Maine Governor Paul LePage defends himself more than he leads

But Gov. Paul LePage insisted he was being unfairly pilloried for "one slip-up."  There's no leadership in defensive posturing.

Maine has a Latin state motto, translated from "Dirigo" meaning, "I lead". Nevertheless, Maine's current governor Paul LePage is preoccupied defending the controversial bruhahas he has created, rather than leading the state. In other words, Governor LePage can't make news unless it's "bad news". Certainly, he's not creating effective leadership. Instead, he's defening his inappropiate behavior.....again.  Surely, Governor LePage knows better than to say words like "....kiss my butt..." when asked why he didn't attend an annual Martin Luther King breakfast, during his first gubernatorial term. That was only the beginning of his serial "slip ups"

LePage responded to the suggestion that he had a pattern of slighting the N.A.A.C.P.. “Tell them to kiss my butt,” he said.

Benjamin Todd Jealous, the president and chief executive officer of the N.A.A.C.P., said that Mr. LePage’s “decision to inflame racial tension on the eve of the King holiday denigrates his office.”

And now in 2016, NBC News reports
Maine Gov. Paul LePage Apologizes For 'White Girl' Remark

Maine's tough-talking governor admitted he made a "mistake" and apologized Friday for making what has been widely condemned as a racist remark at a town hall meeting. Even worse than the use of "white girl" was his reference to how illegal drug dealers are selling to Mainers and "impregnating" the state's white girls. (Governor LePage had no business making such a preposterous comment.)

But Gov. Paul LePage insisted he was being unfairly pilloried for "one slip-up."

The problem is that Governor LePage has made many more than "one slip-up". Indeed, the Governor's mistatements are more like mudslides, than slip ups. This was just one.

Governor LePage was on the defensive, again.

"I was going impromptu and my brain didn't catch up to my mouth," LePage said. "Instead of Maine women I said white women. ... If you go to Maine, you can see it's 95 percent white."

Then LePage went after the journalists who reported his gaffe.

"If I was perfect, I would be a reporter," LePage said. "If you want to make it racist, go ahead and do what you want."

Claiming to be paraphrasing the "Rocky" movies, he also said: "Youse don't like me and I don't like youse."

(By the way, NBC reports, no such quote appears to exist on the various movie quote databases. NBC reseachers checked out.)

LePage also slammed his state's media, saying they aren't reporting enough on Maine's growing drug problem. (Maine's news media since published data contrary to Governor LePage's accusation, giving the number of times the drug stories were reported.)

In other words, Governor LePage is flat wrong to blame the news media for words he used and that he acknowedges were wrong.

Governor Paul LePage is unable to lead Maine. He's constantly embroiled in controversy and could face impeachment if the movement to remove him from office gains momentum.  

Maine Governor Paul LePage has defended a series of mouth "slip ups"

Meanwhile, Governor LePage continues to speak from his mouth instead of his brain. He wrongly blamed the news media for his inability to provide Maine with leadership. For example, at the end of the first Maine 127th legislature, Maine's legislators voted to overide the governor's veto of the state budget that would have closed state government, if it had passed. He's been ineffective ever since.

Unfortunately, Governor LePage began his gubernatorial leadership with a great deal of good will, even among his detractors. Sadly, through the Governor's own mistatements and bully style behaviors, he's become an ineffective political leader. Instead of leading, he appears to do or say anything, just to get attention, even if it means being on television and apologizing for mistatements.

Here's a WCSH6 news clip with Governor LePage defending his position on racism:

http://www.wcsh6.com/media/cinematic/video/78527596/governor-lepage-holds-press-conference-to-explain-his-personal-lack-of-racism/

Maine's tradition of providing the nation with exceptional political leadership has now been undermined by our governor who spends more time defending and apologizing than leading.