Sharp Contrasts

Kudos to Jonathan Kaplan for wading into the legislative muck and penning this report on Sen. Collins and Rep. Allen for the Blethen papers.

I've chided Kaplan from time to time. But this particular article represents a rare example--at least, thus far--of Maine campaign coverage relying on careful research rather than "he said/she said" stenography or spin.

The piece looks back at the congressional careers of the candidates, focusing on the nitty gritty. The verdict?

What the legislative records show is that both candidates have exhibited sharp differences in the policies they support and contrasting views of how government should work.

Again, that's the verdict. But the journalistic case for it is built at length, and it's well worth reading.

Fans of both Collins and Allen will find things in the article that speak to the strengths of each candidate.

But I think Kaplan is right to frame his report the way he does: These are two people with very different ideologies, different visions of the scope of the problems Congress faces, and contrasting views of how to solve those problems.

So the notion that personality and temperament are the only things at stake in this election is ludicrous.

If nothing else, I hope this article takes that argument off the table.