[Cross-posted to Broadsides.org]

Well, that was boring. I’m speaking, of course, of Brian Dubie’s announcement this morning that he’s seeking an electoral promotion from his current position of Lieutenant Governor to just-plain Governor. With all the flare that an email can produce, Dubie’s staff hit the “send” button and – voila! – the Dubester was in the race.

In political campaign circles that kind of announcement is what is technically called a “dud.” No, make that a big dud. Because Dubie had Vermont’s political and media elite almost wetting themselves in anticipation of his decision, and he squandered the anticipation by having a private moment with his webmail program. So let that be a lesson, Vermonters: When the heat is on, Dubie hides.

Dubie’s announcement went ripping through the media and Internet shortly after 9:00 am this morning. I got my first word of it via WDEV’s Mark Johnson Show, and then saw numerous Internet posts thereafter. But when WDEV’s Paul Beaudry stepped up to his “I’ll pay you for some airwaves” show at 11:00 he was acting as if he was sitting on a scoop.

“We might be breaking some very big news for you shortly, people,” Beaudry told his listeners. “News that you’ll probably be hearing here first.”

Um, Paul, everyone already knew. You dope. But it should give us all one more reason to file each and every one of his silly rants under the category of “delusional.” And that’s being kind.

But let’s get back to Dubie. This will be his last election because he will lose it. His political mentor, Governor Jim Douglas, decided to step aside because he knew he was facing a tsunami of challenges (and challengers) in 2010. Vermont’s economy is going to get much worse between now and next year’s election, layoffs will continue at an even more dramatic pace, and the Democrats – lame as they are – are throwing all kinds of money and talent at the race.

Douglas is no dummy. Dubie is. Because it’s almost as if Douglas stuck out his leg, tripped him, and then called out with a snicker: See you next fall (nyuck, nyuck).

The only chance Dubie has is if he can convince his old friend, Anthony Pollina, to recall – and repeat — their warm embrace on election night 2002. In case you forgot, that was the night Dubie first claimed his statewide title after a three-way race with Pollina the Prog and Peter Shumlin the Democrat. Strangely – and nearly unprecedented as far as I know – after Dubie’s victory was announced, Pollina walked to Dubie’s campaign headquarters to give him a big congratulatory hug. Weird.

One thing’s for sure, a major campaign with Brian Dubie as a key player will be an absolute hoot to follow. The guy’s a walking goofball – a strange combination of Gomer Pyle and Don Knotts. And that, my friends, is exactly why Dubie decided to hide in his office and make his biggest political announcement of his career via email.

But, sooner or later, Dubie’s going to have to take the stage. And I can’t wait.