Maryland Politics as Usual

The Washington Times has a piece on the alliterative Baltimore Mayor, Mr. Martin O'Malley, and his political grandstanding in response to rumors that he had been having an extramarital affair.

Mr. O'Malley has reportedly demanded an apology from the governor, even though: 1) There is no evidence that Mr. Ehrlich condoned or had any knowledge of the actions of this rogue employee; 2) Mr. Steffen's actions were denounced by the governor, and the former immediately resigned his state post; and 3) Some of those most active in spreading falsehoods about Mr. O'Malley have been Democrats who don't want him to be their party's nominee for governor.


Mr. O'Malley, of course, is right to be furious over the whispering campaign against him and his family. But politically speaking, the timing of the front-page story in The Post about Mr. Steffen was actually quite beneficial to the mayor, as it deflected attention away from Mr. O'Malley's slur of President Bush last week.

O'Malley, of course, is the guy who in a nationally televised speech compared President Bush's budget to 9/11. Of course remember, this is Maryland where such rhetorical excesses are common political currency. Shades of Spiro.