Len Lazarick: Victory is in eye of the beholder

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - It’s no surprise that the two campaigns rushed to claim victory in the two weekend debates between Gov. Robert Ehrlich and Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley.

But victory is clearly in the eye of the beholder.

Supporters of the governor almost invariably thought he looked gubernatorial, in command of the facts and the high ground, while they found the mayor too slick and scripted, even accusing him of mimicking Bill Clinton.

O’Malley backers were equally adamant that the mayor was the winner — not the “whiner” — calm and assured while the governor was “angry” and “petulant,” as the Democratic Party described him.

For what it’s worth, several non-Republican Ehrlich supporters thought the WJZ debate was a draw, but that in the MPT-WBAL debate, the governor looked scowling and belligerent, not like the likable, friendly Bob they know.

22 polls: O’Malley ahead

A new Zogby Interactive poll puts O’Malley ahead of Ehrlich with 52 percent of the vote to 41 percent. It’s the 23nd straight time that O’Malley has been in the lead in a public survey. A WUSA-TV poll released Wednesday had O’Malley ahead 49 percent to 43 percent.

A Rasmussen Reports poll released Tuesday has him at 50 percent. Numbers hovering around the magic 50 percent suggest that the only way Ehrlich can narrow the gap is with increasingly negative advertising. O’Malley predicted Saturday night that “very, very shortly” voters will start seeing $1 million a week being spent on “very nasty ads.”

Puppy love for Cardin?

Animal lovers weigh in its first-ever endorsements, the Humane Society is backing Cardin because of his support of no less than 14 different animal welfare bills in Congress. High on the list is a bill Cardin co-sponsored to “crack down on abusive ‘puppy mills.’ ”

This may just trump Steele’s puppy-hugging ads. Next Monday, the group comes out loaded for bear against Ehrlich, attacking him for allowing the hunting of those cute little black bears in western Maryland.

Jocks for Bob

Tuesday night, a pantheon of Baltimore sports greats turned out to throw their support to the football-loving Gov. Ehrlich was in awe. “This was my childhood,” he said later. The two dozen sports figures included ex-Colts Lenny Moore and Artie Donovan, ex-Orioles Doug DeCinces, Tippy Martinez, Boog Powell and Joe Orsulak, and Terps coach Gary Williams.

Len Lazarick is the state house bureau chief of The Examiner, he can be reached at llazerick@baltimoreexaminer.com