Dick Morris: Steelman “my hero,” Hulshof is “dirt”
Veteran political consultant Dick Morris is enamored enough with Sarah Steelman’s anti-terror policies that he traveled across the country to deliver a campaign speech, gratis, without ever having met her.
Morris’ opinion of her Republican primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof? Eh, not so much.
The campaign guru who helped guide the Clintons from Little Rock to the White House - before their famous falling out - was in St. Louis Monday, stumping on behalf of Steelman’s bid for governor.
In an interview before the event, Morris - as he has done in several columns - extolled Steelman’s policy of not investing state pension funds in companies that do business with Iran.
“Sarah’s innovation in the use of that - of a nothing job like state treasurer,” Morris said, “and using it to leverage all of federal policy about dealing with the preeminent international threat we have is pretty interesting.”
“Nothing” job?
“It’s not governor, you know. It’s not senator,” Morris said. “But she’s had more influence in fighting Iran than anybody in the United State except Condoleezza Rice.”
Morris, speaking from his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton, believes that Steelman can capitalize on the “stardust” surrounding Barack Obama in her race for governor.
“The obvious strength that she has is that she is new and that she is different,”Morris said.
Morris said that he thought Hulshof - who got his own dig in earlier in the day - is too ingrained in the Beltway establishment.
Missouri voters, Morris offered, “don’t like to import Washington dirt into Jefferson City. So, very rarely does somebody move from Washington into state politics.”
Is Hulshof that “dirt”?
“Yes,” Morris replied.
Morris, a native New Yorker, is no stranger to Missouri politics. He’s worked for Ike Skelton, and was part of William Webster’s ill-fated bid for governor in 1992.
He learned of Steelman from Frank Gaffney, who worked in the Pentagon during the Reagan administration and later founded a Washington think tank, the Center for Security Policy.
Both Gaffney and Morris have praised Steelman’s “terror-free” investment stance.
“She’s my hero,” Morris explained.
And, a few moments after we spoke on Monday, Morris finally got to meet her, shaking hands for the first time with Steelman in the lobby of the Ritz.
Morris: Former Clinton strategist now with Fox News
Typical drivel from Dick.
Here’s a Great Story on how the Abramoff investigation has dead-ended by design and his ties to Ashcroft.
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/03/hbc-90002657
Does Steelman not realize that she is running on the REPUBLICAN ticket?
It’s incredible. Having a half-baked endorsement from some former Clinton advisor is NOT a good way to show Missouri how conservative she can be.
To claim that she’s done more to fight terror than,.. every American soldier in the Middle East… is ridiculous. And offensive.
How much is Nixon paying Morris to advise Steelman? It’s money well spent.
FOX News contributor Dick Morris has another blot on his record besides toe sucking and poor prognosticating: He’s also a tax delinquent. According to WTNH.com, Morris owes over $280,000 and has been on the state’s list of 100 top tax delinquents for years. (H/T Raw Story)
The article on WTNH.com continues,
“The list, while we hope it embarrasses people into paying their taxes or makes them come forward, it automatically doesn’t compel people,” said Sarah Kaufman from the Department of Revenue Services.
The Department of Revenue does say the lists, updated this month, are ‘an effective shaming tool.’
Q. If you’re a Republican, how many national headliners have told you NO before you get down on the list to DICK Morris?
A. All of them.
What an insult to Congressman Hulshof!! Having worked with the congressman on a number of issues over the years, I have always found him to be professional, personable and very much in tune with the wishes of his constituents. He’s a gentleman who makes Missouri proud!
Dick Morris needs to keep his snide comments to himself. He suffers greatly from a self-labeled “superiority complex”, but we’re not impressed in Missouri! I find his comments insulting and disgusting!