Maine pundit’s political pieces uneven as book

THE DELIGHT OF DEMOCRACY: The Triumph of American Politics, by Christian P. Potholm, Cooper Square Press, New York, hardcover, 200 pages, $27.95.

Christian P. Potholm, a Bowdoin College professor and the state’s top political pundit, has collected his columns for the Lewiston Sun Journal in an anthology due out in October, on the eve of the general election. Titled “The Delights of Democracy,” Potholm covered everything from polling to teaching to the censorship of political issue ads by television stations in the 30 or so pieces he wrote for the paper between January 1999 and October 2001.

Yet, for those who do not mainline national and Maine politics as their drug of choice, many of these columns needed more background information or at least a publication date at the beginning or end of the column, so they could be put in a historical context. Others, like “Gratitude,” a thank-you to

then Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen for a visit to the USS Kennedy, simply seemed self-indulgent.

A handful of these columns, however, insightfully and delightfully pointed out the pluses and minuses of America’s way of politics, especially elections. In “My McKinley,” Potholm showed how a candidate could take advantage of Maine’s much-touted Clean Elections Act, easily raising $10,000 privately in $5 contributions to get $1.2 million in public money.

Potholm is at his best when he does not take himself or his subject matter too seriously. “The Kiss,” analyzing the jump in the polls Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore got after he kissed his wife Tipper at the party convention, is delightfully funny and insightful.

Political junkies, however, would have been better served had Potholm waited until after the election this fall so he had more meaty material and a greater number of columns to choose from. The book’s emphasis on passing political events that have a momentary impact made this a mediocre collection whose hefty price tag far outweighs its worth.