Sarah Palin Endorses Christine O’Donnell
The audio is here. Palin says O’Donnell is the conservative in the race.
In our last thread about O’Donnell vs. Castle, commenter Dustin pointed to this audio of O’Donnell being interviewed by a radio host who had endorsed her in a past race, but had some tough questions for her that she mostly dodged. The story is old — I remember reading about it a little while back — but the audio is worth listening to.
This isn’t just a race about the conservative who would probably lose vs. the squish who would probably win. It’s also about a conservative who, while easy on the eyes, has a tough time answering what seem like pretty straightforward questions.
Joe Miller, the conservative, will most likely lose the Alaska primary to a big-government inside-the-beltway Republican by double-digit percentages. It most likely won’t even be close. So let’s all be pragmatic and choose Murkowski.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/9/2010 @ 6:44 pmJoe Miller, the conservative, will most likely lose the Alaska primary to a big-government inside-the-beltway Republican by double-digit percentages. It most likely won’t even be close. So let’s all be pragmatic and choose Murkowski.
What does the likelihood of losing the primary have to do with being pragmatic? If someone voted for Miller and he had then lost to Murkowski, so what? Talk about a non sequiter.
Gerald A (2b94cf) — 9/9/2010 @ 6:48 pmReal Clear Politics has a “Senate No Toss-Ups” projection map that shows 49 Republicans, 49 Democrats, Independent Joe Lieberman, Socialist Bernie Sanders. This projection map has Delaware red with Castle as the senator.
The map also shows CA, NV, WI all staying Democrat. But those three states are very much in play. And, surprise of surprises, WV has suddenly come into play with Manchin (D) leading Raese (R) by 4 or 5 percent compared to the double-digit lead not so long ago.
Now is the time to retire the RINO/DIABLO Castle. O’Donnell can win the general, especially this year. And even without DE, the Republicans can still gain majority status.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/9/2010 @ 6:58 pmOh and there’s some Democrat Senator who’s up for re-election in 2012 that people are rumoring might possibly switch to Republican if this tsunami hits.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/9/2010 @ 7:08 pmThese are two very flattering pictures.
That’s all I got. I kinda burned out a bit in the last thread on this topic. I’m a Palin fan, but I strongly disagree with this endorsement. I don’t think there is a good option in this race, though. Sorry, Delaware. As much as I complain about various Texas politicians, some of whom disappoint all the time, we are relatively fortunate.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/9/2010 @ 7:25 pmOh and there’s some Democrat Senator who’s up for re-election in 2012 that people are rumoring might possibly switch to Republican if this tsunami hits.
Say what?
Gerald A (2b94cf) — 9/9/2010 @ 7:40 pmI think it was Ben Nelson whose name has been floated around, although I might be totally wrong on the dude’s name.
But it’s my understanding that the winners of DE and WV senate election are seated immediately. And I fully expect a lame-duck Congress to sit and do their thang between the November elections and the January new Congress. One of the things that will come up will likely be crap-n-tax. Manchin (D), if he pulls it out in WV, could likely vote against cloture because crap-n-tax is especially heinous to WV. But I don’t trust Castle to do the right thing. And I already don’t trust Grahamnesty to do the right thing. O’Donnell, on the other hand, would do the right thing.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/9/2010 @ 7:46 pmJohn’s right that there will probably be some democrats changing parties. It really makes sense because the democrat party has moved far to the left of many of these reps and even a few senators.
I don’t think many of these people will be running ads boasting about the stimulus and Obamacare. They can pretend to be independent of the democrat party, or they can prove it by joining team (R).
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/9/2010 @ 7:50 pmHuh? Audio? Oh. Sorry. I was busy counting freckles.
Icy Texan (d61420) — 9/9/2010 @ 7:50 pmIt’s curious the last time the Senate went republican in conjunction with the House, Shelby
a Conservative Democrat, and Ben Campbell a more idiosyncratic moderate, switched sides, Nelson’s
a possible, then again he might get wiped out in the primary.
You feel about O’Donnell, kind of the way I feel about Scott, against Sink, a very Hobson’s choice for Governor
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/9/2010 @ 7:55 pmI would rather that Delaware have a Senator who will vote with the Republicans 75% of the time than a Senator who will vote with the Republicans 5% of the time.
I guess John Hitchcock would rather feel good about being right than in actually, you know, winning elections.
Dave N. (7a7f03) — 9/9/2010 @ 8:31 pmAll… your thoughts, please.
We knock the crap out of Democrats who are serial deadbeats, dissemblers… you know the type.
