Oliver Willis

I didn’t like the Post endorsing Bob Ehrlich, but their editorial today on Michael Steele is worth a read.

Despite his efforts to construct an image as an independent-minded newcomer, there is nothing in Mr. Steele’s past — no achievement, no record, no evidence and certainly no command of the issues — to support it. Pressed on energy or the environment, health care or North Korea, he tells reporters that he would get "all the players in the room." That sounds fine but means nothing; he’s running to be a senator, not a meetings coordinator. He proposes a list of big-ticket spending programs but offers no convincing idea about how they might be paid for. He knocks special-interest politics but is flush with campaign cash thanks to a team of GOP lobbyists.

Unsurprisingly in a heavily Democratic state, he doesn’t always follow the standard Republican playbook. But as more light has been shed on Mr. Steele’s slight experience in government, it has become clearer just how ineffectual he has been.

There is a lot of hand-wringing about this race, but I’m really not sweating it. Even someone like Steele who has tried has damndest to appear like a Democrat faces a problem in Maryland - the numbers just ain’t on his side. He faces the same problems here that a Democrat faces in the red south. That he’s an empty suit makes the problem even harder.