It's a beautiful Saturday afternoon in October, and, as Republican Representative Chris Shays drives between churches in his affluent Connecticut district, he is talking about the possibility of being knifed. "Rahm Emanuel--if I got a knife, it would be in my belly," he says, referring to the combative head of the Democratic Caucus. "With Nancy," he continues, alluding to the House speaker, "it would be in my back." He then goes on to tell a story about an encounter that took place two years ago at the House gym. At the time, Emanuel was head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which was targeting Shays--a Rockefeller Republican who represents a Democratic district--for defeat. In the gym's locker room, Shays approached Emanuel and said he was "really disappointed" that, with so many races to choose from, the DCCC had chosen to target him. Emanuel, Shays recalls, "put his hands on both shoulders, looked at me square in the eyes, and said, 'Look, with all due respect, from one friend to another, we're going to spend a fucking three million dollars to defeat you.' That was his words. Verbatim."
Shays--a trim 63-year-old who's driving himself and wearing a light-green sweater plus a Peace Corps alumni baseball cap--describes the encounter as friendly and says both men laughed as they traded barbs. But the fact that he is still dwelling on the incident two years later suggests that maybe, just maybe, both Emanuel and the DCCC have gotten inside his head. If so, it would be easy to understand why. Thanks to the 2006 Democratic wave that Emanuel helped engineer, Shays is now the only Republican House member in New England. And, having barely held onto his seat in Connecticut's fourth district in 2004 and 2006, he is once again embroiled in a close race, this time against Democrat Jim Himes, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker from Greenwich. (Connecticut's fourth may be the only district in the country where it is still acceptable for a politician to have Goldman Sachs on his resumé.) The latest poll from SurveyUSA shows Himes leading by three points. Meanwhile, The Cook Report has described the race as "a toss-up," and both campaigns say it is likely to be a squeaker.
More than anything else, what has protected Shays all these years is his image as a maverick. Sure, he may be a Republican, but on issue after issue--abortion, gay rights, gun control, the environment--he has repeatedly proven willing to buck his own party. He was the first GOP representative to call for Tom DeLay to step down when the majority leader was accused of ethics violations. And, in 2006, he suspended his campaign for three days after the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) sent out a flier declaring that his opponent, Dianne Farrell, wanted to have "coffee talk with the Taliban" (a footnote indicated that it was actually the leader of an organization that endorsed Farrell who had suggested that the United States sit down with the Afghan Islamists). "After the election," Shays says, "I took a bundle of [ads] down to Washington and said, 'I want to see the idiot who thought this was helping me.'"
This year, Shays boasts that he hasn't allowed the NRCC to run any commercials for his campaign. He's also refused to so much as mention Himes in his ads, staying true to his long-standing distaste for negative campaigning of any kind. And he never hesitates to proclaim his credentials as an iconoclast. "I'm one of the few politicians that isn't captured by the extremes of either party," he told me.
Clearly, his maverick spirit remains as strong as ever. And yet that, in an odd reversal from past election cycles, may now be part of Chris Shays's problem.
In recent years, Shays has kept his distance from presidential races. Not this time around. McCain and Shays have been allies for a long time, most famously on their pet issue of campaign finance reform. The two men don't just share the same causes, though; they also share a temperamental affinity--a certain pride in their mutual penchant for disloyalty to the political party they call home. In short, they have a lot in common. It's no surprise, then, that Shays is serving as co-chair of McCain's campaign committee in Connecticut, has stumped for the Republican candidate in New Hampshire, and, during the Republican convention, described Obama as having "no record, none, zero, zip." In the last few weeks, even as a number of local GOP candidates across the country have sought to distance themselves from their party's floundering nominee, Shays's enthusiasm for McCain--whom he endorsed all the way back in February 2007--has not waned. He recently told National Journal that, when it came to Congress, he thought a President McCain would "shake things up in a very constructive way."
Moderate voters might have forgiven Shays if he had confined himself to cheering McCain or even to criticizing Obama. But Shays has gone a step further, coming out swinging in defense of the most polarizing figure in national politics: Sarah Palin. Despite originally planning to stay home from the Republican convention to focus on his own race (and perhaps to avoid the taint of his party), Shays flew out to Minneapolis at the last minute to support Palin, whom he believed was being unfairly assailed by the press. "I saw all these attacks--they didn't say the same things to Barack Obama. They didn't question his record. They didn't talk about what he's done," Shays told MSNBC. When asked how Palin's anti-choice stance might play among the women in his district, Shays (who is himself pro-choice) responded, "You know, not all women are pro-choice. ... It's a woman that should be selected, not a particular kind of woman."
