"You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille...."

My last conversation with Congressman Thad McCotter was one of my favorites.

I was still in the newspaper business back then and we were discussing the difficulties the U.S. automakers were having in getting loans from the federal government, compared to the blank checks that had simply been given to the banking industry. We had similar thoughts on the issue—it was basically Main Street vs. Wall Street—although his opinions were more well-informed and articulate.

"You know," I said, "maybe I should get a bunch of newspaper guys to come to Washington and ask for a bailout or a loan, too."

His answer: we'd have to ride in on bikes, bundle up the plan, and throw it in everyone's bushes at four in the morning.

I always thought that was a good joke; and his sense of humor was one of the things I always liked about him. That and he always struck me as a voice of reason within the Republican Party which, in my humble opinion, wasn't always easy to find.

I still liked the guy and respected what he's done in office, even as I watched the apparent end of his political career with a growing sense of unease and disbelief. Already strange, it crossed over into the truly bizarre when he abruptly resigned from his office rather than serve out the few remaining months of his term. I don't know if we'll ever know the true reason for that and I might not believe it even if I did.

The end result is that has left Republican voters in his district with not only one conundrum, but two. First, the choice on primary election day, between Kerry Bentivolio and Nancy Cassis, a write-in candidate. I personally can't get behind either of them. I am all for getting more 'regular people' involved in politics, but I don't think congress is an entry-level position--although Bentivolio may get a sympathetic vote or two for having the temerity to run against the Republican machine.

The second conundrum is the post-primary-pre-November election to find someone to fill out the few remaining weeks of McCotter's term. I wonder if that's what McCotter meant when he referred to 'striking a match' in his resignation email—because that aspect of this certainly stinks.

It'll all be over in a few short hours and my mailbox will probably appreciate the rest. Then, it's on to November. What a weird year; politics as unusual.