Sadly, Ms. O’Donnell fits into that category on our side of the aisle. Plus, she is well-known enough in Delaware to be totally unelectable in the general election. Let’s face it — it was almost 2-1, even though everyone knew that Biden was going to be elected vice-president.
Are we going to abandon our fundamental principles of honesty and integrity just because we find her political statements more in tune with our own views? Answer, please.
either orr (6d4ded) — 9/9/2010 @ 8:45 pmDave N, you are very far off-base in your accusations, as evidenced by my actual statements on this thread alone. Reading for comprehension is not your strong suit; you should really see a remedial reading instructor for that.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/9/2010 @ 8:54 pmeither orr, since I lived in Ohio up until March of this year, moving to the great state of Texas (part of my heritage dates back to the great nation of Texas), I don’t know all the ins and outs of local politicians from all the states. That said, I still view Castle as a RINO/DIABLO who doesn’t fit at all with mainstream Republican values, but from what I know of O’Donnell, she does. And either way, Castle needs to be retired.
I don’t view a Castle retirement to be detrimental to the opportunity to regain majority status in the Senate, but I do view a Castle retirement, in combination with a Specter/Murkowski/Bennett retirement good for the Republican Party and the US as the Republican Senate will necessarily move to the right, more in line with the public at large.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/9/2010 @ 9:01 pmI saw an ad for Castle on TV today, pointing out the various financial irregularities that O’Donnell needs to answer for. Unless she has some very good answers, I don’t see how I could vote for her, even if we were in 100% agreement. If someone is dishonest, you can’t trust them. So, unless there is more to the story, I’m sad to see Palin support her.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 9/9/2010 @ 9:05 pm______________________________________
So, unless there is more to the story, I’m sad to see Palin support her.
Not too reassuring if a person of the right is a poor judge of people and character. IOW, a paucity of common sense in a conservative is analogous to an abundance of bigotry in a liberal.
Mark (3e3a7c) — 9/9/2010 @ 9:18 pmI admit to being wrong about a lot of things politically, but I don’t see a Sarah Palin endorsement carrying as much weight in Delaware as it might in Alaska or Utah or any number of other states.
Still, from Gov. Palin’s perspective it’s probably a good gamble: If O’Donnell wins the primary she is a huge kingmaker in the Republican Party, probably the number one player in the whole country. If O’Donnell loses the primary then, well, it’s Delaware after all.
JVW (eccfd6) — 9/9/2010 @ 10:20 pmI agree with Hitchcock, even if O’D can’t win, you’re nuts to saddle the leadership of the Senate in 2012 with a backstabber(Yes, I know some of you-Rico,for one-are daft).
We’re in this mess because one party takes a position and the other wedges in the former’s pocket, to the left or right, wherever the cash figures to be. Vote the bum’s out.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/9/2010 @ 10:31 pmPatterico’s framed the question right:
This race is not about “true conservative” O’Donnell vs. “RINO” Castle. It’s about whether O’Donnell is fundamentally honest.
We conservatives don’t do ourselves any favors by nominating dishonest conservatives.
Some chump (e84e27) — 9/9/2010 @ 11:02 pmI think it is a mistake for Palin to support O’Donnell, but what the hell it is a free country. So far.
However, I have heard Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity completely misrepresent Castle’s record in order to help carry water for the fetching Ms. O’Donnell. Rush said he voted for the stimulus, not true. Sean said he voted for Obamacare, not true. How could they get those facts wrong? And if they did, what else are they overlooking here?
I think it would be a shame to throw away and easy win to promote a candidate who not only has very little chance of winning the general election, but who has some real baggage. If she were old, ugly and a RINO, what are the chances that these pundits and politicians who support her would turn a blind eye to her less than sterling record? None.
Terrye (368a41) — 9/10/2010 @ 3:48 amgary:
What leadership? Once you throw away the election there will not be any leadership because the Democrats will still be in control of the Senate. And besides, how do you know how this woman will vote? Castle is a middle of the road politician who is well known to the people of Delaware. I don’t agree with all his votes, but at least he is not a loon.
Terrye (368a41) — 9/10/2010 @ 3:52 amAnd yet he voted for Cap n trade, and the “Disclose
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/10/2010 @ 4:57 amAct” which is a gag on tea parties, and more likely
than not, he would have voted for the stimulus if there hadn’t been so much pressure from the grass roots, Castle will probably win, the nomination,
and then you will complain when he votes for Kennedy’s replacement,
This race is also important to the eventual partisan control of the Senate as others (like Ace) have noted and to the make up of the post-election “lame duck” congress.