How could a liberal Republican who faults the religious right for "weeding out centrists" express so much enthusiasm for a vice-presidential pick made largely to appease religious conservatives? How could someone who seems to compulsively disdain partisanship of all kinds become so enamored with Palin, given her ultra-partisan attacking style? What, exactly, is Shays thinking?
I asked Shays how he could reconcile his support of Palin with his worldview. "If people want to say she has views about government that I disagree with--what she has and what I like about her is what I like about John McCain," he responded, adding, "I really believe she is one gutsy person that is willing to shake things up in her state in a way that few men have." In other words, Shays supports Palin because he sees her as a fellow maverick.
But that stance could cost him in a district where Obama currently leads by ten points. At a town fair in working-class Shelton, I met Linda Robak, a 54-year-old who had long counted herself a Shays fan but is now working for the Himes campaign. "It all changed when he endorsed Sarah Palin and called her a qualified candidate for v.p.," Robak told me. "Three weeks ago, I sent him a letter. I always respected him, but he threw away his credibility." Democrats, meanwhile, have been doing their best to make hay of Shays's unexpected proximity to his party's presidential ticket. One DCCC commercial links him directly to McCain--citing remarks in which he echoes McCain's line that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong"--and Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro has denounced Shays's defense of Palin as "demeaning to women." When I asked Himes about his opponent's support for the Alaska governor, he didn't hesitate to pile on, citing a comment that Shays made in a television interview: "He claims to support reproductive rights; she opposes abortion. Then he calls her 'awesome.' How could he?"
And so it is that the one thing which has long protected Shays--his maverick sensibility--could now help end his political career. In that sense, he is very much like McCain himself. The Arizona senator, after all, has been well served by his maverick instincts for much of his political life. But, at the most important moment of his career, those instincts led him in disastrous directions--causing him to gamble with his vice-presidential pick, provoking him to suspend his campaign in the midst of the financial crisis, and generally making him appear erratic and unpresidential.
Of course, Shays has survived for a long time under precarious conditions, and perhaps--despite the considerable risk he took in lining up so closely behind fellow mavericks McCain and Palin--he will hold on for yet another victory. And if not? It won't necessarily have been Rahm Emanuel or Nancy Pelosi who did him in. Arguably, Chris Shays will have knifed himself.
Suzy Khimm is a reporter-researcher at The New Republic.
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COMMENTS (12)
The main point of the article seems to be that the only problem with Chris Shays is that he respects Senator McCain and Governor Palin. I wholeheartedly agree with Congressman Shays, and respect all three candidates. What a shame that respect for one another, despite differences in policy, now becomes a political liability.
The main point of the article seems to be that the only problem with Chris Shays is that he respects Senator McCain and Governor Palin. I wholeheartedly agree with Congressman Shays, and respect all three candidates. What a shame that respect for one another, despite differences in policy, now becomes a political liability.
Yes, the point of the article is that the only problem with Chris Shays is that he respects McCain and Palin. However, the point of the article is wrong.
The main problem with Chris Shays is his record.
He was one of the cheerleaders for the Iraq war and as recently as this Spring stated that he fully supports George Bush in Iraq. Note: He was a concientious objector during Vietnam.
He voted down the line for the Bush fiscal and economic policies.
He actively supported Bush-Cheney in 2004.
He voted to prohibit Medicare from negotiating prices with the drug companies.
He voted against requiring a Congressional resolution before any possible attack on Iran.
He has publicly called Newt Gingrich "my ... view full comment
Yes, the point of the article is that the only problem with Chris Shays is that he respects McCain and Palin. However, the point of the article is wrong.
The main problem with Chris Shays is his record.
He was one of the cheerleaders for the Iraq war and as recently as this Spring stated that he fully supports George Bush in Iraq. Note: He was a concientious objector during Vietnam.
He voted down the line for the Bush fiscal and economic policies.
He actively supported Bush-Cheney in 2004.
He voted to prohibit Medicare from negotiating prices with the drug companies.
He voted against requiring a Congressional resolution before any possible attack on Iran.
He has publicly called Newt Gingrich "my hero."
He voted against requiring the CIA to abide by the military rules on interrogation -- in other words, he voted against banning torture by the CIA.
In fact, as Jim Himes has shown, when the vote is close and his support is needed Chris Shays votes with the Republican leadership 89% of the time. His tactic has been described as "catch and return."
Yes, he is a moderate on social issues like gay rights and abortion. But on today's key issues, he is a down the line supporter of the Republican right wing.
This year, he has received $800,000 of PAC support fron the National Association of Realtors. By coincidence, he is actively supporting a reversal of a recent ban on seller financed down payments (i.e., he wants to make zero down payment mortages easier).
