Yeah, Imagine What He Can Do

Senator Ted Stevens claimed that he backed off a bill that would have increased the number and the size of oil tankers that pass through Puget Sound at the request of Mike McGavick, Republican candidate for Senate here in Washington. Said McGavick: "I'm pretty proud of the role I played in this. If I can do this as a candidate, imagine what I can do as a senator."

Actually, he didn't do much of anything. According to the Seattle P.I.: "Since November, the legislation has been all but dead, anyway, mostly because of a filibuster threat by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash." Stevens's withdrawl was basically a stunt, meant to make McGavick seem more effective than he is. Indeed, it raises a couple of questions about his candidacy. If McGavick could stop Stevens all by himself as a private citizen, what do we need him in the Senate for? And, if this was just a stunt meant to boost McGavick's candidacy, what would McGavick owe Stevens after the election? How many bridges to nowhere and repeals of environmental legislation would McGavick be obliged to support?

This could turn out great for Stevens. In exchange for giving up on a bill that wasn't going to pass anyway, he has a chance to install his own pet in a nearby state. Stevens could then stick his tanker deal in some omnibus legislation next year, and McGavick could vote for the whole thing without having to endorse the policy.