Of the two, the makeup of the lame duck congress (when Tom Harkin and others have promised “big things”) is the most crucial. And the Delaware seat is one of only three contested Senate seats where the winner will be seated immediately after the election (and the only one where the likely GOP nominee is a clear favorite). Right now the GOP only has 41 Senators. Three are roundly considered quite unreliable (Collins, Snowe, Brown). Plus, I would count on Murkowski drifting to the left in a lame duck Congress (she’s burned her bridges with the GOP, so there is no longer any reason for her to play nice). Bottom line, 2011 may be great for the GOP but we need as many Senators as we can get seated in November/ December as well to stop cap & trade and card check. And while Castle is squishy on both issues he DID promise he would oppose either bill if it were brought up in a lame duck session, so that’s good enough for me.
Sean P (a82c1f) — 9/10/2010 @ 5:41 amThat … was one fabulous interview.
She’s a pathological liar, she has precisely the sort of gratingly annoying whining voice that causes men to chew off their own body parts to escape from the owner’s presence, she has no achievements, she’s running in a blue state that elected Joe Biden — JOE FREAKIN BIDEN — for almost 40 straight years, and that’s so small probably each and every voter has had multiple opportunities to have met her personally.
Perfect. If the Delaware Republican nominating process chooses to go with her over Castle, they’re as delusional as she’s crazy.
shooter (32dc25) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:02 amYes I don’t hold much hope, they continued to electa plagiarist who would preside over the Senate Judiciary Committee, a tool of the banks that shattered this country’s economy, and they voteddown, Roth, the good Senator, back in 2000
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:07 am“Three are roundly considered quite unreliable (Collins, Snowe, Brown).”
Why isn’t Castle in this list? Because, he didn’t vote for Obamacare? He sponsored the Disclose Act. He’s Reid’s Cap’n Tax hole card-that’s $1500 to $3000 per man/woman/child yearly and a job killer.
“one of only three contested Senate seats where the winner will be seated immediately…and the only one where the likely GOP nominee is a clear favorite.”
How about letting us decide whether your expert opiners(Ace?. Seriously?) know squat.
“I would count on Murkowski drifting to the left in a lame duck Congress”
She’s McConnell’s right hand lady, BeffinS.
The GOP is toast, elect more Castles and add the exclamation point yourself. Nothing is happening until 2012 except unapportionment. We don’t need your DIABLO.
The ‘be a good fellow and wipe my ass’ card doesn’t work anymore.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:15 amIs there a none of the above line available?
JD (ff08c4) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:25 amTerrye: “but at least he is not a loon”
So that’s why Delaware keeps returning “Bite Me”, a seamless liar and airhead, to the seat?
Bet Castle’s better informed than you. Every race inside 5 points to the blue will turn red on election. It’s the turnout, Einstein.
Castle is up 10 on Coons. How many Tea Partiers you have in Delaware? Hope its not above 10%( they’re 60% of indies and a good chunk of Rethuglicans).
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:26 amElecting people with questionable ethics just because they vote the right way gave the Democrats Senators like Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd. Is that what conservatives really want?
Some chump (4c6c0c) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:30 amJohn Hitchcock,
My reading comprehension is just fine. You would rather piss away a Senate seat in a quest for ideological purity than, you know, actually win it.
Tell me how I am wrong in stating your position.
Dave N. (7a7f03) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:48 am“My reading comprehension is just fine.”
Then comprehend this: Boehner announced the House opening position on negotiations for 2011 budget-roll back to 2008.
What’d we lose to par in ’08, $500 billion. So following reconciliation with a “gang of 14” controlling the Senate what will we be down, whatever the balance in 2011?
Il Douche has veto power and Executive Orders to pursue our destruction. And you mean to tell us Castle stands between us and the deep blue sea?
McCain in ’08 played, wonder of wonders, a Palin card and got a marginally respectable turnout. And now you’re left only the “Hold your nose” card. Sucks to be you.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/10/2010 @ 8:05 amGary,if it’s a choice between
(a) A conservative who won’t give a straight answer, can’t manage his own finances, and has questionable ethics and
(b) An honest man who isn’t quite so conservative
I’ll go with (b). Call me crazy, but I don’t want to elect someone who’s a walking target for an ethics probe.
Some chump (4c6c0c) — 9/10/2010 @ 8:11 amThe Delaware GOP is showing the same good sense as the Alaskan, Kentucky, Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania affiliates;
http://theothermccain.com/2010/09/10/delaware-republican-party-files-fec-complaint-against-christine-odonnell/
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/10/2010 @ 8:19 amWhat an incredible photo of Palin!