He does his best to cover up the truth. In all his ads which I regularly see since I live in his district, he never once mentions the word "Republican." In fact, he had a TV ad and a mailing featuring a picture of Obama!
This article is a pretty shallow puff piece for Chris Shays. It casts doubt on the accuracy of the rest of the articles in TNR.
Christopher Hitchens wrote the definitive column on Sara Palin in today's Slate Magazine. He identifies Palin as representing the most dangerous and mindless force in American politics. Shays deserves to be sent packing forever for supporting a monster like her.
Christopher Hitchens wrote the definitive column on Sara Palin in today's Slate Magazine. He identifies Palin as representing the most dangerous and mindless force in American politics. Shays deserves to be sent packing forever for supporting a monster like her.
I am a Democrat but I have always admired Chris Shays as one of the few Republicans who is morally decent and truly cares for the country and not power and the rich.
I am a Democrat but I have always admired Chris Shays as one of the few Republicans who is morally decent and truly cares for the country and not power and the rich.
A different point is that Shays is arguing Palin is qualified to be president. She clearly isn't, and the only people who think so are not moderates but right wing nutjobs. By extension that does not reflect well on Shays.
A different point is that Shays is arguing Palin is qualified to be president. She clearly isn't, and the only people who think so are not moderates but right wing nutjobs. By extension that does not reflect well on Shays.
Push comes to shove, Shays is still a Republican who would be aligned with the shrinking GOP caucus in the House. So it's understandable that the Dems would target him just as strongly as if he were a Texas right wing nut. That's what a two-party system is all about. In fact, in Texas, Tom Delay made a point of ousting as many conservative "blue dog" Democrats as he could. So Shays needs to get over it and plan to spend more time with his family.
Push comes to shove, Shays is still a Republican who would be aligned with the shrinking GOP caucus in the House. So it's understandable that the Dems would target him just as strongly as if he were a Texas right wing nut. That's what a two-party system is all about. In fact, in Texas, Tom Delay made a point of ousting as many conservative "blue dog" Democrats as he could. So Shays needs to get over it and plan to spend more time with his family.
The idea of leaving the government to Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid with no moderating influence in the White House ought to give one pause. Mr. McCain is the kind of Republican moderate Democrats always said they could vote for. Mr. Obama is a genuine European-style social democrat, dangerously close to a socialist. This is a moderate country. Pick the moderate candidate. It's McCain.
The idea of leaving the government to Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid with no moderating influence in the White House ought to give one pause. Mr. McCain is the kind of Republican moderate Democrats always said they could vote for. Mr. Obama is a genuine European-style social democrat, dangerously close to a socialist. This is a moderate country. Pick the moderate candidate. It's McCain.
AlaskanEastcoaster - Shays' problem is that he has sacrificed his own credibility to defend the indefensible.
I used to respect McCain. I have a program from an event he spoke at eight years ago with his signature framed on my wall. Sadly, the man who gave me that signature isn't the same man running for President today. McCain jettisoned his credibility for the Republican nomination, swapping his previous independence for pandering to the religious right. He used to assail the crazed bigots that populate the fringe his party; now he embraces them. He used to be for responsible financial planning in government; now he's blindly for tax cuts for the rich and claims his elimination of $18 bill ... view full comment
AlaskanEastcoaster - Shays' problem is that he has sacrificed his own credibility to defend the indefensible.
I used to respect McCain. I have a program from an event he spoke at eight years ago with his signature framed on my wall. Sadly, the man who gave me that signature isn't the same man running for President today. McCain jettisoned his credibility for the Republican nomination, swapping his previous independence for pandering to the religious right. He used to assail the crazed bigots that populate the fringe his party; now he embraces them. He used to be for responsible financial planning in government; now he's blindly for tax cuts for the rich and claims his elimination of $18 billion in earmarks will cover hundreds of billions in new spending. The list goes on and on.
As for Palin...the words "dangerously unqualified" were made for Sarah Palin. The Republicans attack Obama as unqualified on a number of fronts. They attack him for having never accomplished anything of substance in Illinois (he got 150,000 children healthcare). They attack him for having never accomplished anything of substance in the Senate (he worked with Dick Lugar in expanding programs to secure loose nuclear weapons). They attack him for naive foreign policy views (that have since been adopted as official U.S. policy).
For Palin, the check on her qualifications was to name a single United States Supreme Court decision she disagree with, perhaps one of the two major decisions that came out of the Alaska in the last couple of years that her office issued press statements on. She couldn't do that. The bar was then lowered to being able to name a single U.S. newspaper or news magazine. She couldn't do that.
