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A Further Perspective

Understanding the O’Donnell Voter

By on 10.1.10 @ 6:08AM

He doesn’t think he made mistake.

Establishment politicians think voters made a big mistake when they nominated Christine O’Donnell in the Delaware primary for Senate. Were the voters irrational or are the political pros just not seeing the whole picture?

Maybe it would help the political experts if they considered the situation from the perspective of a basic tool of probability theory — “expected value.” Expected value can be an immensely useful concept, especially in the context of decision-making. It is the payoff of some outcome times the probability of it happening. For example, the expected value of winning $5 if a coin flip results in a “heads” is $2.50. Any good poker player is at least intuitively skillful in calculating expected value.

Now apply that concept to analyzing the thinking of voters in the O’Donnell vs. Castle primary contest. The “experts” (Karl Rove, most notably) told voters that even though they might prefer O’Donnell, she would not be able to win in the November general election. According to the pundits, it simply is not possible for a conservative to win in a liberal-leaning state like Delaware. They think nominating O’Donnell reduces the probability of Republicans gaining majority control of the Senate.

Now assume that voters put some credence in the predictions of the analysts and believed that the probability of O’Donnell winning the general election was lower than Castle’s chances would have been. Those are the relative probabilities, but what are the relative values of the two possible outcomes?

Voters may have perceived relatively little difference in results between Castle or a Democrat winning in November. An event with a high probability still has a low expected value if the payoff is low. The voters could well have been acting logically and rationally by going with the long-shot. They were taking a calculated risk.

Voters simply did not place much subjective value on helping someone get elected just because he calls himself a Republican. The voters wanted to aim higher. They are extremely concerned and worried about the direction career politicians are taking the country. Their objective goes well beyond just maximizing the number of politicians with an “R” behind their names.

Castle’s biggest asset, supposedly, was experience. Unfortunately for him experience is not perceived as a plus in the minds of today’s voters. Because of the disgust about what politicians have done with their power, experience and incumbency have virtually become negative qualifiers. Chris Coons, O’Donnell’s opponent in the general election, is also touting his greater experience as a campaign theme. That might or might not work for him.

Voters may also have been skeptical about the predictions of the experts. There have been numerous electoral surprises since the beginning of the year, starting with the Scott Brown victory in liberal Massachusetts. The “experts” have been wrong as many times as they have been right. It’s plain for all to see that their predictive model is deeply flawed. When there is this amount of uncertainty, you might as well go with your gut.

One factor that will make a profound difference in the general election across the country is the “intensity gap.” Some polls are showing an unprecedented 25 percent advantage for Republicans.

That large a difference in enthusiasm could have such an impact on turnout that all the close races across the country could end up in the Republican column. An O’Donnell candidacy provides the opportunity for the Delaware voters to be included in the nationwide tide against incumbents and politics as usual. Candidates such as Mike Castle are not the kind who could ever generate much voter excitement.

O’Donnell has received an inordinate amount of attention from the main-stream media, most of it unfavorable. “Saturday Night Live” and late-night comedians are having a field day with her. Judging from recent history, however, it’s not clear whether such attention and ridicule will help or hurt her. She is certainly not going to suffer from lack of name recognition.

No one can say at this point if Christine O’Donnell will win in the general election. According to the polls, the odds are still against her. The Democrat party, however, is reportedly spending a significant amount of money on the Coons campaign. If O’Donnell has no chance of winning, what are they worried about? Why waste their money?

All things considered, it is not at all clear that Delaware’s primary voters didn’t know what they were doing. One thing is clear — they unquestionably converted a contest that would have been a yawner into something worth watching.

About the Author

Ron Ross Ph.D. is an economist who lives in Arcata, California. He is the author of The Unbeatable Market. Reach him at rossecon@gmail.com.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (172) |

Keith I| 10.1.10 @ 6:58AM

This is certainly an interesting way to approach the O'Donnell election. I think that the subconscious probablility evaluation of the voters cut both ways against Castle. Were I a Republican primary voter in Delaware I would have operated under the CERTAINTY that Castle would be the Jumpin' Jim Jeffords of this election cycle.
Assume that Castle won and satisfied king-maker Karl but that he would have been the 51st Republican vote. He would have effectively been the most popular DEMOCRAT in the entire Senate. There would have been an unending stream of liberal goodies dropped at his feet as blandishments to garner his support.

However, as interesting as the probablity analysis is, I think that the tipping point will be the way that O'Donnell has been treated by the LSM and the Repubics. She either looks like your little sister or your daughter, depending on your age. I feel that most people are inherently fair and will enthusiasticly vote for her because it's just not right to "pick on a girl".
Go get 'em Christine!

chris lynch| 10.1.10 @ 7:13AM

I trust the voters, especially in Delaware, to make their evaluation by considering more than just whether O'Donell is getting fair treatment during the campaign., although I would never say she isn't working that exact issue in her favor, and working it hard. She is a sympathetic person.

With just a bit of investigation, it's clear O'Donnell is not experienced and likely not skilled in evaluating the complex problems we face. Voters who want a Senator who will take a hard conservative ideological stand (extreme even on social issues) have their woman. Voters who want more, such as your typical Delaware voter who understand the necessity of working together to address problems and acting in a principled manner will choose Coons or stay home.

jjmurphy | 10.1.10 @ 7:51AM

"it's clear O'Donnell is not experienced and likely not skilled in evaluating the complex problems we face"

After seeing how "experienced" politicians have dealt with complex issues the last few decades I think I would take a chance at a whole bunch of inexperienced newbies. They could not possibly do worse than the current crop of idiots.

The reason government is complex is because it is too big and too powerful. So the powers that be claim only experienced people are capable of understanding the nuances and compromises necessary to govern the little people. This gives us professional politicians who rule for life. I'm sick of it.

Chris Lynch | 10.1.10 @ 9:47AM

I think I would take a chance at a whole bunch of inexperienced newbies. They could not possibly do worse than the current crop of idiots

How do you know this?

If I were hiring a chief economist for a worldwide investment firm, I certainly wouldn't give a "newbie" the job. Certainly Senators have expert staff and (unfortunately) lobbyists to lean on (did you hear who helped write the GOP "pledge"? a former AIG lobbyists) nonetheless Senators need to learn the critical factors in policy quickly, sometimes very technical subjects, and be able to negotiate for the best interests of their constituency accordingly.

Anyone who's going to rely on their moral core as the sum and total of their engagment with the subject material is going to make big mistakes. See George W Bush.

Competence is not overrated. Neither is qualification. I don't see much in O'Donnell's career that points to this although she would be a very good spokesperson. What the hell, TV news hires spokes models not journalists these days, why not a spokes Senator too?

c| 10.1.10 @ 10:06AM

all the democrats in congress are "spokes" under your analysis. they vote automatically for obama's agenda.
"experience" has brought us a record deficit, high taxes, pelosi, reid, and ted kennedy. it is time for principles.

wes in MT| 10.1.10 @ 10:50AM

I believe it was William F. Buckley who said he'd rather be governed by 400+ random picks out of the phone book than the faculty at Harvard.
That's the problem, too many "experts" advising on how one should vote when there really are two questions: 1. is it morally right and good for the country? 2. is it CONSTITUTIONAL?

pam| 10.5.10 @ 2:12AM

Amen brother!

