DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 6:00 pm
Political junkies had a heyday in Nebraska on Thursday with a story that might have pleased Alice in Wonderland.
Curiouser and curiouser, it got.
Still unsettled at the end of the day was the question of whether Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson was, or might be, offered a post in President Bush's cabinet and whether he would accept.
While Nelson wasn't talking, Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel said his conversations with the White House indicate his Nebraska colleague has not been offered the position of secretary of agriculture.
"It is my understanding that right now it's not a serious situation, that they're not in any serious discussions," Hagel said during his weekly telephone news conference. Hagel has told the White House he would support Nelson's nomination to the post.
In response to Hagel's characterization of the situation, Nelson spokesman David DiMartino said: "Senator Nelson will not presume to be able to gauge the level of interest or the intent of the White House."
Hearst Newspapers reported that unnamed congressional sources said Nelson had "turned down a Bush administration offer" to become secretary of agriculture.
DiMartino said "their use of anonymous sources on this issue was irresponsible."
Responding to the Hearst story, another unnamed congressional source said any reports that Nelson had been offered the post are inaccurate.
CNN, which originally reported that White House political advisor Karl Rove had talked to Nelson about the ag opening, said two sources described the approach as "an offer or solicitation."
In Omaha, Republican State Chairman David Kramer said the White House told him "no offer has been made."
Meanwhile, in Lincoln, former Democratic Sen. Jim Exon said he believes Nelson might accept the post if it were offered to him by Bush.
"It wouldn't surprise me if the president would offer this to Ben Nelson nor would it surprise me if he accepted it," Exon said. "I suspect that probably would be good for the agricultural sector of Nebraska," he said, although it would deprive Nebraska's Democratic Party of "one of the few bright stars we have now."
Nelson is the only statewide Democratic officeholder in the state. His Senate seat will be on the 2006 ballot.
Democratic State Chairman Steve Achelpohl of Omaha said Nelson would be "an outstanding secretary of agriculture, having grown up in a farmland community (McCook) and spent eight years as governor dealing closely with agricultural issues."
But Nelson is "an absolutely outstanding U.S. senator for Nebraska," Achelpohl said, "and a wonderful credit to Nebraska's Democratic Party."
As an incumbent senator, Nelson obviously offers Democrats their best opportunity to defend that Senate seat, Achelpohl said. Gov. Mike Johanns is expected to be the Republican challenger two years from now.
Embracing this embarrassment of riches, political junkies had a field day speculating about who might step into the spotlight if Nelson left the Senate and the governor appointed a successor.
If Johanns were to choose a senior Republican figure to serve only during the final two years of Nelson's term, high on the list of potential prospects would be former Republican National Committeeman Duane Acklie and former Gov. Charles Thone.
Among possible Democratic Senate prospects in 2006 would be Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey.
And thus endth the day of conjecture and puzzlement.
Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.