Lt. Gov. Mark Darr does nothing as lieutenant governor. No foul. No predecessor has either. That’s the job. But, as I noted here and in a column soon to be posted this week, he’s spending more money doing nothing than anybody who’s ever held the office. Ernie Dumas this week also will kick Darr around a bit for his misunderstanding of the state budget.
But Darr does keep on providing material. Desperate for some attention, he held a news conference yesterday to tout the school lunch program and ways to make it more nutritious. He and some other No. 2s have gotten behind this vital project.
Fine. A corn dog, canned corn and a chocolate milk do not a nutritious lunch make.
But then, as with Darr’s ill-fated boasting about his management of his office, he had to up the ante. Addressing rumors that he might run for 4th District Congress if Tom Cotton doesn’t run for re-election, Darr commented:
“Obviously I’m not going to run against Congressman Tom Cotton. I think he’s doing a fantastic job. I do think he would be a fantastic senator.”
Yes. At a news conference about the School Food Modernization Act, Darr praised Tom Cotton. The act would offer low-interest loans and grants to schools.
Punch line:
To qualify for the grants and loans, the schools have to participate in SNAP, the federal nutrition program known as food stamps. This is the program Cotton voted recently to separate from the farm bill so that it may be financially gutted. Fantastic job.