Ryan| 10.1.10 @ 11:31AM

Here's a question for you, then.

An "experienced" leftist or an unexperienced conservative?

Doorgunner| 10.1.10 @ 11:47AM

I would take a coat rack -with the word "No" written on a piece of paper affixed to it- as my senator over any Democrat.

megapotamus| 10.2.10 @ 11:44AM

Gee, a devout catholic versus a devout communist. Man, I JUST don't know....

Occam's Tool| 10.1.10 @ 12:12PM

Let us be more precise in this: I would rather have Reagan with Alzheimers as my President than Obama with his faculties intact. Being a Leftist is more of a disqualification that being inexperienced.

Occam's Tool| 10.1.10 @ 12:12PM

Sorry, "than being"

Jim Brown| 10.1.10 @ 12:36PM

"the critical factors in policy quickly, sometimes very technical subjects, "

Why is this needed when you have to vote for a bill to find what is in it.

Granted it was the "plebeian" House that was so instructed by their Supreme Leader. Has anyone thought to ask the Emperor's horses in the Senate if they actually read the bill themselves, including the final (sort of it turned out) version with so many, for want of a better term, bribes to members of both the house and senate.

Though out most of the history of human civilization the "common" man was illiterate and in awe of his betters.

In spite of the teachers unions we still have a reasonably well educated majority of voters. Those over approximately 40 even have a basic understanding of our history and a vague remembrance of the principle of our Constitution.

Jim Brown| 10.1.10 @ 12:36PM

"the critical factors in policy quickly, sometimes very technical subjects, "

Why is this needed when you have to vote for a bill to find what is in it.

Granted it was the "plebeian" House that was so instructed by their Supreme Leader. Has anyone thought to ask the Emperor's horses in the Senate if they actually read the bill themselves, including the final (sort of it turned out) version with so many, for want of a better term, bribes to members of both the house and senate.

Though out most of the history of human civilization the "common" man was illiterate and in awe of his betters.

In spite of the teachers unions we still have a reasonably well educated majority of voters. Those over approximately 40 even have a basic understanding of our history and a vague remembrance of the principle of our Constitution.

JeffW| 10.1.10 @ 2:11PM

"why not a spokes Senator too?" Maybe it's just me but isn't that their job? To be the spokesperson of the people that elected them and represent their views? I elect a President to be a leader, I elect a Senator or Rep to "Represent" me.

The Big E| 10.1.10 @ 2:49PM

"If I were hiring a chief economist for a worldwide investment firm, I certainly wouldn't give a "newbie" the job."

If your worldwide investment firm were being run like the Federal Government you wouldn't have to worry about who to give the job to because you would have been out of business years ago.

I agree that competence is not overrated, but neither "qualification" nor "education" equates to "competence." In fact, based on the education level of those in the current administration and congress, one could make a cogent argument that the higher the level of a candidate's education, the more more likely he is to screw up the job.

Think about it like this - the mess we're in today is the result of the best decision making of some of the highest educated people in the world. So maybe someone with a little less education, and little more real-world experience, needs to be making the decisions.

Yosemeti Sam| 10.2.10 @ 1:40AM

Especially to your last paragraph:

Slam Dunk perspective!

Jocon307| 10.3.10 @ 12:44AM

Another thing to remember, the job of jury member, certainly one of the most important jobs in the world, is reserved for the first 400 names in the Boston phone book, and others just like them.

And, with rare exception, nobody is complaining that our juries do a bad job.

We are SUPPOSED to be SELF-Governing, not ruled by "Experts".

Bruce Berger| 10.3.10 @ 2:04PM

Chris,

By your standards, Obama was not qualified to be President in 2008. He had zero executive or private sector experience. He had very little experience dealing with national issues. By almost any measure he was in way over his head. So if the country was willing to take a flyer on him maybe Delaware will take a flyer on her.

Michael | 10.4.10 @ 2:09PM

Were it so that the act of legislating actually involved more than covering one's political back-side. I have seen little gained by the slick, professional politicians running Washington all these years. They alone have brought us to this place today. However, to address your "competency" concern: Let's not forget that THEY don't actually write or read the very bills the vote on. Professional aides, lobbyists, and various administrative support do the actual tasks requiring a measure of technical competence. No, give me a rookie with her/his heart in the right spot than what we've had. What we need now is faith and courage.

Purple Lips| 10.1.10 @ 8:01AM

Hey, the Minnisota voters elected Al Franken. How's that turning out? Franken is just a stooge for Harry Reid. Intellectually, being a Senator n this day and age is on par with playing Satna Claus. The staffers do all of the grunt work, and the Senators pass out the goodies. So, please save us your sanctemonious nonsense.

Coons is a Progressive nit-wit. All he has to do is toe the line behind Harry Reid. There is no "coming together to solve out problems" (whatever that means). The Senate today is probably one of the most corrupt institutions on earth. O'Donnell for all of her flaws obviosuly is taken as a threat. Which is why so many people like her.

chris lynch| 10.1.10 @ 9:49AM

...a threat to what?

Ryan| 10.1.10 @ 11:32AM

Establishment career politicians and their viewpoints and power base from an elected official who doesn't really owe them anything.

Charlie B| 10.1.10 @ 1:00PM

...a threat to what?
The collective!

Jim Brown| 10.1.10 @ 12:51PM

"Hey, the Minnisota voters elected Al Franken. How's that turning out? "

Actually they are no more responsible for Al then voters were for Kennedy. Both "won" their offices by the votes of dead or non-existent voters. (Unless you consider the Minnisota Supreme court alive and existent.)

chuck| 10.1.10 @ 8:12AM

Chris,
After reading your posts for the last few days, it is obvious that you think that the ruling class is so much smarter and better than us peons, and how dare we have the audacity to actually want to replace them.
Look at the mess the ruling class, and I mean both parties, for they are equally to blame, has made. The problem is the government, at all level is too big, too intrusive, too damned expensive, and sucks too much life out of the economy. What in earth makes you believe that replacing these life-long professional vote-buying with our tax dollar politicians with a few common folks is a bad thing? How can they possibly screw it up worse????

Chris Lynch | 10.1.10 @ 9:53AM

I don't know you, I don't know how smart you are.

I think O'Donnell is smart. She is extremely quick witted. She is also not very well educated. She has allowed her engagement with evangelism to occlude her intellectual development. The two do not have to be mutually exclusive. See Jesuits.

Skinner| 10.1.10 @ 3:09PM

Being intelligent and being well educated can be mutually exclusive, though, and often are. Einstein ring a bell?
I’ve known people with a tenth grade education that under stand physics better than I do (my 17 year old son is an example).
I’ve also known extremely well educated people who couldn’t find their ass with both hands and a flashlight.

