Mel Martinez to Chair RNC

The Associated Press reports that Senator Mel Martinez will replace Ken Mehlman as General Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Mike Duncan will be co-chair. AP reporter Liz Sidoti writes that Martinez is "one of the more politically savvy Senators." That doesn't pass the laugh test. Which is why I'm happy Martinez is getting the post. Allow me to explain.

Martinez has a problem explaining how campaign flyers have his name on them. During Martinez's Senate run; his campaign paid for flyers stating that Bill McCollum was a pro-gay rights Republican. McCollum showed Martinez the flyer during a debate.

"That is just despicable," he told Martinez. "It's nasty. It's not true. It's absolutely incorrect."

It says a lot about the current Republican Party that being pro-gay is "nasty."

Martinez said he did not see see the flyer and "I wouldn't be in favor of that kind of rhetoric." He was classy enough to have his campaign staff tell the media that there was nothing wrong with the flyer.

During the Terri Schiavo controversy, Martinez did not know he handed a talking points memo to Tom Harkin.

"Unbeknownst to me, instead of my one page on the bill, I had given him a copy of the now infamous memo that at some point along the way came into my possession," Martinez said in a press release.

Martinez staff member Brian H. Darling took the fall for the memo.

Martinez shrinks under pressure and constantly screws up. His appointment reeks of Bush favortism. This is a gift to Democrats.