This article was published with permission from dermotcole.com.
In the infamous Pebble tapes from 2020, the chief executive of the proposed mine portrayed Sen. Dan Sullivan as someone who is “gonna try to ride out the election and remain quiet.”
Tom Collier lost his job over his impolitic remarks about Sullivan and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, but truer words have never been spoken about Sullivan.
The junior senator is always trying to ride out the controversy of the moment and duck contentious issues, clearly communicating a position only if he can frame it as an attack on Democrats or if it is an issue on which he can’t lose.
In the latter category, consider his comments to a friendly crowd about predatory trial lawyers trying to take advantage of sick veterans. He attacked Democrats and claimed they care more about trial lawyers than old Marines. “Not this goddamn time alright? Not this goddamn time,” he said.
My colleagues on the other side of the aisle sometimes listen to the trial lawyers too much.
Not this time.
My bill to cap the fees lawyers can charge veterans and their families in #CampLejeune cases has been endorsed by the @AmericanLegion and @VFWHQ. pic.twitter.com/4U9pJLyXxL
— Sen. Dan Sullivan (@SenDanSullivan) March 2, 2023
In an extended rant about Murkowski during his Anchorage campaign appearance last summer, Donald Trump said, “And that piece of (mouthing the word “garbage,” which he wouldn’t say aloud) voted to impeach me,” referring to Murkowski.
Sullivan didn’t say, “Not this goddamn time, alright?” in response to Trump. He said nothing.
On Sunday, Sullivan appeared on ABC with George Stephanopoulos and retreated to his “ride out the election and say nothing at all” safe space when asked a simple question about Donald Trump.
STEPHANOPOULOS: “What’s it going to mean for the Republican Party if Donald Trump insists on running even if indicted?”
SULLIVAN: “Well, look, that’s a hypothetical, right? I mean, we’ll see if that plays out.”
“I think what’s happening, though, within the Republican Party right now, in terms of presidential candidates, is healthy, right? We don’t — we not only have President Trump, but we have a number of other, I think, very qualified candidates who are throwing their hat in the ring. I think you’re going to see some others throwing their hat in the ring very soon. And I think having a good, competitive primary with a new generation of Republicans, by the way, is healthy for our party, it’s healthy for the country, and I plan on supporting the nominee who wins the Republican nomination.”
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you’ll support Donald Trump if he’s the nominee, even if he’s indicted?
SULLIVAN: Well, look, that’s a huge hypothetical right now on the indictment issue. We’ll see if that plays out. But right now my plan is to report — is to support who becomes the nominee.
.@GStephanopoulos: “You’ll support Donald Trump if he’s the nominee, even if he’s indicted?”
GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan: “That’s a huge hypothetical right now on the indictment issue…But right now my plan is to support who becomes the nominee.” https://t.co/gnbo5ESGEh pic.twitter.com/0dDavdNvvc
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 5, 2023
Dermot Cole has worked as a newspaper reporter, columnist and author in Alaska for more than 40 years. Support his work here.
