Here we are with just couple days left in July (where did it go?) and, most importantly, we are just 99 days from November’s General Election!

If this is your first time dropping by, “Monday Morning Politics” is where I put together several of the political stories from the past weekend all in one place for your reading pleasure.  I also offer some commentary about these stories sometimes laced with just a little sarcasm…

Today I talk about being wimpy, going too far, the Palin mistake, paying staffers, and much more so read on…

Paying Campaign Staffers:

This story popped up over the weekend.  The Montana GOP does not think it is fair that the Montana Democratic Party is paying the salaries of the spokesmen for Governor Candidate Steve Bullock and Attorney General Candidate Pam Bucy.  They believe the respective campaigns should pay the salaries.

Recently, the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices said it was “perfectly legal” to do this.

As I have written several times before, the Commissioner of Political Practices office in Montana is irreparably broken.  It is up to the legislature and the Governor to repair it because just about all the decisions coming from that office smell biased.

Did You See the Plane?

I heard an unconfirmed report that a plane was flying around Great Falls yesterday (Sunday) near the fairgrounds (where the Montana State Fair is being held) with an anti Denny Rehberg banner.

I was told the banner said something about Rehberg and hunters/anglers.

Are here any readers out there who are able to confirm the report?  Photos?  Leave a message below or e-mail me at western_word@yahoo.com.

Psst, I did not see it because I was relaxing in my underground bunker…

McCaskill:

According to this story in Roll Call, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) does not do too well against any of the GOP challengers.  Missouri’s primary is August 7.

Despite the news, I kind of think McCaskill will win a second term…

Wimpy?

In this week’s edition of Newsweek, reporter Michael Tomasky writes, “Dodging reporters, fearing his base, hiding his taxes—is Mitt Romney just too insecure to be president?”  The headline for the story asks, “Mitt Romney: Too Wimpy for the White House?”

Ouch.  I think wimpy describes Mitt Romney pretty well.  There are a lot of questions that voters need answers to before November…

Too Far:

According to this story, a billboard near Caldwell, Idaho compares “President Obama to James Holmes, the 24-year-old man accused of killing 12 people in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater on July 20.”

That’s cheap…

Mistake:

According to Politico, “Former Vice President Dick Cheney thinks the selection of Sarah Palin as the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee ‘was a mistake,’ he told ABC’s Jon Karl in an interview excerpted Sunday on ABC’s ‘This Week.’”

John McCain was asked about Cheney’s remarks and said, “Well, I’m always glad to get comments four years later.”

It seemed to work out well for Palin…

Where’s Jimmy?

According to the Associated Press, on this date (July 30) in 1975 former Teamsters union president Jimmy Hoffa disappeared in Detroit.  (His remains have never been found.)

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