For all those who believe that a Democrat will change parties, or any politician for that matter, history shows that rarely saves them – and for good reason. We Americans don’t take too kindly to turncoats – regardless the color of their shell. I have much more respect for an honest loser than a self-serving survivalist!
rookwood (41786e) — 9/10/2010 @ 8:34 amThis isn’t Alaska, Kentucky, Florida or Texas, this is Delaware. You take what you can get here.
Kevin (298030) — 9/10/2010 @ 8:40 am“An honest man who isn’t quite so conservative”
By honest you mean he doesn’t know when he’s lying? He’s a careerist, a polititian.
Like I said, if you’re borne out by the primary you’re creating a third orbit in DE politics. The GOP may retain second position but if you really need moderate Donks this much, I wouldn’t bet against third in 2012.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/10/2010 @ 11:05 amNo, by “honest”, I mean someone whose personal finances aren’t a mess, can give a straight answer to a direct question, and isn’t being sued by former staff members.
If Castle were as conservative as O’Donnell claims to be, there would be no contest. But if you’re chosing O’Donnell simply because of the way you think she’ll vote and completely ignoring her ethics issues, then you’re not doing conservatism any favors.
Some chump (4c6c0c) — 9/10/2010 @ 11:19 amFirst off, unlike you, I am not an alphabetist. Your position is, apparently, “any R is a good R regardless of the leftist/progressive positions that R holds.”
Secondly, given the choice between a career-politician RINO and a rookie RINO, I’ll take the rookie (if I must).
Third, a single seat does not a majority make. There are 99 other seats, and an alphabetist majority for majority sake not only leads (in the case of Republicans) to a majority out of touch with its base, according to 3/4 of grass-roots Republicans and the majority of independent voters but to elections like 2006 and 2008, and McCain/Feingold.
Now, about what I wrote before your first comment here:
That statement I made very clearly says O’Donnell can win the general. It also very clearly says Republicans can win Senate majority without Delaware.
I made several other comments that jive with this particular quoted comment of mine. Now, you claim your reading comprehension is fine after I very charitably suggested your reading comprehension is the problem. I have documented how my statements do not coincide with your declarations regarding my position. In fact, my statements very clearly contradict your declarations regarding my positions. And I gave documentation regarding my positions, the documentation contradicting your declarations of my position.
So, either your reading comprehension sucks, or you outright lied about my position. Your choice. Does your reading comprehension suck or are you just a liar?
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/10/2010 @ 11:45 am“Why isn’t Castle in this list?”
Because Castle isn’t in the Senate yet, genius.
“How about letting us decide whether your expert opiners(Ace?. Seriously?) know squat.”
What the hell does that even mean? Well, aside from the fact you’re in a pissy mood and prefer to fire off invective before actually, you know, reading what you’re “responding” to. Oh, and I’d lay off the comments about insulting other people’s reading comprehension. Glass houses and all that.
Sean P (40d8a8) — 9/10/2010 @ 12:31 pmAce had some thoughts about how to approach this particular election without getting too angry. We need to be able to take a step back, IMO.
It’s going to be a long process to restore the GOP, let alone the USA. We’re going to have setbacks. Charlatans will pretend to be Tea Party reformers, and we have to do a better job picking candidates.
All in all, things seem to be looking up for this election, and if we don’t eat other alive, I think we can keep that going longer than the left did. But we could also just fall apart like the dems did.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/10/2010 @ 12:34 pm“Because Castle isn’t in the Senate yet, genius”
Oh, you really burned me with that one, plastic shrub. I have to wait for his votes in the Senate.
“What the hell does that even mean?”
Please tells, do, what are the other two contests that are seated immediately and what is your tally of seats in play? I say losing DE will not matter a whit. Is it even the 51st pure GOP notch by your estimate?
“Glass houses and all that”
We’re talking practice, a primary, and you’re peddling the smack that marks a troll: The reform candidate is unelectable, give it up.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/10/2010 @ 1:06 pmGary, you think losing a Senate Seat in this coming election doesn’t matter a whit?
That’s a strong sign that your priorities are simply not in step with others. Indeed, one vote like Castle from a place like Delaware can be a powerful benefit to the right, and is of no benefit to the left (compared with a democrat).