There’s also this statement you made, “I don't know you, I don't know how smart you are.” The same can be said about O’Donnell. You’ve found what you think is a weakness, her so called engagement of evangelism, and decided that is the only relevant fact. It may not even be a weakness. It may be that it shows she sees the world though a wider lens than politics alone.

Gazinya| 10.2.10 @ 10:30AM

So now we have pulled the covers. You admit she is smart but it is her Christianity that you find offensive. She is just toooo ignorant to grasp such things as 'evolution' and 'subjective morality' and 'subjective absolutes'. Yes wouldn't it be horrible to elect someone who actually has a "God We Trust" as a principle.

Ryan| 10.1.10 @ 8:45AM

Here's the overall problem with your statement - in the last couple of years, Democrats have FAILED to "work together" with Republicans in Congress to combat the strife going on there.

And "extreme on social issues" is in the eye of the beholder.

chris lynch| 10.1.10 @ 10:04AM

I would call no abortion, even in the case of incest and rape, extreme and justify it by saying that only a small percentage of the US population find that view moderate or reasonable. (I'm not saying this is O'Donnell's position I'm simply giving an example of what I mean by "extreme")

A discussion about partisan cooperation or lack of it in Congress since 2008 is complicated. I think the GOP gave as good as it got by obstructing, delaying and filibustering a record number of times. One senator wanted to destroy the president, calling for his Waterloo. Sure Democrats failed but not in a vaccum and not with the opposition dealing in good faith.

People you call RINOs are Republicans who were willing to work with the opposition party in good faith to come to an agreement, even when they viewed the issue totally differently.

WES IN MT| 10.1.10 @ 10:59AM

EXCUSE ME! Extreme is KILLING AN UNBORN CHILD BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE CONSCEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS. And quit using the strawman "rape and incest" arguement. They constitute a fraction of a fraction of a percentage of all abortions performed. The so-called right to kill and unborn child was the result of a campaign of lies and deception, admitted to by those involved, much as the safety and normalcy of homosexuality(who are around 1% according to a british poll, not the 10% claimed and pushed on our confused children who still instinctively have a natural revulsion to homosexual acts and must be conditioned by propoganda to accept it as "normal". As far as blaming republicans, dems have had the majority and have not needed repub help, except to spread the blame to them. The Repubs have been smart to stand back and let the dems take ownership for this trainwreck toward socialism. You sir, are a moron hiding behind sophistry. Rinos are repubs who work with their ideological enemies because they want to be liked by the bully on the playground. Get over yourself.

pigletrios| 10.1.10 @ 1:45PM

The most amazing thing aboug the whole abortion argument and weighing candidates extreme if they dont support is that the whole concept is presented as liberating and giving women reproductive rights over their own bodies where it really only provides a convenient out for people who dont have the intelligence to take care of their reproductive health, there are HUNDREDS of ways to protect against unwanted pregnancy, the abortion option is the STUPIDEST!

David W| 10.1.10 @ 10:21PM

Like saying "NO! If you love me you will wait until we are married!" Aren't women able to exert control over their bodies BEFORE they have sex (or as it should be called - making babies)??

Ryan| 10.1.10 @ 11:35AM

There were plenty of opportunities to cooperate, as was well done during the Bush administration. Those who were willing to work "in good faith" were NOT presenting conservative ideas. That's the difference.

The left rarely, if ever, allowed Republicans to submit amendments; under the Bush administration, they were allowed to write whole bills.

Roy| 10.1.10 @ 12:06PM

It's faintly ridiculous to be quibbling over that when the actual legal regime in the country is that any unborn infant may be arbitrarily vivisected at any time, for any reason, by any method.

Immediately jumping to the 0.00000001% of such vivisections that occur due to "rape and incest" is exactly as if, during debates over slavery, people had been wrangling and quibbling over convicts sentenced to a year at hard labor for serious crims - while ignoring the millions slaving away in chains for the convenience of their masters.

JP| 10.1.10 @ 12:12PM

The GOP lacked the votes to filibuster anything until Scott Brown was seated. And even after he won, the GOP didn't filibuster any major legislation. As a matter of fact, Reid and Pelosi essientially locked the GOP out of both ObamaCare and the Stimulus bill. On the 3 major pieces of legislation (ObamaCare, the Stimulus, and Financial Regulations), the Dems pretty much got what they wanted. And if there was trouble, it came from thier own party (the so-called Blue Dogs). In the end, it took direct pay-offs, and threats of thier own party members to get thier bills through. Niether Reid, Pelosi or Obama had any intentions of including GOP ideas in any of these bills. So spare us, the schtick of GOP obstruction; the GOP was too weak to obstruct anything.

Albert| 10.1.10 @ 2:05PM

At the risk of being labeled "extremist" let me say that abortion is simply not a federal issue. Roe v Wade aside (which is legally incoherent anyway), the US Government has absolutely ZERO legal authority to regulate abortion in any way. The US Government can not ban it, it can not make it a "constitutional right". Abortions fall under the practice of medicine which is under the statute and regulatory control of the States. The 10th Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the US government, to the States. If all you have to complain about is O'Donnell's abortion position, you really must be desperate for arguments. And PLEASE!!! Don't lecture about "good faith." There is not one Democrat in the US Senate who works "in good faith." They are all crooks, liars, cheats, and thieves. The bills they push through Congress are destructive and mostly illegal. opposition to such "legislation" is the only principled position an honest person can take. Save your moralizing. You have no moral position to speak from.

Tom| 10.1.10 @ 3:33PM

Chris,
Nearly 20% of Americans believe abortion should be illegal under every circumstance. That is hardly a small percentage. And I would say that - although I have no data - that an even larger percentage would disagree but still think that view is reasonable.

The simple fact is far more Americans want restrictions on abortion than do not. Yet for some reason those on the Left who are for un-restricted abortion are not seen as radical but those who want to outlaw all abortions are not.

Working with someone who holds completely different views than I do is not co-operation it is stupidity. It presents the worst possible of negotiating tactics: taking an extreme position so that any movement is seen as signs of bipartisianship. It allows for incremental statism because most programs once began do not shrink they grow.

You talk about the growth of fillibusters in the Senate - although Reid has been the most successful majority leader in history at winning cloture votes - but completely ignore how Pelosi has changed the rules of debate and ammendments for bills in the House.

2Anglico| 10.1.10 @ 9:18AM

And you are not very skilled at subterfuge.

2Anglico| 10.1.10 @ 9:19AM

Previous comment directed at lynch mob.

rainmaker1145| 10.1.10 @ 9:19AM

Thanks for the reminder on O'Donnell. I just made another donation to her campaign. When we get done hunting down all the corrupt RINOs and criminal libs, we're going to start hunting down those corrupt old elephants too.

David W| 10.1.10 @ 10:23PM

And vote them out, right???

