David Hampton: Haley Barbour on a losing streak

The political capital of Haley Barbour is plunging at a rate not unlike the value of the dollar under the Bush-McCain fiscal policies. Since Barbour was rebuffed in the attempted coup of Speaker Billy McCoy's position, he has made bad decision after bad decision in the political arena. Barbour now faces the prospect of watching the Dems take a 3-1 edge in the House and earn a spilt in the Senate. Travis Childers, with tremendous support from Representatives Bennie Thompson and Gene Taylor, achieved the first Democratic objective of a 3-1 House split and looks like a good bet to preserve the gain(with our help, don't forget to donate to Cotton Mouth for Travis Childers to your right). With each passing day the thought of Senator Musgrove moves from plausible to more and more likely (again with our help, hit the Cotton Mouth for Musgrove jar to the right).

David Hampton editorial in Sunday's Clarion Ledger delves headfirst in to Haley's political miscalculations.

What does Barbour have to do with all of this? For one thing, Barbour chose Wicker as interim senator, who probably was not the strongest political choice and which opened up the 1st District for challenge. He then insisted on having the special election to replace Lott Nov. 4. Democrats had opposed that date, but it now stands to work very much to Musgrove's advantage. With the nomination of Barack Obama, Mississippi stands to have a record Democratic turnout, which greatly benefits Musgrove. Barbour might have outfoxed himself on that one.

There is more...

He also made mistakes with the difficult issue of Medicaid funding. While his hospital tax plan has merit, its support is soft among usual allies in the hospital industry. He presented it in a take-it-or-leave-it fashion, which again insulted House leaders. Barbour's dogged opposition to a cigarette tax increase, which the House supports, left him in a direct face-off with McCoy.

In the past, McCoy has backed down; this time, he didn't. Barbour now is threatening to slash the Medicaid budget, which would only create a firestorm of criticism from the public and health care providers.

The Medicaid policies are debatable, but Barbour's tactics are clearly not his best game.

Remember that Haley was mentioned heavily for the veep slot. I don't think the McCain team is in the market for a political-has-been under whose watch a ruby red state morphed to a lavender hue. Considering McCain's support of the Iraq war and the Bush tax cuts, I guess it is not out the realm of possibility.