Who's going to get the job? That's the million dollar question. Names are being discussed in the papers, on talk radio, and everybody has their favorite person, or at least a short wish list. Can you get the guy out of his current gig? Is there a buy-out? Will Arkansas fans warm to the new person?
It's an important job, although some people put too much stock in it. It's going to take a real leader, with an impressive résumé. We're not going to give this thing to just anybody. We the People and Fans need to see a record. Accomplishments. Can he handle the pressure?
We might be biased, but we think it's as an important a job as any of the two in Alabama. Arkansas ties are a must, sure, but you'd have to work with folks in Texas and Louisiana eventually. Special skills are needed. High energy. Smarts. The ability to get along with a president and various other suits.
That is, if the Arkansas job comes open at all.
Of course we're talking about the United States Senate seat held by Tom Cotton, formerly of the United States military and the House of Representatives and currently a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Intelligence may not be confused with intelligence, as Daniel Patrick Moynihan once pointed out, but Tom Cotton has the perfect résumé for spook work. Which might be the reason the president of the United States is thinking of naming him director of the CIA.
Dominoes have to fall first. But word around the campfire is that several are teetering. If the current secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, is pushed out, as is the rumor, and Mike Pompeo at the Central Intelligence Agency is moved to Foggy Bottom, then the president is said to prefer Capt. Tom Cotton at Langley.
Tom Cotton, a cool cat if there ever was one, isn't saying much. After all, it would be impolitic to do so. As of this writing, Rex Tillerson has a job and the CIA has a director. But you can tell a lot when you ask Sen. Cotton's spokesman about the possibilities and she gives the press this: "Sen. Cotton is focused on serving Arkansans in the Senate."
Our considered editorial opinion: Tom Cotton would make an excellent CIA director.
Our barely considered editorial opinion: The race to replace him in the Senate makes for fun speculation.
What a country, what a state, what a couple of constitutions! If long tall Tom decides to take the CIA gig, Asa Hutchinson would appoint a replacement, who would serve until voters get to the polls again. The paper said somebody would be elected in 2018 to serve the last two years of the term.
It's said that Gov. Hutchinson can appoint anybody but himself, Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, or any of their relatives. And the state constitution does not allow an appointee to run for the seat in 2018. So . . . who's it going to be? If it's to be?
Tim Griffin may not be the appointee, but he says he'll seriously consider running for the full-time job in 2018. Folks are asking all four of Arkansas' representatives about it. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, one of the sharpest politicians we've known, took a cue from Tom Cotton and told the press she was happy in her job and running for re-election.
But the best news came from the Democrats, who say they'll make a race of it in this dark red state: Graham Senor, spokesman for the party, said the Democrats were planning on seriously challenging Tom Cotton anyway, so they're ready.
"There's a long line of people who have expressed interest in running against Sen. Cotton in 2020," he said, "so we expect that a U.S. Senate election in 2018 would see many Democrats throw their hats into the ring."
That's how a healthy two-party system should be.
Now then, all we have to do is watch the Washington wires. And see if dominoes start falling soon.
Editorial on 12/02/2017