Sam Vaughn| 10.1.10 @ 9:34AM

Chris, I'm wondering what manual or cocktail party drivel you lifted this out of. There was a time when I would have agreed with you. But going along to get along has gotten us where we are. This is after all a republic with citizen representatives. A little less so-called Ivy League sophistication and a lot more main street common sense. The "experts" like Karl Rove have blown it, they're just members of the ruling class like Pelosi. By the way the problems we face are not that complex -- " you can not spend your way out of debt" it ends badly every time.

chris lynch| 10.1.10 @ 10:22AM

Never agree with drivel!

When it comes to college education, Rove and O'Donnell have more in common than either of them have with Chris Coons. Just saying. Both Rove and O'Donnell are smart people but that is not the same as being well reasoned, accomplished with two graduate degrees from a rigorous graduate program full of top students, being a quick study and capable of learning lots of important detail to make good determinations.

The name of the college or university is obviously less important the quality of the education you take with you when you leave. There is no college in the United States that is harder to be admitted to than Amherst. They take only the most accomplished students. Chris stood out there as a scholar and leader on the debate team. Similarly, it's really hard to get in the Yale law school. Having a law degree is unarguably a plus for a US Senator. They make law - that's what they do. Having studied law and practiced law Chris has a relevant skill his opponent does not.

Chris has run a county and been elected twice to do it. Christine has not held public office, has no idea what its like, hasn't demonstrated her competence of dealing with real issues.

My congressmen started as a city councilor, then mayor, then US Congressmen. He knows what it takes to run government and boy has he been good for our district.

loulou| 10.1.10 @ 10:41AM

Coons may be a genius but he sure is stupid.

Coons ran a county, all right--right into the ground. Do your homework, troll.

Chris Lynch | 10.1.10 @ 6:08PM

Chris is twice-elected NCC Exec, in 2004 and 2008. The county operates in large part on income from real estate transfer tax. Home sales took a huge hit when the recession came in December 2007 and remain depressed. In order to balance the budget he spent $60 million in reserves and cut $100 million over six years. Chris Coons increased tax on a $100,000 home by $246.80/year, still property taxes remain lowest in region. Chris has reduced the number of county employees and made cuts to county services.

buckeyeman| 10.1.10 @ 11:02AM

Chris, your view on education fascinates me. Just for the record, (since this seems to be an issue with you) I have a degree in Anthropology, (cum laude, phi beta kappa), a Doctor of Medicine degree, and own/operate a business that will gross close to 2o million dollars this year.

We have gone through about four CEO's with masters degrees and each one was more incompetent than the last. Every time they screwed things up, my wife, with a two year nursing degree, came in and straightened things out again. I think your view of education is unbalanced, to say the least. I've known a lot of very "smart", educated people who were dumb as a stump.

I've known a lot of lawyers too. Most of them aren't really all that smart but they sure as hell are crooks. These are the guys running our country (into a ditch!). These are the geniuses that wrote and voted for the two thousand page healthcare bill (wait a minute, who actually DID write the bill? - it wasn't the elected officials, but who was it? do YOU know?)

Our nation's problem isn't the education level of the elected officials, its their moral philosophy. If you believe that stealing from your neighbor is wrong, but getting the government to steal from your neighbor on your behalf is OK, (I suspect this sums up your political philosophy) then that explains the positions you have expressed on this site.

You stated about your congressmen (sic): "...boy has he been good for our district." Do you mean that he has skillfully managed our country's affairs, to the benefit your district and everyone else's, or that he has skillfully robbed everyone else's funds solely for the benefit of your own district. Call it cognitive dissonance or whatever you wish, that is the political philosophy of a common thief.

2Anglico| 10.1.10 @ 11:10AM

Perfect retort, buckeyeman! Case closed.

Occam's Tool| 10.1.10 @ 12:18PM

This MD (UTMB, 1988) agrees with you. I knew people admitted to Harvard and Yale Law Schools; hell, I know graduates. Lawyers are not that bright. Really. If they were, their degrees would be in the sciences.

Steve| 10.1.10 @ 9:35PM

Come on, Tool, why do you have to take shots at lawyers? Believe it or not, plenty of us are just as conservative as you.

Are there dumb lawyers? You bet. But to get out and afflict the public we had to avoid bombing the LSAT, stumble through our classes with our grades depending on one essay exam per class per semester, and convince the folks grading the bar exam that some of the information we learned in three years adhered to our brains. I've heard some people opine that the bar exam is easy. Maybe so, but ask Richie Daley, JFK, Jr., and Michelle Obama about their experience(s) with the test.

John Navratil| 10.2.10 @ 9:54AM

Steve,

You may take legitimate offence at the Occam's Tool remark. Clearly it takes reasonable brainpower, but mostly dedication and effort to get an advanced degree in law, or medicine or hard sciences. In my experience, I seen more examples of mediocrity in the law profession than from those who spent the same number of years in post-graduate education in medicine or other hard sciences. Perhaps it's because of the number of admissions to law school? I don't know, but it is my observation.

However the discussion has been about the competency required to hold a Senate office, and while all lawyers are not politicians, with the occasional exception, all politicians are lawyers.

These are not solons, but sophists and have, indeed, driven this country into the ditch.

Albert| 10.1.10 @ 2:08PM

Excellent post, Buckeyeman! You saved me the trouble of writing another post myself. Great points. And I agree completely. This guy is obsessed with college degrees and idology, not with actual competence.

BackToBasics| 10.1.10 @ 5:59PM

You are right when you say, "I've known a lot of lawyers too. Most of them aren't really all that smart but they sure as hell are crooks."

I think we need more engineer and doctors running for Congress than lawyers. Usually training the sciences and in math instills more logic in a person. Lawyers may be more facile at wordplay but this same facility or malleability if you will seems to make them less able to make "COMMON SENSE", straightforward decisions.

Normally I would not jump to this conclusion in judging a profession, but from what I see in Washington, I think I can make a judegment about the lawyer-politicians there. In what seems like more than 50% of them, their subtlety with the English language makes them just that, subtle, and slippery, like a snake. ("It depends upon what the meaning of is, is." Bill Clinton, 1998, to cite just one small example). And it also seems to make them less inclined to be able to choose the logical (and better or best) course in finance and defense that would be good for the long-term benefit of the nation; e.g. Barney Frank "We're going to gut the hell out of defense." Ad infinitum deficit spending anyone....

Put 535 engineers and doctors in the Congress and Senate and 1 in the presidency instead of lawyers and even though it would not be a perfect government, I'll bet the nation would be run much, much better.

200 yeas ago there was not as much need for engineers as today so many of the top-tier minds went into professions such as politics and the ministry. Today, I think that most, although not all, of the lawyer minds in Washington are second and third rate. They are sharp enough to bend the rules and use negative emotion to scare people inorder to try to keep out common sense Tea Party-types for example, but not sharp enough to see the destructive effects of their own biases and poor leadership.

BackToBasics| 10.1.10 @ 6:12PM

PS - And place 9 engineers and doctors on the Supreme Court too rather than lawyers and judges and I think the decisions would be more logcial and common sense in a conservative way than what you have had for basically the last 80 years.

