's hard to see how each side gives up something without one of them violating bedrock principles to do so. I don't want that to be my guy.
"Politics as usual" isn't going to get us out of the fiscal mess we're in, and Mourdock's comments up to now made it seem he understood that. At least I read "compromise must be entirely on the part of Democrats" to mean a line was being drawn -- more government growth is off the table, period. Somehow, the idea of a cooperative Sen. Richard Mourdock being cheered on by an accommodating Vice President Paul Ryan does not make me all wobbly-kneed with delight.
