Governor Baldacci has the Golden Opportunity

I have watched politics from the sidelines nearly all my life. For nearly two decades, I reported on it or commented on it or both. And for the last 10 or so years I’ve downright dabbled in it. With the base closings upon us, never before have I seen such a golden opportunity for a leader to summon his or her courage and prove, as the old saying goes, the "sort of stuff they are made of."

The moment for Governor Baldacci to exhibit strength, leadership, and loyalty to his fellow Mainers is upon him. The questions remain: Does he have what it takes? Is he made of the stuff Maine folks need from their leader?

It looks like the Bush Administration intends to take thousands of military jobs out of the state. Many of these positions will be relocated; others will be eliminated all together. Our congressional leaders and the Governor vow to do everything in their power to stop this from happening.

I can’t help but speculate how difficult these discussions must be for the Governor. After all, the Governor himself has sent Maine jobs out of state: the privatization of the liquor industry, for example. So I imagine that he wasn’t in Washington saying, "Maine needs the jobs, don’t send them elsewhere," because it might smack of hypocrisy. He has to have another argument.

And he does. Those of us who heard him on public radio know what that argument is. Governor Baldacci related that he would argue Maine’s strategic importance to National Security. Bloody chainsaw-wielding Canadian murderers slipping across our borders notwithstanding, this is a far better argument if for only one reason: It gives our Governor the most Golden of Opportunities.

I have written scripts throughout my career, so let me write one more, and the Governor can just use it.

Assuming he has the direct number for the White House, he need only place a phone call and repeat the following:

"Governor Baldacci from Maine calling for the President, Please."

Assuming again that he gets through:

"Hello Mr. President, this is John Baldacci from Maine. I’d like to take just a few minutes and tell you one more thing about those military bases in Maine. I know that I mentioned before that our location, our enormous coastline, our international border, and our excellent work ethic were all key to national security. Well, I still feel that way. Unfortunately, it seems to me that you and Mr. Rumsfeld disagree. So I’m calling to hear a little more. It seems you might get me to agree with you, after all.

"In fact, if you do close the bases here in Maine, eliminate or relocate all those good-paying jobs, I’ll be convinced that you are right. And furthermore, using my power as Governor of the Great State of Maine and as Commander in Chief of the National Guard forces here in Maine, I’m not just going to agree with you, I’m going to bring my troops home."

Now we can all imagine a little hemming and hawing on the other end of the phone. Unfortunately, I’m not writing the President’s script here, so assume the Governor will just push on:

"Yes, Mr. President — wait, who’s on the line now? Oh, hello Mr. Cheney. I thought I heard someone on the extension. Yes, I do understand that my uniquely strong leadership might cause an avalanche, that every other state that lost thousands of jobs in this restructuring might also call their troops home, but respectfully sir, those other states aren’t my responsibility. You see, the people of Maine elected me to be their leader and darn it all, that’s what I’m going to be. And another thing, I’ve been doing a little research Mr. President — George, may I call you George?

"Okay, Mr. President it is, but I’ve been doing research and not only does Maine have the second-highest National Guard commitment of any state in the country, but we have a horrifying death toll when compared to the coalition countries as a whole.

"You see, Mr. President, according to your own department of defense, of the nations with troops in Iraq, only five have lost more soldiers than the State of Maine has all by itself. I have the list right here. More Maine soldiers have died fighting in this war than have been lost by the countries of Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary Kazakhstan, Latvia, Slovakia, Thailand, Estonia, and El Salvador. And quiet frankly Mr. President, we’re done. If you don’t need us for national security, then I’m going to seize this Golden Opportunity and do what I took an oath to do: protect the people of Maine.

"Send my troops home.

"Goodbye."

— Pat LaMarche, 2004 Green Vice-Presidential nominee