And yes, these people could read and interpret the constitution just as well as the lawyers and judges can, if not better.

Steve A| 10.1.10 @ 11:07AM

My Spouse is an attorney & believe me when I tell you this does not make her REMOTELY qualified to be a senator. Give me common sense, a working class background & a moral foundation any day over a leftist, elite, privelidged attorney who claims to know better how to direct your finances than you do.

RCV| 10.1.10 @ 12:02PM

People with "a moral foundation" don't misappropriate campaign funds and lie about their education.

Steve A| 10.1.10 @ 12:29PM

Sure they do, just not as much as those without one. Moral foundation does not equate to perfect life.

Steve A| 10.1.10 @ 12:36PM

Allow me to expand on that. I am not necessarily speaking about religious faith. I will vote, all day long, for a candidate who is an atheist but has a moral code of ethics & believes in LESS government intervention in my life, over a deeply religious, big government, big tax do gooder any day. No contest.

RCV| 10.1.10 @ 6:41PM

...and be kinder to your spouse, the attorney

Tim*| 10.3.10 @ 10:55AM

People with "a moral foundation " aren't Serial Liars & Serial Taxers , as is Coons .

Jeffrey Lord , "........ after promising in his 2004 election campaign that he wouldn't raise taxes Coons raised property taxes by 5% in 2006, then again by 17.5% in 2007, and again by 25% in 2009. Coons has proposed to raise hotel taxes, paramedic taxes, and, in a hilariously stereotypical move reported by the Washington Examiner's Byron York -- even taxes on 911 calls!"
Christine O'Donnall's Message , " LESS GOVERNMENT , LESS TAXES ."

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates .

Rise Up !

Ryan| 10.1.10 @ 11:38AM

I have a masters' in History. Several of my like classmates were nowhere near competent enough to run for office, and I have known several "uneducated" business owners who were more than competent enough.

Successful businessmen more often than not don't have formal educations, yet can do very well for themselves.

We lib arts majors think we have all the philosophical answers, but aren't qualified to do much.

txn4ever| 10.1.10 @ 12:06PM

It takes a lawyer to pass a bill they never read? Is that what you are saying?

Harvard and Yale are overated cess pools of liberal thought. Garbage in, grabge out.

Get a grip and pull up your slip. Your bias is showing.

Occam's Tool| 10.1.10 @ 12:15PM

Harder schools than Amherst to get into, offhand: MIT, Cal-Tech. All US medical schools. Sorry. My ultimate work was done at UCLA, which is higher rated than Amherst. (Number 30 world wide)

JP| 10.1.10 @ 12:19PM

Amherst may be selective, but so what? Drew is also very selective, but I don't hear anyone extolling the accomplishments of that tiny New Jersey liberal arts college. Come to think of it, Antioch was also a very selective and elite school. But it eventually closed due lack of enrollment (it was also very PC).

I think the term is apple polisher. An apple polisher is one who excells at "studies", but cannot quite do anything else. Our society is filled with apple polishers. And the majority of them feed at the public trough, or live off of someone elses dime (endowed chairs). Coons, I'm sure was a brilliant student. But, being a brilliant student is akin to being a brilliant recruit during Basic Training.

Coons spent quite a bit of his life living off of someone elses generosity, and he continues to do so at the taxpayers expense.

JeffW| 10.1.10 @ 2:22PM

Education and intelligence are not always one and the same. Buckeyeman, summed that up beautifully. I have met/worked for many "educated" people that couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel.

I find it interesting that today a listing of the top 10 most educated cities came out and I'll be damned if everyone of them were not liberals cites. Go figure.

cuban pete| 10.1.10 @ 5:26PM

JeffW
"piss out of a boot..."
You read "Killer Angels"!!
A great book.
Thanks for reminding me.

Tom| 10.1.10 @ 3:36PM

Graduating with a Masters degree only proves -if it proves anything - that one is able to function in an adademic environment. It does not demonstrate the critical thinking skills; it does not show an ability to make good decisions; all it demonstrates is that one was able to meet the deadlines needed to graduate is a timely manner.

joli| 10.1.10 @ 7:29PM

"They make law"... What we really need is someone who is willing to "unmake" some laws. Or at least prevent new laws from being made. How many laws are there in the US that no one even knows about? I could be breaking 5 laws a day, and the only reason I don't know it is because some opportunist who wants to make a buck off my lawlessness hasn't crossed my path yet.

PolishKnight| 10.1.10 @ 10:28AM

"Extreme" is a word that indicates liberal thinking (or liberal apologists) especially when applied against conservatives. Other popular liberal slurs: "stupid", "moron", "racist", and especially "bigot" ("bigot" as defined by those who disagree with them.)

That's not to say I don't ever hear conservatives use those words to describe opponents but the liberals seem to use them more loosely and reflexively.

That said, it is possible that the Delaware electorate doesn't want "extremism" because they want the best of the both ideologies: All the "goodies" that come with promised leftism and marxism and feeling "good" about being "caring" while at the same time wanting a candidate who will promise to not destroy them with an "extreme" marxist agenda. What they wind up getting is neither.

"moderation" is often a matter of putting in speed bumps to slow the panzers down and a fancy way of saying that you can't make up your mind.

Eric Cartman| 10.1.10 @ 1:45PM

Ya know, Chrissy never did answer the question posed to him the other day. So Chris, to paraphrase the question: What is the difference between the CPUSA and the Democrats? Please outline it for us.

Also, since the CPUSA is marching for Obama and the Democrats this weekend, does this concern you or undermine your precious "working together to address problems and acting in a principled manner" kumbaya chorus you chant whenever possible. Just wondering.

trish| 10.1.10 @ 9:27PM

I hope they stay home because the dems have shown that they are unwilling to 'work together', i.e. failed stimulus bill, obama care, etc. Give me a hard core conservative any day over the hard core leftists that have just left DC with NO BUDGET, NO VOTE ON BUSH TAX CUTS, ETC.

scott| 10.2.10 @ 2:56AM

"Working together to address problems" implies taking ideas from both sides of an issue and forging them together into a solution. Please enlighten me as to the last time a Democrat politician exhibited that kind of "working together" or acted "in a principled manner." As to O'Donnell's lack of skill "in evaluating the complex problems we faced," please explain Barbara "Don't Call Me Ma'am" Boxer or John "I Voted For It Before I Voted Against It" Kerry. How, exactly, have these "skilled" crapweasels demonstrated they deserve to be in the Senate. O'Donnell couldn't possibly do worse than they and a significant number of other senators from both sides of the aisle have done. Ninety percent of members of both the House and Senate are an unfunny joke, so based on your impression of O'Donnell, she would fit right in.

ron| 10.2.10 @ 9:45AM

Have you seen Pelosi or heard her speak? Democrats are using a personal attack strategy because having run Congress for 4 years..from before the housing crisis and the financial crisis...they did little to prevent the collapse and since Obama has come in , they have made things worse. Look at any number from prior to the Nov '06 election and the budgets after the last GOP budget of FY '07. They have been a disaster.
So all they do is attack O'Donnell with half truths and things she said out of context.
Coons attended Yale Divinity School. Ask him what his Church's positions are on pre-marital sex. The mice-human brain thing turned out to be chimeras and O'Donnell did not make it up. There are some problems with evolution as relates to humans. All of these 15 year old clips have nothing to do with how Coons will vote with a Dem party that could not even pass a budget or figure out what to do with Bush tax cuts despite controlling the WH, Senate 59/41, House 253/178. They are failures except at forcing things on the country that the people didn't want.

