The Wall Street Journal’s William McGurn makes a case for school choice this morning inside the the framework of the presidential race. The point he makes could just as easily apply to Virginia’s 2009 gubernatorial contest:
There’s a good opening here for John McCain. As a senator, he has been a forceful voice for giving lower-income moms and dads the same options for their children that wealthier parents already enjoy. What if he took this campaign into the heart of our cities – and gave a little straight talk about the scandal that their public-school systems represent in this great land of opportunity?
Hillary Clinton can’t do it for the same reason that Barack Obama can’t: They cannot offend the teachers unions that are arguably the most powerful constituents in their party. John McCain can.
Of course, McGurn questions whether McCain will actually do this. And it’s a good one, because McCain can be…mercurial…on some issues. But the opportunity is very real.
Now substitute some Virginia political names for the national ones in McGurn’s piece: Bob McDonnell — not Creigh Deeds or Brian Moran — has the opportunity to become a forceful advocate for school choice in the next election. He’s already friendly to the idea and if he chose to push it, he could very well force the Democratic nominee to choose between constituencies. Granted, some of the political pitfalls McGurn outlines will come into play. Finding a way to overcome them won’t be easy.
But first, the effort has to be made. And rest assured, there are plenty of folks who will be willing to listen to — and even support — a candidate who puts fundamental education reform ahead of interest group politics. (Cross-posted at Tertium Quids)