After the snoresville race for Vermont governor between Gaye Symington (Dem) and Jim Douglas (Rep) in 2008, politically-hungry Vermonters thought we’d be getting a good dose of juicy red-meat politics with the news that five – count ’em, five! – Democrats would slug it out for this year’s primary. Even Team Democrat, that nest of ninnies who can seemingly be led anywhere and hope-hypnotized into believing anything as long as there’s a bogeyman or woman in the room (McCain! Palin! Nader! Boo!), convinced themselves that a five-way was going to be “exciting” and “invigorating!”

Well, we’re now just two weeks away from the primary and…well…welcome back to snoresville – Vermont style. And here’s who to blame for all the boredom:

1). The candidates themselves. Each and every one of them has been nothing but bland. Instead of trying to rise above the hum of boredom, each seems to be trying to out wallflower the other. “You think Doug’s boring,” Peter, Deb, Susan and Matt seemingly call out, “listen to us!” Zzzzzzzz….. “Jobs, blah, children, blah, energy, blah.”

Oh my, please, tell me again how you are all in favor of jobs, children, Mother Earth and the firm belief in all-things-Vermont! Because I can’t get enough. Not.

Instead of being invigorated, the winner of this bore-fest is going to have to have a session or two with the defibrillator. Wake up! Because there’s a right-winger in aw-shucks clothing waiting for you in the general election.

2.) The Media. Let’s face it, the Vermont media has been like deer in headlights when it comes to this race. Overwhelmed by having to cover five people, they’ve apparently decided to not really cover any of them. I’ve heard several of them lament over and over again “how difficult” it is covering five viable candidates. Oh, poor babies….but, if you’d really like to try difficult, try the unemployment line. Please?

Unfortunately, the Vermont media’s “overwhelmed” mood has translated to coverage that is almost exclusively dedicated to press releases and statements from the campaigns. In other words, forget the digging, the muckraking, the probing and the – shock! – investigating. Because none of that is happening on the Vermont media’s watch. Cue 6-year-old whining voice: “We…don’t…have….time.”

This morning, for example, the guest on WDEV’s Mark Johnson Show was Louis Porter of the Vermont Press Bureau (I should also add that the guest host in Mark’s absence was the entirely sleepy Peter Mallory – oh Mark, stop leaving the microphone to that dolt!). Mallory yawned out a couple questions about the governor’s race, to which the equally sleepy Porter snored this bit of (non)wisdom and honesty: “The race has been fairly uneventful. I mean, we’ve been reporting on their press releases and statements and all but…”

Earth to Porter: The race has been sleepy because those covering it have been asleep. And since when did reporters pride themselves on doing little more than regurgitating campaign statements? [Flashback with Porter substituted for Bernstein: “Well, Nixon said he didn’t do it.”]

Mr. Porter: You could at any moment, after all, ask a question or do some digging that could make the race mighty interesting. And, trust me, as one of five reporters in the state, you’ll get your calls returned. How about you try to take a little control of the situation? You know, like asking them questions and probing beyond the boring, same-old, same-old campaign-speak?

If you can’t think of anything, try this: Ask them how they feel about the wars since they are, after all, seeking to become the Commander-in-Chief of the Vermont National Guard, a force that now has over 1500 Vermonters serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Or ask them how, as Democrats, they may disagree with the Obama administration? Or how they disagree with Leahy and Sanders? Or why they support yet another “study” of our health care system when so much of the public is already demanding the answer (read: single payer)? Or how the use and promotion of recreation vehicles (snowmobiles and ATVs) fits into their energy conservation programs? Just saying.

Or, better yet, we-the-voters could start demanding some answers to the questions outside the campaigns’ press releases. Peter Buknatski’s been doing just that here at Green Mountain Daily. Every time one of the Dem candidates posts one of their campaign statements, Buknatski’s been asking them about the wars. The total and complete silence (from the candidates and Team Democrat) should tell us all something: We’re about to be fooled again.

Unless, of course, we’re not. Cue: Alarm clock. Wake up, Vermont.

[Cross-posted at Broadsides.org]