And Shays defends her, claiming that the examination of her qualifications is more rigorous than what Obama had to go through and that it's somehow unfair.
Yeah, I'd say that's a political liability.
Yes, the point of the article is that the only problem with Chris Shays is that he respects McCain and Palin. However, the point of the article is wrong.
The main problem with Chris Shays is his record.
He was one of the cheerleaders for the Iraq war and as recently as this Spring stated that he fully supports George Bush in Iraq. Note: He was a concientious objector during Vietnam.
He voted down the line for the Bush fiscal and economic policies.
He actively supported Bush-Cheney in 2004.
He voted to prohibit Medicare from negotiating prices with the drug companies.
He voted against requiring a Congressional resolution before any possible attack on Iran.
He has publicly called Newt Gingrich "my ... view full comment
Yes, the point of the article is that the only problem with Chris Shays is that he respects McCain and Palin. However, the point of the article is wrong.
The main problem with Chris Shays is his record.
He was one of the cheerleaders for the Iraq war and as recently as this Spring stated that he fully supports George Bush in Iraq. Note: He was a concientious objector during Vietnam.
He voted down the line for the Bush fiscal and economic policies.
He actively supported Bush-Cheney in 2004.
He voted to prohibit Medicare from negotiating prices with the drug companies.
He voted against requiring a Congressional resolution before any possible attack on Iran.
He has publicly called Newt Gingrich "my hero."
He voted against requiring the CIA to abide by the military rules on interrogation -- in other words, he voted against banning torture by the CIA.
In fact, as Jim Himes has shown, when the vote is close and his support is needed Chris Shays votes with the Republican leadership 89% of the time. His tactic has been described as "catch and return."
Yes, he is a moderate on social issues like gay rights and abortion. But on today's key issues, he is a down the line supporter of the Republican right wing.
This year, he has received $800,000 of PAC support fron the National Association of Realtors. By coincidence, he is actively supporting a reversal of a recent ban on seller financed down payments (i.e., he wants to make zero down payment mortages easier).
He does his best to cover up the truth. In all his ads which I regularly see since I live in his district, he never once mentions the word "Republican." In fact, he had a TV ad and a mailing featuring a picture of Obama!
This article is a pretty shallow puff piece for Chris Shays. It casts doubt on the accuracy of the rest of the articles in TNR.
Screw the other commenters, I liked this article. Yay, TNR. I lap up the Rahm quotes -- he cracks me up.
Screw the other commenters, I liked this article. Yay, TNR. I lap up the Rahm quotes -- he cracks me up.
Chris Shays like John McCain have more integrity and honor in their pinky than Obama and Biden have in their body and souls. Chris, unlike Himes, is a 22 year servant for our Country. Himes and his money folks are taking on a man who puts devotion for Country over substance and wealth. He has been to Iraq to assess the situation more than Obama goes to Hawaii looking for his real birth certificate and his "grandmother who no one has spotted with him in a photo in over 25 years..what a weird trip that was if you are paying attention to the bizarre or a guy who covers his tracks.
As an ardent Shays and McCain supporter, I hope the American people will come out and vote for honor and integrity o ... view full comment
Chris Shays like John McCain have more integrity and honor in their pinky than Obama and Biden have in their body and souls. Chris, unlike Himes, is a 22 year servant for our Country. Himes and his money folks are taking on a man who puts devotion for Country over substance and wealth. He has been to Iraq to assess the situation more than Obama goes to Hawaii looking for his real birth certificate and his "grandmother who no one has spotted with him in a photo in over 25 years..what a weird trip that was if you are paying attention to the bizarre or a guy who covers his tracks.
As an ardent Shays and McCain supporter, I hope the American people will come out and vote for honor and integrity over style and money (or the redistribution thereof)
I voted for Chris Shays 10 times. Then he voted for the Bush tax cuts. Then he voted for the Iraq war and gave full throated support. I met him and asked him about WMD's. His answer: everyone was wrong, the French the Turks, the Brits. Did he say that he was wrong? No, he continues to give full throated support. Bush and Shays have lied and have bankrupted our Nation. His District has many supporters, few of which have sent their children to war and many of whom have paid lower tax rates than almost anyone in the United States.
I voted for Chris Shays 10 times. Then he voted for the Bush tax cuts. Then he voted for the Iraq war and gave full throated support. I met him and asked him about WMD's. His answer: everyone was wrong, the French the Turks, the Brits. Did he say that he was wrong? No, he continues to give full throated support. Bush and Shays have lied and have bankrupted our Nation. His District has many supporters, few of which have sent their children to war and many of whom have paid lower tax rates than almost anyone in the United States.