I don’t like Castle and I think he’s a RINO. I don’t ask people to support him. While he has voted with the GOP many times in the House, the times he hasn’t cross a point for me, as they obviously do for you. I think he’s going to lose, with Palin and Rush against him, and the silver lining for me is that this should send a powerful message to some Senators.
However, please don’t tell me that one Senate seat doesn’t matter a whit. It actually matters tremendously. Whether you think we’re coming up to a single member for majority or filibuster proof or not, it matters quite a bit. Letting this seat go to a democrat costs this country quite a bit.
John’s argument, that he thinks O’Donnell can actually win Delaware, strikes me as better logic. It’s a shame that he’s probably wrong, and O’donnell will be lucky to win 40% of the vote. Or maybe it’s not a shame. I don’t blame Delaware for rejecting her, obviously.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/10/2010 @ 1:31 pm“No, by “honest”, I mean someone whose personal finances aren’t a mess”
On the strength of a 40 year career in politics his net worth is $8 mil. I don’t know of many ministers(other than tele-evangelists) in that category.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/10/2010 @ 1:51 pmGary, what basis do you have to assert that his wealth came from a 40 year career in politics?
I thought the attack on him was that he was born wealthy, with a trust fund (listen to that interview linked in the post, O’Donnell won’t shut up about how lucky bastard Castle had wealth all his life).
8 million is a lot of money, but for a successful lawyer (I think from Georgetown?), it’s not really a sign of corruption. Like the lie that he supports Obamacare, this seems like an unfair attack on successful Americans.
Is there some shady deal you think Castle personally profited from? Due to the nature of the attacks on him, he actually comes across as much cleaner since I haven’t heard any solid accusations of that kind.
There’s nothing immoral about having $8 million dollars. Don’t you agree?
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/10/2010 @ 1:57 pmActually, how much for Reps earn? At least $150,000, plus a lot of perks. If he was in this business for 40 years and didn’t have millions saved, I’d think he was financially irresponsible. Like O’donnell.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/10/2010 @ 1:59 pm“However, please don’t tell me that one Senate seat doesn’t matter a whit. It actually matters tremendously”
Alright, to sum, Judicial appointments are historically given a pass and one RINO can see they make it out of committee. Treaties are always tough to ratify, even for presidents of the majority party.
The Senate is a deliberative body, e.g., the senate rule of cloture ensures that the debate over legislation airs all of its member’s opinions.
The current congress has a tally of 392 items passed by the House yet to be addressed by the Senate.
Got anything?
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/10/2010 @ 2:13 pmThe man is a centrist, pure and simple. O’Donnell’s stated positions are to the right of his established voting record.
Icy Texan (d61420) — 9/10/2010 @ 2:17 pmThis would seem to make the choice fairly easy, but then I’m on record as saying “vote for the one that has the best chance of winning in November.” So . . .
I think that’s a fair appraisal, Gary. I don’t think it’s too unusual for the House to pass tons of crap the Senate won’t bother with. George Washington said it best. The House is a cup of coffee, hot, overflowing, to the Senate, which is like a saucer, holding less material that cools. I’m paraphrasing, badly.
Still, this isn’t a huge body. Plenty of votes in the Senate come down to a handful of votes. Sure, the RINO will vote the wrong way many times, but when these votes are lobbied for by other members and the administration, just a difference of a handful of members can make a coalition a loser or a winner.
A single seat matters a lot. I believe that most of the cases the RINO votes the wrong way, the dem would have as well, but the enture vote lobbying process will have shifted to the left.
Oh, and O’donnell’s easiest path for maintaining power in a blue state is to become a RINO too. What’s to stop her from repudiating Palin’s views the way Scott Brown did recently? Her integrity. So I’m thinking this is an election between a likely RINO (who I greatly dislike beyond policy), a certain RINO, and a democrat.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/10/2010 @ 2:23 pmYes, but Scott was known to be a RINO, a right RINO by Massachussets standards, then again you never know Hagel lead the fight against Kyoto, now he’s
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/10/2010 @ 2:28 pmsquishier than the Pillsbury Dough Boy, and the less said of Senator Graham, the latter
True, Ian.
I don’t have a beef with Scott Brown, but he has made votes that I don’t agree with.
For a state like Mass or Delaware, I know he’s not only better for his country, but also probably a better representative, than was otherwise available.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/10/2010 @ 2:57 pmDon’t know about voting for her, but I definitely want to kiss her.
papertiger (2a14ea) — 9/10/2010 @ 4:02 pmDustin, some more for you to chew on: http://themoderatevoice.com/85438/what-in-gods-name-are-conservatives-supporting-christine-odonnell-for/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+themoderatevoice+(The+Moderate+Voice)&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
aphrael (e0cdc9) — 9/10/2010 @ 5:10 pmYes, Rick Moran, another of the clean toga crowd, who has been absolutely vicious to Palin, on more than a few occasions, I could cite a few examples
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/10/2010 @ 5:24 pmSo I’m a troll, huh, Gary?
