GOP, Inhofe Will Not Run On Record

The state GOP, unable to tout anything significant Republicans have done for Oklahomans or Americans under Imperial President George Bush, has predictably turned its sights on state Sen. Andrew Rice (D-Oklahoma City).

But the attack, in the form of a Web site, is actually a huge advertisement for the young Democratic senator, who is trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe in the 2008 election. The site shows how Rice, pictured right, and those organizations which he founded or others which may or may not support his candidacy stand for social justice, fair wages and improved health care for Oklahomans and Americans. These are just basic Democratic Party principles.

The site also contains a flattering photograph of Rice in sunglasses. (Are sunglasses a “liberal” thing?) One has to wonder what possessed the GOP bigwigs to highlight Rice’s political energy and youthful charisma, which is diametrically opposite to the cranky, I’m-always-right Inhofe whose continued fall from power and voter support reads like a Shakespearean tragedy. Inhofe now serves as the biggest symbol in the country of everything that is wrong with Washington and why we need to change direction.

(Here is Kos’s take on the issue.)

Inhofe, who denies climate change exists, has embarrassed the state recently with his windy harangues and hectoring against science so the GOP has to go on the attack. It is impossible for Inhofe to run on his record, which shows he absolutely supports higher gasoline and health insurance prices. (You want to pay $10 a gallon for gasoline? Then vote for Inhofe. You want your kids to go without adequate health care when they are sick. Then vote for Inhofe.) He supports these higher prices because his political career has been devoted to ensuring big corporations make more and more profits on the backs of hard-working Oklahomans.

In addition, Inhofe’s unconditional support for Bush and the Iraq occupation has become stale to Oklahomans, who have shown their disapproval of the president in recent polls.

The neoconservative game is over, but no one has told Inhofe, who continues with the crazy talk and big-oil worship, and the state GOP is running attack ads that only flatter Rice. Winds of change are blowing over the prairie, folks, and the “official” Republicans are running scared. In any event, it should be an interesting election, a real Okie spectacle. Stay tuned.

Oklahoma needs a U.S. Senator like Rice to help restore the state’s image, which has suffered incalculably under Inhofe’s reign of lunacy. If the state chamber of commerce types really wanted to improve economic development in Oklahoma, they would get behind Rice today.