New Koster ad explains defection from GOP
Seeking to turn a liability into a strength, the latest ad from Attorney General hopeful Chris Koster frames his switch from Republican to Democrat as a tough decision based on principles, not politics.
That is, of course, a stark contrast to the contention of party rival Jeff Harris, who has repeatedly questioned whether Koster’s conversion is more a marriage of convenience than true devotion.
Either way, Koster’s new commercial carries over the slogan from his last spot — “All Prosecutor. No Politics.” — providing an easy segue to address his party crossover.
“When the Republican Party turned its back on stem cell research, workers’ rights, child daycare,” the ad says, “Koster turned his back on the Republican Party. It wasn’t easy, but leadership never is.”
The ad also highlights Koster’s pursuit as Cass County prosecutor of serial killer John Edward Robinson, who lured victims over the Internet using the handle “Slave Master.”
How does Koster explain Harris’s huge lead in the PD poll? How does Donnelly explain it?
Harris has 33%, Koster 23%, Donnelly 20%? Harris is even ahead of Donnelly in St. Louis and among women. Bad news for Koster and Donnelly. Great news for Harris.
Hey, Jo or Jake, why don’t you post an item on the poll here? I know the poll is on the mothership, but the AG’s race has been a hot topic. Surely folks would like to talk about those numbers.
Go Jeff!
I’d be curious to see the background data for that poll. What was the distribution of respondents? More specifically, what percentage of respondents were in each respective region?
This is a good video that explains Koster’s defection too:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2kvrIyRdj44
I agree with Shecky’s request that the mothership article be cross-posted here (or at least have some reference to it here in a specific blog post). This would allow us to comment on the results in a post about the poll, instead of hijacking a different thread.
I also second Nick’s request for background data on the poll.
Shecky and Oracle:
I put up a post Sunday about our poll, so people could comment there.
You’re welcome to join the discussion.
Interesting ad.. speaking of stem cell research:
The ad doesn’t mention that Koster thwarted efforts by the Democrats in the Missouri Senate to allow Stem Cell research at the University of Missouri. Koster led the charge to end a filibuster of the MOHELA Bill, led by Chuck Graham, which ended up costing the University of Missouri the greatest scientific opportunity in decades. I wonder where his pro-stem cell research agenda was then (I am guessing it was not politically convenient). The ad also does not mention that Koster voted against specific stem cell initiatives in committee while he was a Republican.
I guess Koster doesn’t want to mention those things in his ad, since they are part of his “politics” and not his “prosecutorial” experience. Speaking of prosecutorial experience, I believe that he got the serial killer John Robinson to plead out, rather than take it to trial. From my understanding, Paul Morrision (Prosecutor in KC) was enraged with Koster’s decision, as he wanted Robinson to be tried by Koster as well. Here is the kicker: Koster went ahead and claimed that the most satisfying moment in his life was when he got the jury to find Robinson guilty….yet, he never took it to trial. Koster is a liar and a master of deception.
The true story of Koster’s defining moment as a prosecutor can be found here:
http://mopns.com/2008/07/03/koster-forgets-if-the-highlight-of-his-career-trial-ended-with-confession-or-jury-conviction/
The ad doesn’t really discuss the AP story about Koster’s questionable fundraising tactics and subsequent ethics complaint, which is described here:
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/12953
Oh, and it is convienient that the ad came out today, considering Koster’s campaign is going south, as indicated by the Post Dispatch poll, found here:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/6BF8108C4605E69F86257486000C7548?OpenDocument
I wonder what Koster has to say for himself regarding these issues, probably not much, considering he continues to duck out on candidate forums (including one held by former Gov. Bob Holden) at the last moment, claiming “scheduling conflicts.”
Perhaps we should ask former Gov. Spitzer body man “Danny Kanner” a.k.a Koster’s new spokesperson.
Jo, I appreciate your responding, but you’re shortchanging your readers here. No one is going to open a blog post from a day ago looking for comments on news that just came out today. Also, just because news appears on the mothership that doesn’t mean you all shouldn’t consider posting it here as well, a brief with a link to the full coverage.
I’ve always worried about this blog causing less news to end up in the paper and not vice versa, but maybe that concern should cut both ways. Do the blog and the paper really need to be mutually exclusive entities?
chris koster “flipper” video. http://mopns.com/2008/07/11/exclusive-video-chris-flipper-koster/
Koster is an opportunist, pure and simple. Even his original decision to file as a Republican was an opportunistic decision not rooted in principle, because at the time, the Republican Party was the up and coming place to have his political base, without having to get by so many political veterans to get the nomination as in the more established, but fading, Cass County Democratic Party. He advocated the political positions of the Republican Party, because that’s what he needed to do to succeed. And now that he thinks his next political goal is best attainable through the Democratic Party, he’s switched teams, and now he’s advocating that party’s political positions. Nobody knows what he really thinks, if at all. His only principle is whatever’s best for Chris Koster.
I must be missing something, I but I can’t seem to find the post from Sunday. The only one I see doesn’t mention the AG race. I don’t see why there can’t be another story. The P-D must be more pro-Koster/Donnelly than I thought.