Collins Speech in Review

Three things jump out at me:

1. You have to be pretty cynical to accuse your opponent of coddling terrorists and then (minutes later?) face the TV cameras and say about the campaign, "I fear we're gonna see all those horrible attack ads." But it's the kind of cynicism you'd expect from someone who--when it's politically expedient--promises voters to serve no more than two terms and then goes back on her word when it interferes with her career plans.

2. I'm also puzzled by the speech's core message, which seems to be A) Democrats are hyper-partisan, interest group-coddlers who can't be trusted and B) I'm the strongest candidate because I work so well with Democrats. (Of course, evidence be damned, everyone knows the junior senator is a moderate-bipartisan-centrist, so naturally the Maine press will feel free to ignore the dissonance.)

3. Collins' lament about the length and expense of campaigns is a cute move given her fundraising profile and February decision to launch the earliest and most vicious attack of the cycle.

Collins, you'll remember, has received seventy percent of her funds from out of state donors; has traveled out of state to tell donors their money will play a key role in deciding race; and has received millions from business PACs.

Memo to the junior senator: One of the reasons the race has been expensive is that you've been hitting up your corporate friends for big donations, and then using those funds to smear your opponent.