This past November, Democrat Brian Schweitzer was elected governor of Montana. It was a noteworthy accomplishment in a red state. And amidst the gloom and doom that Democrats felt on November 3, this was a ray of sunshine.
Unfortunately, for some Democrats, this ray of sunshine is viewed as something far more than it really is. Suddenly, I see all these comments saying that Schweitzer should run for President.
Are you kidding me?
Let me count the ways in which this concept is completely ridiculous.
First, here is the most obvious reason. Schweitzer has been governor FOR 6 MONTHS. I realize that extensive experience is not always required, but is 6 months any more than a blip on the screen? Let the guy show that he can run Montana first.
Second, along the same lines, by 2008, Schweitzer will still be a one-term governor of a state with 3 electoral votes. Has there been a President who has been elected with this kind of resume? Sure, Jimmy Carter was a one-term governor, but Georgia is a much larger state than Montana, and he benefited from the stain of Watergate and an accidental candidate of sorts in Gerald Ford. Bill Clinton came from Arkansas, but he was an experienced governor with 12 years of experience, including nearly the last 10 years consecutively.
Third, as an Indian-American who lived in Montana from 1980 to 1987, and who has lived in six states (Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, California, Texas), I can safely say that minorities are, well rare, in Montana, where I am guessing that about 98% of the population is white. This isn't exactly a reflection of the diversity of America. I can also say that I experienced far more racism in Montana than in any other state (including Texas!).
Now, you say, when I lived in Montana, the state was run by Republicans. But this wasn't true. When I lived there, Montana had 2 US House Representatives. Add this to the 2 US Senators and the Governor, and you have a total of 5 top government officials.
Of these 5 officials, 4 were Democrats. They were:
US Senator Max Baucus
US Senator John Melcher
US Representative Pat Williams
Governor Ted Schwinden
Pat Williams was my US Representative. Still, having 4 out of 5 Democrats in Montana didn't make the state open-minded.
So why should Brian Schweitzer's election make any difference on that end?
As a minority, I would be strongly wary of a Schweitzer candidacy. In addition to the fact that he is an inexperienced governor of a small state, I would not expect him to understand the experience of the many diverse groups that make up our country, including my own, since he lives in Montana. We need to have Democrats at the national level that have a solid knowledge and appreciation of the diversity that we have in our party. And I wouldn't count on a candidate from Montana to have this. My experience has taught me this.
At the end of the day, I am happy that Brian Schweitzer is governor of Montana. I hope he serves at least 2 terms. But as for the presidency? Forget about it!
Update [2005-7-24 16:58:31 by v2aggie2]:
My apologies
for the troll ratings.
I got caught up in a topic that is very personal and emotional for me, and let these emotions get the best of me, and took them very personally. These experiences were not easy for me or my family.
Having said that, there is no excuse for my ratings. Please accept my apology.