Adrian Smith: The Hits Just Keep Coming

With less than three weeks before the 2006 election, Adrian Smith's campaign is hurting and in trouble. Beyond Scott Kleeb's natural strengths and undeniable appeal, Smith has suffered for the twin offenses of compiling an unimpressive, undistinguished - some would even say embarrassing - record as a state senator while showing total disrespect for his would-be constituents and their interests by fueling his campaign with $400,000 from the extremist, anti-farm subsidies Club for Growth.

No doubt, the weakness of Smith's candidacy reached its nadir with this weekend's surprise endorsement of Kleeb by the ever-conservative Omaha World-Herald. Equal parts celebration of Kleeb and slap-in-the-face to Smith, the Omaha-World Herald wrote:

Scott Kleeb...stands out as the better choice. The reason: his fundamental strength - a strength of intellect, a strength of eloquence, a strength of stability.

When pressed aggressively, Kleeb's opponent, State Sen. Adrian Smith, falls back on sound bites and slogans. When pressed under the same conditions, Kleeb draws on different resources - mental focus, breadth of analytical ability and an unshakeable internal steadiness....

Far from being a wild-eyed liberal awkwardly out of step with his staunchly conservative district, Kleeb has spent this year advancing a practical agenda. His proposals can provide common ground across partisan and ideological lines....

It is said, understandably, that how Kleeb would do in Washington is largely an unknown. The same cannot be said of his opponent, Adrian Smith....

In the Legislature, Smith is not known as a skilled lawmaker. He is not known for an ability to build constructive coalitions for complicated legislation. He is not known as a skilled public speaker. He has no reputation for making substantive issues the subjects for his priority bills. He is not a lawmaker whom backers seek out to be the prime sponsor of major legislation.

He is not known as a leader.

That reality cannot be wished away, talked away or TV-commercialed away. And it is one of the primary considerations 3rd District voters should weigh as they consider whether Smith has the habits of mind and action necessary to serve with distinction in one of this country's most powerful political posts.

Smith, without question, is a sincere and conscientious advocate for the causes he supports - causes that in several cases receive strong endorsement by this newspaper. But in terms of qualifications, the 3rd District deserves more....

Scott Kleeb deserves election this year. If voters extend him that enormous privilege, from his strength, positive results could arise for the 3rd District. His potential should not be doubted.

It's understandable that Nebraska Democrats would be excited by this virtually unprecedented show of support from the state's most powerful and most influential media outlet. The World-Herald's endorsement of a non-incumbent Democrat for Congress is practically the Halley's Comet of Nebraska politics. Although the editorial speaks favorably of Kleeb's personal superiority as a candidate, one must keep in perspective the decades of instantly-dismissible opinions preceding it on that very page.

But, a blow to Smith is a blow to Smith...and the World-Herald's declaring him an unskilled lawmaker with a poor reputation and no real leadership skills to speak of is probably as big of a blow as the relatively toothless Nebraska media is capable.