Your ability to project is astounding. Your ability to read, comprehend, and/or deal with other human beings without being a raving asshole, not so much.
Sean P (2e471f) — 9/10/2010 @ 6:30 pmGreat link, Aphrael. And I’ll probably try to read that website more often.
I do keep comparing her to Rangel, actually. That’s not the fairest comparison, but it’s the same concept.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/10/2010 @ 7:10 pmOther than the Delaware seat, the West Virginia seat and the special-election New York seat will all be seated immediately and not wait for January. The New York special-election seat looks like a total loss. And this is unfortunate because the Democrat is defeatable but the Republicans didn’t put anyone worth any salt up against her. The West Virginia seat was a “sure thing” a very short time ago, with a large double-digit lead for Gov Manchin (D), but it has since shifted heavily. I’ve seen one place call it a toss-up (Cook or Sabato I believe). RCP has moved it from Safe past Likely to Leans. Rasmussen gives Manchin a +4 without “leaners” and a +5 with “leaners,” which is a huge tumble.
The reason I mentioned the AK primary was specifically due to the pre-primary polling, which showed Murkowski up by substantial double-digits. I’m not all that sure the polling organizations have quite caught up with the re-awakened and energized populace.
To my view, a -4 for a Conservative is a dead heat, and a +2 for a Conservative is actually more likely to be +6. And the numbers get worse for Democrats as time passes, been doing that for over a year. This is why I believe O’Donnell has a chance to win DE. This is why I give Republicans a better-than-even chance to regain majority in the Senate this election cycle (and it was only a dream a couple months ago). This is why I believe Republicans have a shot at breaking +60 in the House.
It is because of the grass-roots Conservative re-awakening, and not anything the out-of-touch RNC has done.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/10/2010 @ 10:28 pmIt seems to me that the “RINOs” are the ones supporting O’Donnell, not Castle. Castle is a Republican who will win in a walk. Electing O’Donnell makes the seat a long shot at best.
So what should I call you if you’re willing to put the party’s fortunes on the line for your personal selfish political ideological battle? A Republican in name only, maybe?
Let’s get rid of these RINO voters and vote for Castle.
wt (9d31c8) — 9/10/2010 @ 11:26 pmPretty straight forward questions which have never been asked of Tim Geitner, Tom Dashell, Janet Napolitano, —
Here.
This is straight from the LA dog trainer, and they of all people have no reason to make it up.
“”Privacy laws prevent release of individual tax delinquents’ names. But we do know that as of the end of 2009, 41 people inside Obama’s White House owe the government a total of $831,055 in back taxes.
In the House of Representatives, 421 people owe a total $6,524,892. In the Senate, 217 owe $2,774,836. In the IRS’ parent department, Treasury, 1,204 owe $7,670,814. At the Labor Department, where Secretary Hilda Solis’ husband had some back-tax problems before her confirmation, 463 owe $7,481,463. Eighty-one workers for the Federal Reserve System’s board of governors owe $1,076,733.
Over at the Justice Department, which is so busy enforcing other laws and suing Arizona, 1,971 employees still owe $14,350,152 in overdue taxes.
Then, we come to the Department of Homeland Security, which is run by Janet Napolitano, the former governor of Arizona who preferred to call terrorist acts “man-caused disasters.” Homeland Security is keeping all of us safe by ensuring that a Dutch tourist is aboard every inbound international flight to thwart any would-be bomber with explosives in his underpants.
Within that department, there reside 4,856 people who owe the tax agency a whopping total of $37,012,174.””
And so now we are told that O’Donnell cleared her debt by unloading a leveraged property before she entered a Senate race against gaff a minute Joe Biden way back when.
By my rekkoning that puts Christine head and shoulders above 4387 of Obama’s trusted colleges, and the worst half of congress.
Plus there’s that thing where Castle voted Si on Al Gore’s boondoggle.
Because when you get down to brass tax voting no on a one off slush fund for Democrats – no matter how many billions of dollars it is, doesn’t hold a candle to the brain rot that is involved in going along with the cap and trade.
Cap and Trade is fatal to the republic. No coming back from it. There is only voting against it and surviving.
So in the Delaware race if the Democrats want to ride global warming as an election issue, I say let em.
