Maybe, Just Maybe

Haley Barbour is not dumb. He almost had me confused on Initiative 26 when on national television he expressed that he thought the language was to ambigious and caused him concern. Then a day later on Mississippi television, he said he decided it was best to vote for the initiative and did so.

That left me scratching my head. I've known Haley Barbour for over 40 years. He has never been one to back down from a fight. Yet, he tripped all over himself on this particular issue. Why?

Well, I've got a theory on that. It's a known fact that Senator Thad Cochran is ready and willing to step down under the right circumstances. Perhaps Mr. Barbour has cut a deal with Mr. Bryant to appoint him(Barbour) to fill Cochran's unexpired term if the Senator decides to step down before the election. And maybe, just maybe, Bryant called Barbour's hand on Initiative 26 to the point that if Barbour didn't change his mind, then Mr. Bryant would look to appoint somebody else to the Senate seat i.e. Greg Harper.

Then tonight it was Barbour who spoke just before the Governor Elect and said nice things about Bryant before Bryant delivered his victory speech. That was interesting in that Barbour and Bryant have never been the closest of allies. But all of a sudden they act like lifelong pals.

As I said, it's just a theory. But anything can happen in the wacky world of politics.