Gaston Caperton Is Definitely, Absotively Not Interested In Politics

Gaston Caperton just bought a $900,000 mansion in Charleston.

Does that mean anything? Should it? Younger folks are asking "who is Gaston Caperton?"

Caperton was governor from 1989-1997. He started off a little rocky, but became enormously popular and respected by the end of his tenure in office. Since then he has worked for the College Board, most recently as president. He plans to retire this year and return to Charleston to be close to his friends.

He's 71. In many places that is over the hill, but in West Virginia politics, he's still viable even if not a young whippersnapper. Should a Republican win the special election this fall, Democrats will start feeling Caperton out to see if he wants to pursue a third term a la Arch Moore. More likely, he could be putting himself into position to succeed Jay Rockefeller.

In any event, this is an interesting development.

Whither Caperton? Also, Another Party of the Common Man Update

Before Mojo there was another highly popular two term gubernatorial juggernaut in Charleston. Caperton exploded onto the scene in 1988. The extremely wealthy insurance man toppled a vulnerable, but still formidable legend in Arch Moore. His business experience combined with a downhome, but politically connected Jackson County wife helped him storm into office. After a few missteps, such as his aborted scheme that would have both consolidated power in his hands and increased the size of government during tough economic times (for West Virginia anyway) Caperton settled in and steered the ship of state for eight years. After that he ventured off into the fog of the outside world outside of politics. Currently he heads the College Board.

Politically the roads closed to Caperton when his second term ended in 1997. Shut out of the Governor's Mansion, seeing the House of Representatives as a demotion, and understanding that Byrd and Rockefeller were not moving on any time soon, Caperton turned to the field of education to pad his resume and do something substantial, but in preparation for what?

A little speculation has centered around Caperton being considered for Secretary of Education. His lack of direct contact with Bill Clinton might work against him, but he would seem to be a reasonable choice. However, his reputation as a relatively conservative Democrat will not help Obama in his current disputes with minorities and Leftists.

I have always wondered if Caperton's eye was not on the US Senate. Certainly before Manchin, he was a strong possibility to succeed Byrd. His speech to the West Virginia Education Alliance might signal that his toe may be reemerging into the pool of state politics.

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Party of the Common Man Update: Bad Medicine

Probably the most stunning allegation involving Illinois governor Rod Mytzlplyk, or whatever his name is, involves the allegation that he was prepared to rescind support for Children's Memorial Hospital because an executive refused to contribute to his campaign. Sorry kids, pony up the f-ing money or no f-ing medicine for you f-ing brats (if you don't get the last line, take a gander at the transcripts of his wiretaps. He is very fond of a certain word and uses it "liberally".)

Is it not fascinating that Obama has rarely even had contact with this man?

Lookin' For Ugleeeeeeeee

Those darned McGraws. They can't seem to avoid shadowy conspiracies. First the photographers roaming Marmet trying to take ugly pictures of Warren McGraw, now the Bush administration is plotting the demise of West Virginia's Attorney General.

West Virginia at one point brought suit against the manufacturers of painkilling products such as OxyContin, challenging the manner in which they had been advertised. OxyContin and like drugs are highly addictive and untold thousands suffer from this problem. At issue here is how the settlement money ended up being spent.

The Attorney General's office paid the lawyers who fought the case (fair enough) but placed the rest into the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Fund. The federal government argues that it ought to receive some reimbursement for the Medicaid dollars it pours into the state annually. State Legislators assert that McGraw violated the law because only the Legislature can disburse money.

What is worse is that the Consumer Protection Fund pays for billboards, pencils, and other items that feature the Attorney General's name. Allen Loughry, former Caperton administration official, has blasted this practice as taxpayer funded campaigning. McGraw's office paints this as a Bush administration political move to discredit his office.

Now come on. President Bush sits in his Oval Office every day trying to think of ways to discredit our state attorney general? Kind of unlikely. This money ought to go to the Legisture to be budgeted and sent out to the proper recipients.