The following is a public service announcement.

Mike Taylor --- Countdown to Decency

On October 22 Mike Taylor announced that he would reenter the race for the US Senate. In a moving and powerful speech he declared that he would join the Montana Republican Party to champion the cause of clean campaign activities in an effort to help stem the tide of sleazy, shameful campaign tactics that are eroding the great American political process. The full text of his speech follows.

Mike Taylor begins the "Countdown to Decency"

On October 10th I suspended my campaign, facing continued damage to my family, the destruction of my reputation, and possible negative repercussions for my party and my entire state.
As I left, my heart was on the verge of breaking, to see the great work of democracy reduced to the slime, lies, and misrepresentations.

I went home and I prayed -- for my family, my friends, and for all people of Montana who were hurt by the slanders and suggestions about me.

The message, then, became clear.

My campaign for Senate might be destroyed. My reputation might even be destroyed. But if I must go down, it should be in a good cause.

My cause is this: that even if the rest of the nation descends to gutter politics, Montana shall be safe from it.

I felt someone had to take a stand against the process of slander and gutter politics, or not only would good people not run for public office, good people would not even vote.

Had I made the right decision?

I prayed. I took hundreds of calls, emails, cards and letters from people who urged me to get back in the fight. And a scripture taken from Psalms 140:11 got stuck in my head and would not get out: "let no slander be established in the land."

What would my forefathers do - those salt of the earth people that settled the west? Would they just walk away? No way.

After conferring with my wife, my children, my family, the decision was made that I must come back - not just because I want to be a Senator, but because I want to make a statement about decency.

Today, I will take my place as part of a broad effort to bring decency back to politics. I want to serve in the U.S. Senate. But I won't go to the gutter to get there.

I'm joining a bus full of other people who care enough about our state to speak for dignity. We're calling the next thirteen days the Countdown to Decency. For the next thirteen days we will let the voice of decent, ordinary Montana citizens be heard.

I am here for one reason and one reason alone: to send a message against mudslinging. I want to save democracy from the smear campaigns.

I realize that our effort is David vs. Goliath - the people vs. the muckrakers. They may have 10 times more money than we do, but Montanans have 10 times more integrity than them.

We all, as Montanans, can play a part. We can take back our political system in the name of decency, dignity, and respect.

We can take part in this crusade. I urge people to do so. When the bus comes to your town, come meet it. Join the Countdown to Decency.

When you get a chance, spread the word: we're cleaning up politics, and driving out the mudslingers.

And if you see mudslinging - if you watch a commercial that's a smear tactic - then vote the people responsible out of office.

By smear tactic, the ads placed against me are what I mean. Max Baucus is the standard bearer of the Democrat party, and those are the standard he carries. Shame on Max!

If Max's gutter politics were allowed to carry the day, this country's political process, which I love, would become a ghost of our once proud heritage.

I realized something, as I reflected last week: those people who ran that ad, they don't care about the cost.

They don't care that fewer people vote. They don't care that good people won't run. They don't care that people get hurt. They don't care about the truth.

They only care whether or not they win, even if everyone else in Montana has to lose.

That made me sick, that made me sad, and it made me mad. Montana is worth more than that.

It's time for us to take charge - we, the voters and the citizens.

Decency. Dignity. Respect. These are the quiet virtues - ideals that fade into the background in our world of neon signs and blaring ads and slick Washington cocktail parties.

They do not seek notice, they do not shout their value from the rooftops - they are the humble virtues.

But civil society cannot work without them.

Montana deserves dignity in our leaders. Mike Mansfield was a decent man. He earned us respect in the nation and the world.

But look at the ads Max used. Decency? Dignity? Respect? This flyer destroys them - casts them aside like garbage.

If Mike Mansfield knew what Senator Baucus just did to the political process, he would shed a tear for the good name of our state.

Montana deserves better. I'm here to send a message, and I hope the voters will help me carry that message on November 5.

Mudslinging is wrong. Gutter politics is wrong. They are destructive to decency, dignity, and respect. Winning at any cost might be winning to Max Baucus, but that is not winning to the rest of us in Montana.

They corrode the heart of our civil society.

This election cycle, you can vote against them. You can do it by voting against Max Baucus. Send a message, make a statement, and vote . Keep Montana clean. God Bless.