20060921 Unhinged Maryland Democrats behaving badly

“MD Senate President Mike Miller, aka the “Silver Fox” can punch.

– He’s a contender”

September 21, 2006 © Kevin Dayhoff

MD Senate President Mike Miller allegedly punches opponent supporter

The WBAL radio web site is carrying a story that “A Prince George's County developer is accusing Maryland Senate President Mike Miller of punching him:”

I got a phone yesterday (Wednesday) evening that at a land-use hearing in southern Maryland - Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert and Prince George’s Cos.) took offense at an individual’s verbal support of the President Miller’s opponent and it was alleged that he hauled-off and punched him.

I appreciated the tip (from a very reliable source,) however, I held back with the blaze-on fingers at the keyboard because of the serious nature of the mere suggestion of an act of violence by none-other than the president of the Maryland Senate. If that really happened, it is a serious miss-step on the part of our Maryland Senate president. One of many in the last year or so.

Before you draw any conclusions, bear in mind that this will undoubtedly quickly become a “he said – she said.”

And true to form, as I scoured for addition news reports on the incident, early Thursday afternoon, the Baltimore Sun has come riding-in to the rescue. In their version of the story, “Miller said the charges are "absolutely, unequivocally" not true.”

Advancing age allows me to recognize political silliness when I see it and when nonsense like this blazes across my computer screen, I look for reliable sources. Not included on that list when it comes to politics is the Baltimore Sun. I’ve been there and got the t-shirt.

Many of the Sun’s business writers, arts, … and many of the other features of the paper, I can read and enjoy. However, I take whatever the Sun’s political writers say with a grain of salt and plenty of collateral reading before I draw any conclusions.

To that end, one writer I have followed for a number of years, S. A. Miller of the Washington Times also reported exculpatory information: “Mr. (Mike) Miller's spokeswoman, however, said nothing happened. ‘It's not true,’ Lisa McMurray said last night. ‘I don't know what to tell you.’”

Well, I know what to tell ya. Considering the erratic behavior of the Senate president in the last year, many are going to be predisposed to believe that President Miller has become unglued.

Meanwhile, as this latest Sumu wrestling match plays itself out, the fracas needs to moved to the side of the road while potential leadership in the state sticks to the real issues that affect the average voter at the family dinner table. Politicians behaving badly rains on everyone’s parade, no matter what party.

Which brings us to one more thing, before the humor begins.

For Pete’s sake, one can easily characterize the behavior of a number of the members of Maryland’s Democratic leadership as exhibiting the behavior of a two-year old in a high chair throwing food. But, whatever your politics, no-one wants to believe that the president of the Maryland Senate really physically struck someone – anyone, for that matter.

The once proud Maryland General Assembly is already the laughing stock of the nation. However, as much as any of us can mutter under their breath that the august institution deserves that accolade, ultimately, such a characterization of Maryland’s lawmaking body is a reflection upon all of us and eventually, inevitably, all of us are hurt by the Maryland General Assembly’s recent lapses in judgment and childish behavior.

Anyway the Sun reports that it is all a misunderstanding. The paper managed to dig up additional information and reports, “Yates Clagett, who works for the Prince George's County Soil Conservation District and attended the meeting, said” President Miller was just playing with the alleged victim, a developer, Leo Bruso of Land and Commercial Incorporated.

However, for those of us who have read the Sun for years, we have certainly never-ever witnessed the Sun only tell part of the story or engage in selective quotation to promulgate a liberal-biased point of view. Of course not.

None of the other publications that have covered the story have provided extensive exculpatory information. One only wishes that the Baltimore Sun would work as hard to find “the rest of the story,” when it reports upon the activities of Republicans.

As far as the alleged boxing match incident with President Slugger Miller (aka Slugger,) one cannot be everywhere to witness the random acts of violence that are the foundation of Maryland politics. But usually, these days, the violence is only verbal. But how many of us would have paid good money to have been there for a ring-side seat to see the Senate president once again come unhinged?

Hopefully we have come a long way since the election riots of 1856 in Baltimore City. These days the only “riots” are of the verbal and parliamentary variety in the Maryland General Assembly.

