The Wisconsin Gambit

The Kerry Campaign is not doing well in Wisconsin, a state they really need if they hope to win this election. Powerline reports on an attempt by Kerry to swing the votes of dairy farmers in his favor:

Kerry said Bush is opposing an effort to extend the Milk Income Loss Contract that helps dairy farmers when milk prices drop and is set to expire in October 2005. He said the Bush administration would wait until after the election to act so voters in swing dairy states wouldn't turn against him. The Bush campaign issued a statement that said accounts of White House opposition to the milk program are false.

Nothing unusual as far as politics go, but ironically Kerry had to explain further because of past votes affecting midwestern dairy farmer:

In the 1990s, Kerry supported the Northeast Dairy Compact, a regional pricing program that propped up prices for Northeastern dairy farmers over objections from their Midwestern counterparts. "We've had a difference between the Midwest and the Northeast," Kerry said. "I'm going to be very upfront with you about it. As a senator representing Massachusetts, I fought for the dairy compact and fought to have our dairy farmers get help," the four-term lawmaker said. "I'm running for president of the United States now and I intend to represent all the farmers of America."

So Kerry is trying to win the support of mid-western dairy farmers by promising to flip-flop. Emblematic of his campaign.