How the Mighty Fall, periodically

There’s a name that won’t be on the ballot this fall that should not go unnoticed: Bob Keenan.

You remember Bob.

Senate President.

Senate Minority Leader.

Termed out after the '05 session.

While vacationing in Costa Rica, he offered himself up as an alternative to Conrad Burns in the 2006 GOP US Senate Primary. Word had it that Conrad was about to be indicted and led away in cuffs for his dealings with Jack Abramoff.

After filing for his old House seat in the Bigfork area, Bob, being the team player he is, dutifully withdrew from that race put his name in play to serve us in Washington.

Bob lost the primary. And, no, it wasn’t even close. The margin just south of 49,000 votes, to Conrad Burns!

After spending the 2007 session skulking the hallways in the Capitol in an advisory capacity to the House GOP leadership team (You know: Scott Sales; Mike Lange; John Sinrud; Bill Glaser), Bob evidently decided the Ship of State (Helena or Washington) could not navigate troubled waters without him.

“Oh, gosh,” he said. “Governor. United States Senator. What will it be?”

He kept all of us in breathless anticipation until the last day of filing.

Yes, there was the customary ‘aw shucks.’ While discussing a possible run for the Senate, he said, ‘‘I’m wide open. There’s a lot of pressure and assumption and expectation that I might run for governor of Montana as well. The third and most attractive option is to skip the ’08 cycle and go on with my life.’’ Montana Standard. 9/27/07

And?

He filed for his old House seat in the Bigfork area.

To the private dismay of many a Republican House members, shortly after he filed, word filtered down that upon his return to the House, Bob was eying the Speaker’s slot or chairing the House Appropriations Committee.

‘Oh, gosh. What will it be?’ Bob must have been smugly muttering.

With a household name like his, how did Bob use the days between the close of filing and the primary election?

Working hard on the doors?

No, on the links.

Bob, you see, is quite the golfer.

And, certainly a guy with his Brahmin creds need not sully himself by touching mere mortals called voters.

Rumor had it that Bob was not satisfied with his short irons game.

Oh, and the primary election?

He lost. He did manage to finish second to a fellow named Scott Reichner in a four-candidate primary.

And, no, it wasn’t even close.

Bob must still be muttering, “Oh, gosh. What will it be?”