Kleeb lacks

Robynnn Tysver's must-read story in the OWH today finally gets to the nut of Scott Kleeb.

U.S. Senate race: Kleeb touts lack of baggage - OWH, 10/21/08.

(By the way, in the "Metro Evening" edition of the OWH, this front page article is entitled, "Kleeb: Life experience trumps time in politics".  Make of that what you will...)

It occurs in the third paragraph, after she describes Kleeb's extensive education. Here it is in full:

"His professional résumé is shorter."

Tysver actually does a nice job of spelling out that Kleeb's work experience isn't all that he has cracked it up to be.

We've heard and seen, since back in 2006, all about Kleeb's time ranch-handing. Here is the full description from the actual rancher, Michael McGinn:

"He worked here all of one summer, up into the fall and early winter. And then he worked part time for us another time or two. He was just a ranchhand, and he worked here probably a total of seven or eight months."

Seven or eight months??!!

From what we've been hearing, we were to understand that Kleeb was born on a hay bale and raised in a saddle.

But let's see, Kleeb worked on the ranch for a few months...than quit to run for Congress (and lost).

Then he got job as a history teacher, did that for two semesters...then quit to run for Senate (and well...).

Interesting, considering what the Kleeb camp's refrain has been on Mike Johann's career.

***

But the article doesn't just get to Kleeb's lack of experience, it also (finally) hits him on his positions:

"However, his tendency to speak in broad and ambiguous strokes leaves some of his listeners frustrated. For example, when he talks about health care, Kleeb never makes it clear whether he supports a universal health care plan like that envisioned by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama."

Of course we have seen this before.

Note this from the North Platte Telegraph today:

"Kleeb didn't say whether or not he supported the recent federal $700 billion bailout of major lending institutions..."

But we can't blame the NPT for not knowing that Kleeb put out a release saying that he DOES support the bailout. They're just listening to him speak trying to nail him down.

Of course, you may recall Joe Jordan of KMTV trying to nail Kleeb down on whether he is Pro-Life or Pro-Choice -- an important question for a lot of voters.

Well again, it's sometimes best to avoid the candidate here, and go straight to the campaign. In this case, we got it from a student blogger who went down to the Kleeb camp's Lincoln office to do some volunteer canvassing for Kleeb. Here is what that student discovered:

"Anyway, I got there, talked to the guy in charge (he can't be older than 25), got a brief iniation into the art of canvassing (basically: if they ask about abortion, obfuscate and pretend you don't know that he's prochoice, 'cause that's political death in this state), and headed out into the strangely muggy mid-afternoon to knock doors." (Emphasis added)

So we are glad we finally got that one squared away. Maybe Joe Jordan can call Scott back.

***

Finally, we are getting realllllly tired of this line from Kleeb:

"He believes his time in the classroom and his role as a young father who carries both a mortgage and student loan debt outweigh the credentials of a career politician. 

'There is the experience of living the life of people you want to represent,' Kleeb said."

Yeah, we get it Scott, you've got a new baby. Great. We are real happy for you. Bought a house did you? Neat.

But would you please stop pretending that is some sort of original thing that means you should be elected to the United States Senate.

No one believes it and it makes your experience sound (even more) shallow than it already is.