Let them ride that horse straight off a cliff.
But you can’t do that with a squish like Castle in the race.
paper tiger (561285) — 9/10/2010 @ 11:53 pmI gotta wonder, is wt a concern troll? Perhaps wt doesn’t know what a RINO or a DIABLO is. A RINO votes very much along the lines of a Democrat. A DIABLO rarely votes with Republicans on anything important.
Castle got a 100 percent NARAL rating.
O’Donnell has endorsements from Rush, Levin, Michelle Malkin, Palin, McConnell and others. Those aren’t Dem-leaners. And Castle is clearly on the wrong side of the fence. I do believe Castle also has a very low rating with NRA, while having a 55 percent voting record alongside ACLU.
Castle is clearly a RINO/DIABLO. Like O’Donnell or not, Castle is not anywhere near what a Republican looks like.
Again, I think wt is concern-trolling.
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/11/2010 @ 12:27 amOops, did I get a comment stuck in the spam filter just now?
John Hitchcock (9e8ad9) — 9/11/2010 @ 2:55 amI don’t read Real Clear Politics anymore because I have found out they were belong part of CNN. That why I don’t trust their polls. I do hope the Republicans will take control of both US House and US Senate. Mrs. Pelosi won’t be the Speaker of the House in 2011 so as Harry Reid in the US Senate.
m (fc559b) — 9/11/2010 @ 4:19 amJohn Hitchcock,
Dude, it’s time to chill out. You “gotta wonder” whether I’m legitimate or not? No you don’t. You can just take my word for it.
I’m a good conservative Republican interested in winning Biden’s seat and taking back the Senate. And I think a good Republican should put that concern up at the top of their list.
So if it’s not at yours, why aren’t you a RINO? You’re giving me stats about NARAL and Castle’s ACU rating, but if you’re putting your ideological preferences over the party’s success (and thereby helping to elect Democrats), why aren’t you a RINO? Tell me.
And no one even knows what a Diablo is besides you. I gotta wonder, are you from Daily Kos or Swing State Project just pumping up O’Donnell to help get Coons elected in the general?
— Will
wt (9d31c8) — 9/11/2010 @ 5:07 amPalin, NRA, DeMint all officially endorse O’D, Levin, Limbaugh, etc., seemingly in her corner.
I thinks it’s time to check pedigrees. Will, better put up before you ask, I’d say Hitchcock is above suspicion. Sean P., not so much.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/11/2010 @ 5:43 amDIABLO is a term, Mark Steyn came up with, specifically for Dede, although Snowe, Collins,
Tim Rutten (6709ab) — 9/11/2010 @ 6:41 amand Specter also fit the bill. Tasmanian devil, is the subspecies for Crist, Just as with Miller, this confrontation could have been avoided, if the target
had thought of the constitution, once in a while,
Here’s a good example for you. Put us all on a lef-right spectrum from 1-10. Most Republicans are somewhere around 6 to 8, but occasionally you get a 5 or a 9. Candidate X is a 5, but candidate Y is a 10 (that is, not within the boundaries of the Republican party). If you support candidate Y, just because they’re the most conservative candidate, and much more conservative than candidate X, you must be a RINO right? You’re pushing your agenda over the party.
Now, when you accuse someone of being a Republican in Name Only, you should do it sparingly. You should really make sure the person is a 4 or 10. Because you’re accusing the person of lying to their constituents, to their staff, maybe even to themselves. You’re saying that they have no beliefs that are consistent with being a Republican, and instead are just a poseur using the title Republican for some crazy reason.
For that reason, I have no fear saying that Palin and Limbaugh are as much RINOs as Castle, if not more so. See my explanation above. If you’re pushing an ideological agenda, be it conservative or otherwise, over the fortunes of the *Republican Party,* why aren’t you a RINO? It actually makes perfect sense that you are.
PS If you still doubt my bona fides you can see that my name is linked to a conservative blog I used to keep up but haven’t had time to update much lately.
wt (9d31c8) — 9/11/2010 @ 8:54 amI’ll give you, that Alaska’s unique political climate, they probably considered her a five,she didn’t bow at the hip to everything Exxon and BPwanted to do, yes even her husband’s employer. Theyhad blocked progress on any new oil pipeline, in different ways to the enviromentalist for nearly30 years. A sweet heart deal to the oil companies was one of the things that prompted her run for Governor. She had ticked off the party chief, her boss on the oil commission, had challenged Murkowski the other big power broker in the State, so she had to work with Democratsto get the AGIA line, the tax reform, and the ethics reform; small irony that she was the only one targeted by it, much like Jeff Smith and George Bailey when they raised a fuss.
