Long's Turned Inside-Out

Billy Long’s campaign has been centered around the notion that he’s a political outsider, a “citizen legislator” who is “fed up” with what he sees as the ear-marking, over-taxing, bailing-out ways of Washington. Long’s success against more experienced candidates like Gary Nodler and Jack Goodman in the 7th District primary earlier this month even garnered him some national attention in the editorial pages of the New York Times. Columnist Gail Collins took special note of Long’s success in the 7th as a possible harbinger of a national trend. Collins reasoned that Roy Blunt easily withstood formerly toupee’d would-be insurgent Chuck Purgason’s primary challenge because Missourians aren’t troubled by supporting insiders, even though Blunt is “so far inside he could be a coal miner.” But Long’s victory, she asserted, complicated the message of facile support for insiders. What Collins didn’t know about Long is that just because he’s not presently an elected official, that doesn’t mean he’s not an insider. 

Though Long started the campaign criticizing career politicians like Blunt, now that he’s the GOP nominee he seems to have less difficulty associating with the ultimate insider at the top of the ticket. When asked if he thought Blunt was a career politician and if he had any qualms about accepting Papa Blunt’s support, Billy replied, “I’m gonna work with Roy all I can, yep.” Hmm, sounds like he’s already blatantly obfuscating answers like a pro.

Indeed, in these past few weeks Long’s looked like a seasoned political veteran, going to Vegas like he’s Charlie Wilson and flip-flopping over whether or not he’ll debate Democratic opponent Scott Eckersley. He’s exactly like a career politician, just without the knowledge or experience, and it’s already cost him a potentially influential friend.