Sykes Calls Ron Johnson the "Instant Front-Runner"

Here's a pretty standard interview with Ron Johnson this morning.

Here's a rather interesting rhetorical tack from Johnson: "One thing I would never describe myself as 'self-made.'" He then goes on to praise many of the people he's worked with over the years, which dovetails nicely into an assessment that he will need the help of the grassroots to win the election. That's a nice thing to say to the base, but also true in so far as Johnson caught a number of breaks over the course of the rise of his career.

Once again, Johnson declares that his campaign is about "freedom."

Again, Johnson's rhetoric is heavy on philosophical platitudes and light on policy stances. He says what's happening in Greece is bad and that the US is endanger of suffering a similar fate. He also reiterates that he will run on repealing health care reform. That's it. I realize this is largely a "congrats!" interview following a big weekend, but in the future Johnson's going to have to offer more.

One last point: after Johnson gets off the air, Sykes lavishes him with some more praise, calling his rise meteoric and his story the "most interesting in Wisconsin," potentially one of the most interesting nationally. Fair enough, but in the excitement of watching "the next big thing" materialize from the ether no one in the GOP seems to be looking at the Johnson's candidacy with the critical eye they examine his competitors.

Johnson may have just finished the easiest week any Senate candidate in the country has had in living memory, yet he's completely new to politics ... that should really give Republicans a moment of pause that they apparently have not stopped for yet. Obviously, Johnson has demonstrated an adroit sense of timing, but he's going to need more than that to win in November.