Michael L. Hauschild| 10.1.10 @ 8:45AM

Incredibly acute observation Keith, you should post the middle paragraph in response to every RINO justifying bastard found in print.

albert constantine jr.| 10.1.10 @ 7:21AM

I don't know that I speak for the other 30, 520 who cast votes for O'Donnell over Castle on primary day. I do know that I understood the ramifications of her victory, the implications for the national Republican Party, etc. My fellow voters in the Republican primary who did express themselves to me on the issue had similar thoughts. If Karl Rove or the executive committee of the State Party were interested in what we thought, they might have asked us first. Similarly, when they saw the results from the late polling, they might have considered tactics other than trashing O'Donnell or telling us we can vote for Castle because he can win (without, as Mr. Ross suggests, considering the relatively low value of a "moderate" Castle sure victory vs. a conservative O'Donnell long shot). I just wish the kind of attention that's been focused on this race was focused on the 1972 challenger. Had the Delaware electorate been exposed to Biden's law school plagiarism at the level that they've been hearing about O'Donnell's late payments to Fairleigh-Dickinson, it is quite unlikely he would have succeeded in unseating a respected but staid incumbent like Hale Boggs. Now that the Rubicon has been crossed, I pray the national media (or anyone) will break out the fine toothed combs, and run it through the metaphorical former beard of Coons with the same level of intensity that Castle-supporting Republicans did O'Donnell.

Alert1201| 10.1.10 @ 7:25AM

I think the best benefit of O'Donnell's primary victory is that is shows the RHINOs are not immune from the effects of their siding with Democrats on all the major issues. They vote with the conservatives on all the minor legislation but the two or three big important issues they bail on us. Then the go about touting their 85% conservative approval rating and expect us to say, "Wow, he really is conservative; we can actually depend on him." What the Delaware, the Alaska, Colorado primaries show is that conservatives are not going to be fooled by this again.

This in turn paints a big target on the backs of the Lindsey Grahams left in the party that they are not safe. Every vote they take will be notices and a price will be paid in the primaries for their folly.

buckeyeman| 10.1.10 @ 11:16AM

Alert1201 , Amen, brother. This important factor is overlooked by most analysts, such as the exceedingly intelligent Karl Rove. O'Donnell's fight is just one part of a larger struggle against collectivism. Sending the message to all the many RINOs in office not only may stiffen their spine (those who even have one) but more importantly may pull in those true conservatives on the sidelines and encourage them to run against the "machine".

I just visited (for the first, glorious time) the Alamo. For those educated in the American public school system, the defenders of the Alamo "lost" (after all, they were mostly amateurs and Davy Crockett didn't have a masters degree). But the heroic sacrifice they made helped set the stage for victory at San Jacinto. Even if O'Donnell isn't perfect, and even if she loses in the general election, we must ignore the Karl Roves of the world and do what is right.

pam| 10.5.10 @ 3:00AM

..."we must ignore the Karl Roves of the world and do what is right."
I laugh when Rove speaks, as the dollars spew from his lips, a true mouthpiece.
Your words are music to my ears, a spark to my heart and bring the sweet smile of liberty to my face!

Once you know the truth
you can never go back...

Bob S| 10.1.10 @ 11:33AM

It almost seems that some kind of weighing system should be adopted by the ACU regarding the import of the legislation voted on. Let's say that a Senator votes Conservative on 9 out of 10 bills, but the tenth Liberal vote was on ObamaCare. Does this hypothetical Senator deserve an ACU rating of 90%? I think not!

Appleby| 10.1.10 @ 7:32AM

The one thing those who have been tut-tutting all over the place have forgotten is that THE UNITED STATES IS NOT EUROPE. The one thing that will get the people energized is telling them that something cannot be done. Tell someone that his vote does not matter because his person cannot win is a sure way to elicit the rejoinder *She cannot win if nobody votes for her, can she? But what if we do?*

albert constantine jr.| 10.1.10 @ 7:38AM

With respect to the US not being Europe, this may result in part from the fact that during the previous 200 years or so, many of those in Europe who wanted to take more control over their lives and destinies got on ships and came here.

Curly Smith| 10.1.10 @ 7:57AM

I don't see that there is any aggregate risk in voting against the RINO.

If the Establishment Candidate wins then I get a big steaming pile of manure. If the Democratic Party Candidate wins then I get two big steaming piles of manure. But, because the RINO piles accumulate more slowly, I may become accustomed to the stench and not notice how vast the manure pile has become. It's pretty simple - You can't bend the manure curve downward if you vote for the RINO.

Clinton nee Publius | 10.1.10 @ 9:21AM

She doesn't have the experience? After having spent all the money we have and having committed us to spending an amount of money equal to almost twice the current wealth of the entire planet, I think it is safe to say we don't need any of that kind of "experience" in Washington ever again in our entire lives.

Anthony| 10.1.10 @ 9:52AM

The voters want to aim high, the political establishment wants to preserve the status quo.
I'll say it again, our goals and those of the ruling class, even with the Rs, are not the same.
We are after systemic change in Washington, they want to preserve their power base for as long as they can. Having grabbed the brass ring and making it to Washington, you don't give that up to the rabble that elected you.
Term Limits are the only reasonable solution to endng this destructive cycle.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 9:57AM

The deep thinkers and absolutist here simply cannot be pragmatic about anything. Remind of that guy in the 1920 Olympics who would not run on the Sabbath. Those of us who would have banked this seat are often derided and vilified. Castle is said to be a guaranteed jumper like Jeffords or a nut job like Chaffee. The truth is these so called Rinos have taken a lot of crap from the real Rinos-you firsters-your precious conservatism trumping common sense. They overwhelmingly stay loyal to the party. We should have banked that seat . You all killed it and you know it. You are slowly moving into the first stage of grief-shock and denial. Yes, the potential 51st seat is dead. The odious Biden will break a fifty-fifty tie every chance he gits bearing his madman grin and mouthing his sick sarcastic rhetoric. Pray all ye fools that our conservative justices stay healthy. What a nightmare-the menacing, crazed, ego maniacal Biden filling perhaps Scalia's seat with Van Jones. How do you people sleep at night ?

