I don't normally use exclamation points in diary titles. In fact, I don't think I've ever done it before. This time, however, I think the situation warrants it.
The famously conservative Seattle Times editorial board, which endorsed Rep. Dave Reichert (R) in both 2006 and 2008, has endorsed both Suzan DelBene (D) and Reichert's Republican opponent Tim Dillon in Washington's August 17 primary election. Along the way, they take some pretty harsh shots at Reichert.
On issues ranging from the wars to the economy, three-term Republican incumbent Reichert is unstudied and comes up short. After six years in office, this is unacceptable.
Reichert opposed financial reform, but was unable to explain what he did or did not like about the legislation. The 8th District deserves someone who is faster on their feet.
Reichert voted against a new small-business lending fund, dismissing it as another bailout. But it is not. The fund is smart leveraging of $30 billion of public investment into $300 billion of credit through community and smaller banks that lend mostly to small businesses.
For years, the dirty little secret around here has been that Dave Reichert, the former King County sheriff who skated into office largely on his willingness to take credit for the work that others did capturing the Green River Killer, is as dumb as a sack of hammers. It's more than a little surprising to see the Times come this close to coming right out and calling him an idiot.
Despite taking a requisite shot at DelBene's "spotty voting record" and bemoaning her positions on trade, the Times lauds her "depth of knowledge" and "compelling ideas" and touts her Microsoft resume and nonprofit work. DelBene still has an uphill climb, trying to knock off a Republican in this of all years in a district that has never sent a Democrat to Congress, but her job just got a lot easier.
Suzan DelBene - Democrat for Congress