I mean, everyone is aware that politics in Maryland is often referred to as a “blood contact sport,” however; this is to be understood as a euphemism to explain how seriously folks in the Old Line State take issues of governance and the promulgation of public policy.

I usually like to refer to politics in Maryland as a Sumu wrestling match between big heavy sweaty guys in diapers, grunting loudly and hugging each other to the mat. Now that leaves you with an endless possibility of visuals, doesn’t it?

Only apparently it is being alleged that President Miller didn’t get the memo - that we can take our politics seriously but we’re not supposed to actually “contact” one another in a public discourse.

Sticks and stones can break your bones but words will never hurt you.

Allegedly, President Miller is finished with the hurtful words and is now “taking off the gloves” to duke it out with his opponents.

It has not been a good year for President Miller. All the warning signs have been evident for those of us who are trained to recognize the potential of a person to resort to violence.

President Miller was quoted on January 13^th, 2006 by Gazette writers Thomas Dennison, Douglas Tallman and Alan Brody to say “Senate President Mike Miller started it off Tuesday, telling a raucous bunch of Democrats that Bob Ehrlich’s service to Marylanders is akin to a one-eyed bull humping a cow.” (“Opening Day,” Gazette, January 13, 2006) Oh, now isn’t that just beautiful?

Then in the same article, Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley picked up the rhetoric by saying: “‘The Democratic Party’s message has become clearer with every passing year with the failures of the Ehrlich administration,’ O’Malley said. ‘’We are prepared for battle.’”

Surely, the fit and buff soft-spoken mayor did not expect his lieutenants to put up their dukes?

But the Gazette writers then warned Governor Ehrlich and Maryland’s Lt. Gov. Michael Steele that violence loomed when they wrote: “… Miller’s comments in The (Baltimore) Sun that Dems would shoot down high-flying GOP members and bury the GOP ‘face down.’ We’re going to put them in the ground, and it’ll be 10 years before they crawl out again,’ quoth the Silver Fox. Miller looked chagrined at having his words repeated, and laughed off the remarks as being directed at Bob Ehrlich and Mike Steele, not Senate Republicans.”

President Slugger Miller’s quotes were subsequently ubiquitously posted on the second floor of the Maryland State House.

On January 23^rd, 2006, Jon Ward wrote a Washington Times piece, “Miller’s words fire up rivals,” which reflected: “Mr. Miller said Thursday that he knew his quote was put on the doors on the second floor. But he said he didn't think he had given Republicans any extra motivation. "They don't need motivation," Mr. Miller said. "They're Kool-Aid drinkers."

Well apparently in addition to Kool-Aid, any opponent that crosses President Slugger Miller’s path may also need smelling salts.

In the same article by Jon Ward: “Lenny Alcivar, Mr. Steele's campaign spokesman, said his office was aware of Mr. Miller's quote. ‘think it's safe to say that given the broad support that the lieutenant governor and the governor are clearly showing and given the feedback from Marylanders ... [Mr. Miller] will wake up one day soon and regret that lapse in judgment,’ Mr. Alcivar said.”

Perhaps the day that President Slugger Miller woke up to regret those words was earlier this morning. Meanwhile there is no confirmation that President Miller is awaked to the theme song from the Sylvester Stallone movie series, “Rocky.” One can just see President Slugger Miller in front of the mirror in the morning, repeating to himself, “I’m a contender. I’m a contender,” as he shadow boxes his way to some orange juice, yogurt and toast.

And speaking of toast there have been many whispers in the hallways that Senate president’s longstanding run may be coming to a close. Chances are that Anne Arundel voters will return President Miller to the Senate as they have for the past “31 years, 19 of them as Senate president.” (S. A. Miller, Washington Times, Sept. 21, 2006)

However, many believe that it is time for the Senate president to retire. It is looking like there will be some changes in the Democratic make-up of the Senate for the next legislative session and whispers in the hallway are that folks want a change. The courts have overturned several legislative initiatives of the Democratic leadership in the last several months and many voters are having conversations over the kitchen table and the backyard fence that all the anti-gubernatorial gotcha obstructionism and partisan politics are getting old.

President Mike Miller – oh he’s a contender all right – for retirement.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com

20060921 KDDC Unhinged Maryland Democrats behaving badly