Tyler| 10.1.10 @ 10:18AM

None of us sleep at night because we see our country going down in flames. I believe the people you are blasting are the ones who are the most aware of our precarious position. Even before the Obama debacle, we were slowly but surely moving toward big government and away from individual freedom. Our enemies say we put "Idealogy" ahead of "Reality". I say the reality is that we cannot reverse course unless we put people in power who are serious about cutting the federal government down to size. By going along with Mike Castle we would be sending the message that we want more Republicans like him. Sorry- I don't.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 1:45PM

You are not the sole custodian of the precarious position. Two 74 year old supremes that are conservative =precarious ! Replaced by VAN JONES=PRECARIOUS. You have not produced one shred of evidence that CASTLE=JONES. Somehow a meaningless cap-trade vote is you big piece of evidence. I quit it is hopeless.

Tom Osterman| 10.1.10 @ 10:26AM

The problem with your argument is that the "moderate" has proven to be a fair-weather ally at best. The examples of Spector and Jeffords are only the most extreme examples. Put plainly, you can't depend on the moderate insider. And it's not like they can point to policy successes that convince us of their superior wisdom.

When a politician's primary goal is winning, then his primary motivation is power. And that makes him part of the problem.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 1:51PM

Fair weather only ? Check their records. I guess the BEARDED MARXIST=SUNSHINE ? JUSTICE VAN JONES=PARADISE ?

George True| 10.1.10 @ 11:12AM

"We should have banked that seat. You all killed it and you know it." ......."How do you people sleep at night?"

Most

George True| 10.1.10 @ 11:12AM

"We should have banked that seat. You all killed it and you know it." ......."How do you people sleep at night?"

Most

George True| 10.1.10 @ 11:27AM

Sorry about that, computer malfunction.

To continue.....Most if not all of us commenting here do not live in Delaware, so we had nothing whatsoever to do with it. But in terms of people sleeping well, how can the likes of Rove sleep at night? Once the voters had spoken, there was one and ONLY one choice, and that was to back the Republican nominee. How in the name of God, how in all good conscience could someone like Rove or anyone else spend days and weeks afterwards bashing your own side's nominee? How the hell does HE sleep at night?

As for O'Donnell's experience or lack thereof, I don't give a DAMN whether she has a law degree or not, or whether the college she attended has rigorous admittance standards, or whether she even went to college. She is against big government statism in all its forms, she would support/not support any legislation based on 1) whether it is constitutional, and 2) whether it enhances or reduces individual liberties. All the fancy degrees from the most prestigious institutions don't mean a G-D thing without a fundamental system of values that will place the rights of individuals over the rights of government every time.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 1:25PM

may not mean a thing to you-but will with swing voters. You are not God or Obama=a majestic one who resides in the heavens( or golf course}We needed a better qualified person against Roth-a better resume. If she had 10 per cent of Joe Miller's resume she'd win. Admit you screwed up by putting such a weak candidate up for the seat. Hey, she's ten times better than that hideous " mom in tennis shoes" loon. Maybe she does it.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 1:26PM

not Roth -Castle

George True| 10.1.10 @ 2:15PM

"Admit you screwed up by putting such a weak candidate up for the seat." -Gearjammer

Hello! I don't live in Delaware, so I didn't have anything to do with it. In any case, the REAL screw-up was on the part of the RNC, the RNCC, and Rove for not hitting the ground running the morning after the primary with an ad campaign exposing Coons for who and what he really is, and blunting the irrelevant but damaging hatchet job campaign against O'Donnell.

GEARJAMMER| 10.1.10 @ 4:33PM

You are part of this Rino kill team. As I've said before you folks would plat 9 vs 11 in the super bowl if you discovered your left guard and a wide receiver did not have a perfect ACU rating !

George True| 10.1.10 @ 8:20PM

Verily thou dost protest too much. Methinks you may be a troll.

Roy| 10.1.10 @ 12:15PM

"They overwhelmingly stay loyal to the party. "

-Jim Jeffords
-Lincoln Chafee
-Arlen Specter
-Charlie Crist
-Lisa Murkowski

They do?

Horse crap.

I'm already up to five, and that's just senators/senate candidates. I could go on with Dede Scozzafava, etc.

The fact is the overwhelming domination of the culture by the Left creates a wind at the back of any weak-minded weathervane who wants to feel like a brave, bold, daring rebel by betraying the Right and caving to the Left. It doesn't work in the opposite direction - whatever you think about Joe Lieberman, the idea that he is a weathervane is ridiculous, and comparing Lieberman to Crist, well..yeah..not really a comparison to make the Left proud.

If "moderates" stayed loyal(and actually, it seems like Castle might be! although that might also be because he knows he'd be taking votes from the Democrat) it would be a different story.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 1:09PM

Snowe, Collins, Brown, Sununu, Roth, DeWine,Voinovich, Bennett,McCain, Gordon Smith,and many, many more who would never vote Van Jones on the court-and that includes Murkowski and Crist. The bearded Marxist will ! Wake up !

The Big E| 10.1.10 @ 3:17PM

I don't know about the rest on your list because I haven't checked, but both Snowe and Collins voted to confirm both Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, and I have little doubt that they will vote to confirm Van Jones of whoever else the President nominates. Now, if that's what their constituents want, that's fine. (I don't live in Maine either). But if you want to compare Mr. Castle to stalwarts like them, then . . . well, from my perspective at least, I guess the voters in Delaware DID make the right choice.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 4:07PM

Once again tactics. These 2 were in already. It makes them appear bi-partisan. It was a cheap and easy vote and gives them cover to vote no in the future. That it just how Maine politics work-you may not like that. Thus is reality.

JeffW| 10.1.10 @ 2:29PM

"They overwhelmingly stay loyal to the party"

Really gearjammer? Then please explain why Castle is now running as a write in after losing the Republican primary? You have a strange sense of loyalty. Then again polls show his write in is actually taking votes away from the Dem canidate. Seems even the liberals love him.

Tom| 10.1.10 @ 3:38PM

Castle dropped his write in delusions.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 4:35PM

FACTS YOU LACKS.

megapotamus| 10.2.10 @ 11:55AM

Ah, Castle dropped out when polling showed he hurt Coons rather than Odonell. Given that, who can deny that he never was a "Liberal Republican" but rather a Republican Liberal; it is obvious where his loyalties lie. If the man is a Liberal he should have run in the Democratic primary and that is what all Republican voters should be saying across the nation. No more stealth socialism. No more Bob Doles. If we are going to become a socialist shithole let it be with everyone's eyes open. Vote Commie. Vote Coons. Let's have a little truth in advertising.

The Big E| 10.1.10 @ 3:12PM

I'll start off by saying that I do not live in Delaware and so did not cast a vote in this primary, but I and others like me have spent years going to the polls, holding our collective noses, and voting for candidates cast in the same mold as Mr. Castle because they're "more electable." More often then, when they did win in the general election, we have regretted ever showing up at the polls at all. Now, for the first time in a long time, the shoe is on the other foot and it is the establishment Republicans who will have to go to the polls and hold your collective noses when you vote, and YOU AIN'T GOT THE STONES TO DO IT!

