It doesn’t matter how old you get, buying snacks for a road trip should always look like an unsupervised 9-year-old was given $100. –Unknown

Welcome to another Monday!

Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:

• Tester Endorses
• The DNC Debate
• Game Seven
• One More Thing

Tester Endorses:

If you follow me on Twitter (@TheWesternWord) or on The Western Word’s Facebook page, then you were probably one of the first to know that U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) endorsed Presidential candidate (and current Montana Governor) Steve Bullock for President.

I’m usually first and seldom last in Tweeting political news.

The endorsement was announced Sunday when Bullock appeared on “Face the Nation.” You can read the transcript HERE.

Here is the endorsement:

“We need someone in the White House who wants to get dark money out of our campaigns and create opportunity in rural America. Someone with a track record of delivering jobs and healthcare, who has proven they can bridge the partisan divide. That’s why I am endorsing my friend, Governor Steve Bullock, to be our next President.”

Tester’s endorsement probably helps Bullock. It would have hurt Bullock if Tester had endorsed someone else. In the big picture, Bullock probably does not stand much of a chance to win the Democratic nomination, although Jon Tester would probably poll better than Bullock if Tester was running for President.

Tester was targeted by President Trump and I’d say tens of millions of dollars were spent by Trump and the Republicans to try and defeat Tester. They failed. You can be sure that Tester’s endorsement caught the attention of the Trump campaign.

The DNC Debate:

The Steve Bullock for President Campaign was busy this weekend sending out e-mails complaining about the possibility of Bullock not meeting the requirements to get on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) debate stage, which would mean he is not one of the top 20 candidates.

The Bullock Campaign had this to say:

Early this morning, the DNC publicly declared one of our three qualifying polls does not count. Unless something changes in the next 6 days, the DNC will block the only candidate in the race who’s won a Trump state from the debate.

Politico reported it this way:

A prominent governor running in the Democratic primary is at serious risk of getting shut out of the party’s first presidential debates…

Steve Bullock is currently out, one of the foremost candidates in danger of missing the stage. His camp blasted what it called the DNC’s eleventh-hour “unmasking” of “arbitrary” polling rules, but the DNC said the Bullock campaign has been aware of the criteria for months.

As for the rules, Politico reported:

In order to be eligible for the debates, candidates must cross one of two thresholds: earning 1 percent in three polls approved by the DNC, or receiving donations from 65,000 people, with 200 in 20 different states. Thirteen have met both thresholds and clinched their spots. But there are at least 10 credible candidates bidding for the final seven spots — a list that includes two sitting senators, three congressmen, a governor, a former governor and the mayor of New York. 

I like Bullock and I am glad he was there to stop the Republican wackos on the far right from running wild in the Montana Legislature. I hope some other Democrat or moderate Republican carries on that tradition in 2020.

Bullock might as well face it; he needs more substance in his talking points than that he won in a state that Trump won by 20 points. His people are not adequately preparing him with strong sound bites that he can use on national shows like “Face the Nation” during those vital few minutes he has on the show.

If he misses participating in the first debate, his chances of being invited to national shows will be slim and far between.

If Bullock misses the first debate it’s not the end of the world, but he will be able to see it from Helena.

Game Seven:

The Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues will play a game seven for the Stanley Cup this Wednesday night. The game is in Boston. It will be broadcast on NBC. It starts at 6:00 p.m. Montana time.

I don’t follow hockey that much until the playoffs roll around. I’m pulling for the Blues from my birth state to win game seven! #PlayGloria

One More Thing:

Fox News reported that a Florida woman (the best stories seem to start with “A Florida man…” or “A Florida woman…”) who stabbed herself three times in the stomach with a kitchen knife reportedly told responding officers it was all because of President Trump.

She was found covered in blood standing outside her apartment on Sunday. When police asked what was wrong, she reportedly lifted up her shirt to show three stab wounds. “I’m tired of living in Trump’s country. I’m tired of Trump being president,” she reportedly told the police.

Maybe we can turn this into a get out to vote motto like, “Don’t stab yourself, vote!”

 

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