By M.D. Kittle | Wisconsin Reporter

The National Rifle Association supports Tommy Thompson for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin. So does the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor and Health and Human Services secretary under President George W. Bush, also got the blessing this week of GOP U.S. Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, among a long list of supportive Republican lawmakers and political power players.

M.D. Kittle

Thompson’s opponent, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, perhaps the most liberal member of Congress, has earned the endorsements of the Gay & Lesbian Political Victory Fund, the Feminist Majority Political Action Committee, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and the man she hopes to replace, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Milwaukee.

There must be a term for this kind of political endorsement, but if there isn’t I will oblige.

How about unnecessary? Extraneous? Obvious? Useless?

I prefer to call them Duh! Endorsements.

What is remarkable to me is that the campaigns fire out news releases with the biggest names in conservative and liberal circles singing the praises of their party’s candidates. The campaign verbiage usually goes something like this: Governor What’s His Face stands with (fill in candidate’s name here), the trusted (conservative/progressive) voice for (note the elected office here).

There is nothing remarkable about Herb Kohl endorsing Tammy Baldwin. It would be remarkable if Herb Kohl didn’t endorse Tammy Baldwin.

I imagine that news release:

“As a member of the Senate since “Perfect Strangers” was part of ABC’s primetime comedy lineup, I must say I have never seen a less qualified candidate for this position than Tammy Baldwin. She’s so liberal she makes Barney Frank look like Ayn Rand.”

Or how about the NRA supporting Baldwin?

“Sure, Tammy Baldwin would like to see every automatic weapon thrown into a burn pile and destroyed, but we believe the congresswoman is the best choice in Wisconsin to stand up for the Second Amendment and the cherished rights our citizens hold dear.”

New Jersey governor and conservative rock star Chris Christie endorsing Tommy Thompson isn’t news. California old-line liberal Gov. Jerry Brown endorsing Thompson is.

Should the Gay & Lesbian Political Victory Fund or the Feminist Majority Political Action Committee throw their support behind Thompson, give me a call – or shoot me out a release.

Now, I know these Duh! Endorsements are designed to fire up the bases, the people most likely to vote.

Here’s something to stir the conservative base in Wisconsin: Tammy Baldwin.

Here’s how you motivate Baldwin supporters: Tommy Thompson.

The threat of a U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin should put the fear of God into every core conservative in Wisconsin, and it has.

Same would be said for liberals thinking about Thompson voting in the Senate, I assume.

Do the campaigns really believe there is a conservative out there who knows anything about Tammy Baldwin saying, “Well, I was leaning toward Thompson, but I checked Baldwin’s voting record and decided my vote is going to Tammy. If only Tommy had secured the support of the Republican Party of Chester County, Pennsylvania, things might be different.”

Or an abortion supporter saying, “That Thompson is sounding better and better to me all the time.”

It’s not just the silly season.

It’s the Duh! season.

Contact Kittle at mkittle@wisconsinreporter.com