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/11/2010 @ 9:17 amStill you are quite ignorant if you try to pretend that they are RINOs, that is the likes of Gergen
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/11/2010 @ 9:28 amand Powell and Brooks and co, who despite any kind of record or bipartisanship or even accomplishment
extolled Obama, because ‘like the mountain he was there’
Why aren’t there RINOs on the right just as much as there are RINOs on the left. And what makes you say O’Donnell supporters aren’t among they’re ranks?
Wt (bdd2fe) — 9/11/2010 @ 9:59 am“Why aren’t there RINOs on the right just as much as there are RINOs on the left.”
Wt – If you redefine the term so it is different than conventionally understood, nothing prevents you from claiming there are RINOs on any side of the political spectrum, but the claims become meaningless when trying to hold a conversation with people who don’t subsrcibe to your redefinition of the term.
daleyrocks (940075) — 9/11/2010 @ 10:42 am“Put us all on a lef-right spectrum from 1-10”
Lets have orthogonal scales for economics/social agendas and restart your thinking. Libertarians, e.g., are 5-10 economically with 10 being conservative(and good by definition) 1-5 socially.
gary gulrud (790d43) — 9/11/2010 @ 11:52 amRINO is just an acronym for Republican in Name Only. I don’t see any reason why the conventional definition of “too far to the left” is appropriate or preferred. I would use the same term to describe David Duke.
In this case it’s obviously debatable, but the people who say they prefer fewer Republicans in the Senate to a Mike Castle victory are good candidates for RINOs, I’d think. Putting some other agenda ahead of the GOP’s fortunes.
wt (9d31c8) — 9/11/2010 @ 12:28 pmLet’s rank everybody from shortest to tallest in reverse alphabetical order.
daleyrocks (940075) — 9/11/2010 @ 2:53 pmYou just can’t pick a candidate because they check the right boxes on the form and support the conservative side more than their opponent. CHARACTER COUNTS. Electability is an argument, but it is at best a tertiary one. First we need to know that the candidate is qualified by experience, achievement, or sheer intellectual power, then their positions on the issues. O’Donnell has so many financial questions around her – beginning with her assertion that she has income she didn’t disclose, using campaign funds to pay rent on her personal apartment, “selling” her house to her campaign lawyer to avoid foreclosure, illegally coordinating spending with the Tea Party Express . . . Geez Louise, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed but I wouldn’t put her on the checking account either! Do any of you people not understand what BIG RED FLAGS
Adjoran (ec6a4b) — 9/12/2010 @ 1:33 amYou just can’t pick a candidate because they check the right boxes on the form and support the conservative side more than their opponent. CHARACTER COUNTS. Electability is an argument, but it is at best a tertiary one. First we need to know that the candidate is qualified by experience, achievement, or sheer intellectual power, then their positions on the issues. O’Donnell has so many financial questions around her – beginning with her assertion that she has income she didn’t disclose, using campaign funds to pay rent on her personal apartment, “selling” her house to her campaign lawyer to avoid foreclosure, illegally coordinating spending with the Tea Party Express . . . Geez Louise, I wouldn’t kick her out of bed but I wouldn’t put her on the checking account either! Do any of you people not understand what BIG RED FLAGS being frantically waved in your faces mean?
Adjoran (ec6a4b) — 9/12/2010 @ 1:33 amIt looks like Palin and DeMint are trying to block Castle from providing bipartisan cover votes. Let the Dems fully own cap & tax. Mike Castle’s DISCLOSE bill is also pretty scary stuff… sort of tells you what he thinks of democracy and the individual’s place within the process. Actually, this guy looks worse than McCain. And voting no on Deathcare simply means they didn’t need his vote (plus, it’s an election year). He’s already said he has no plans for repeal.
If Darrell Issa moves forward in the next Congress with Obama cleanup, rest assured Castle will not vote with the party. Check his record. He’s far too cozy with the neo-progs.
Other than that, I don’t know if CO’D can win the general — but this may be the year. I also don’t think the basic rule applies to this particular race, as in support the R who best can win.
Malkin, Levin, Palin, DeMint & Rush… this Delaware deal isn’t a race, it’s a chessboard strategy.
Vermont Neighbor (fe461f) — 9/12/2010 @ 8:25 amI do not really think that the Tea party can go all the way but Christine has my vote!
tomyboy (9644f8) — 9/16/2010 @ 8:41 am