He was going to be the GOP candidate for governor but a guy
named Snyder took care of that. So how is Congressman Pete Hoekstra
doing these days?
To be sure, the West Michigan Republican is keeping tabs on the
campaign and he is giving high marks to Mr. Snyder.
"He has run a masterful campaign; picture perfect," he observes.
Just after his loss last August, Hoekstra concluded that Snyder
was never tested during the crowded GOP primary or as he put it at the
time, "He's never been in the meat grinder."
And now three months later, nothing has changed he feels.
Snyder has wonderfully kept the media at bay dishing out ten
minute doses of media availability. That is just long enough to say he
is not ducking correspondents but not long enough for him to get into
any in-depth questioning where he could make a mistake.
Hoekstra says that is good politics, but it leaves the voters to
wonder whether the Ann Arbor business guy can actually run a government?
"There is a huge difference in running a campaign and the
government. How effective will he be?" Hoekstra believes voters don't
have enough data to make that judgment so it will have to be, elect him
and then find out.
After he lost the nomination, Hoekstra made it clear he was
willing to help the winner but he got only one phone call adding, "I
was not asked to be intimately involved" so he wasn't.
As for life after a defeat, Hoeskstra has been to China. Wonder
if he looked for the office Snyder couldn't't remember? And he's
fixing to find a new gig when the Congressional thing ends in December.
He will also do his part to help Michigan's lack luster economy.
"I told my wife the other day, we need to buy a new car since I
wore out the old one in the campaign."
She delivered a strong dose of Holland reality, "Get a job,
first."