Maybe I don't speak for others of a similar mindset, but personally, I am sick and tired of voting for so-called Republicans who then, at the most crucial point, "cross the aisle" and hand the Dems a key victory, only to be told in the next election cycle that I should support them again, or others like them, because they're the most electable.

SCREW WHO THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAYS IS THE MOST ELECTABLE!

The person who is the most electable is the person who will get the most votes. Period. If Ms. O'Donnell was so unelectable, she wouldn't have won the primary. But she did. GET OVER IT! The majority of Republican voters who cast ballots in the primary chose her to be the parties' nominee. DEAL WITH IT!

You ask how we people sleep at night, well, how do you sleep at night knowing that you're doing everything you can to throw your own parties' nominee under the bus just to prove you were right about who should have won the primary? Would you rather have Coons and be right about your prediction? Or O'Donnell and be wrong? Based on your comments here, it appears you would prefer Coons. If so, GO VOTE FOR HIM!

Otherwise, grow up, stop acting like a petulant child throwing a tantrum because you didn't get your way, and get on board with the person who DID win the primary. Conservatives like myself have been having to do that for years, and we have dutifully done so. Now it's time for the establishment Republicans to return the favor.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 4:48PM

What key victories ? I'm for Coons ? Coons loves YOU. You made the BEARDED MARXIST a senator not me. You wanted Castle out then you needed to find a plausible conservative-like Joe Miller or Rand Paul etc. A big mistake has been made and Pallin proves she is not a forward thinking person, a deliberative person-a loose cannon is more like it. She supported Mccain against a true conservative who would have won and goes against a Rino with a conservative with no chance. And she is the epitome of non compromising conservative values ? REALLY ! She kills JD Hayworth and paves the way for the BEARDED MARXIST ! And you all worship her ?

joli| 10.1.10 @ 7:52PM

No one mentioned Palin except you.

John Navratil| 10.2.10 @ 10:16AM

gearjammer,

It's clear you prefer the 51st seat over policy. That's fine, if that's what you want. I, and others, think making Castle the 51st is no bargain. These are articles of faith and there will be no reconciling the two. There is no further need to argue the point.

That said, the Republican Party put Castle up (like Scozzafava) despite the political winds. Cornyn's early support for Specter and Crist are other examples or Party hubris. It is this which has, for years, dispirited the conservatives in the party. The conservative are now re-emerging and are in conflict with the centrists. It's about time!

If the Republican Party has been more serious about that 51st seat they might well have read the tea leaves better and found a better candidate than O'Donnell. They didn't and the voters made their choice. The GOP is out of touch and this rebellion is long overdue.

cuban pete| 10.1.10 @ 7:44PM

Great post but it was the 1924 Paris games.
Eric Liddell "Chariots of Fire".

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 10:15PM

Thanks for facts. Great man, great Christian, and let us not forget-great runner !

Wisconsinite| 10.1.10 @ 10:17AM

Franken is a clown (tho not especially funny) he doesn't follow Harry Read,he's a committed liberal. Don't blame Minnesota, the election was stolen!

PolishKnight| 10.1.10 @ 10:34AM

In a debate with a dishonest leftist, she made a point I found valid (she was using it in the opposite direction, of course) She argued that only close elections could be "stolen."

I think that's bupkiss of course. One of the greatest leftist mass murderers of all time, Josef Stalin, openly stole elections with a majority of the electorate against him. In the states, when it's more difficult to get away with such nonsense (for now), the elections have to be close and the left has to get the votes recounted over and over again until they find them in a trunk someplace.

That's precisely what Franken did.

Two things:

1) His opposition allowed questionable votes to go through. Establishment republicans continue to "play nice". Like Castle...
2) Minnesota voters put Franken in a position where he could get away with this.

J Kelley| 10.1.10 @ 10:37AM

Castle voted for cap and trade, enough said. If
Castle had been the 51st seat, we would not have a solid majority. There is Snowe, Collins, Graham, McCain after this Nov. and Castle. So when push comes to shove we would only have 45 Republicans.After the 2008 election Democrats have been in total control. The buck stops With the Dems. although they still try to blame Republicans.If we had 51 Repulicans in the Senate, but 5 of them were RINOs the results would have been the same. Except Republicans would have been blamed for all the bad results. It is better to have 45 Real Republicans. If McCain had been elected President, he would have crossed the (Aisle) and we would have pretty much what we have now. But with a Republican President the Media would be going all out on how bad the economy is and it would be all the Republicans fault. Remember the Dems took control of the House and Senate in 2006. How many of the people know this?

GEARJAMMER| 10.1.10 @ 1:17PM

Enough not said! Expand your narrow mind=d0n't be a simple minded fool. Cap and trade was going no place but down. His vote was to placate suburbanites who at the time were completl y ga ga over " green " and many still are. The man is not allowed to make a smart tactical vote to get those enviro nuts-well funded-media adored nuts off his back. You are blind absolutist with one purity test after another. You killed that seat for us. THE BEARDED MARXIST THANKS YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF HIS RED HEART ! SO DOES JUSTICE WAITING IN THE WINGS JONES.

George True| 10.1.10 @ 2:34PM

The Delaware seat is of great importance not only because it could be the 51st vote, but also because it could be the deciding filibuster vote during the lame duck session. Whoever wins will be sworn in immediately, not January 20th.

As such, it is absolutely unforgivable that the RNC did not have a battle plan to support the winner of the primary with already on-the-shelf commercials and as many millions of dollars as it takes to win, regardless of who the winner of the primary was. This, in my opinion, would have made the critical difference. Instead they got caught completely unprepared, and then the GOP ruling class proceeded to trash one of their own.

One of the central tenets in Sun Tsu's 'The Art of War" is: When your enemy is destroying himself, do not interfere. The Dems just watched from the sidelines, enjoying their popcorn, while the GOP leadership all but sank their nominee's chances. Once again, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Dems understand how important the Delaware seat is, and they are putting many millions into the race. Why isn't the GOP leadership doing likewise? Because they were unprepared, and they remain clueless and unprincipled. People are sick to death of this kind of incompetence and weakness. Which is pretty much exactly why they are voting for the anit-establishment Republicans, warts and all.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 4:53PM

Battle plan ? It's like my local pee wee football going up against the Chicago Bears-you say all we need is a battle plan ? It is pretty clear to me the pot is a bi-partisan indulgence. Give up the wacky tobacky for a week or two and think things through with a clear head.

J Kelley| 10.1.10 @ 3:07PM

Castles vote was to placate suburbanites. And then he has to placate This other group. A Conservative Republican should have core values and Cap and Trade is not a Conservatice value. And how about the Republicans voters in Delaware. Did they make a choice? While not being from Delaware Could not vote there but can send money to O'Donnell. Gearjammer has to be from the left. They use name calling, and of course they are sooo much more inteligent than us narrow-minded folks. But I still believe what I believe. And if we can elect enough (Real Republicans) this November, maybe it will still be OK to do so. Down with RINOs and (Blue Dog Democrats).

Tom| 10.1.10 @ 3:45PM

You have no idea how Castle would have voted if Van Jones was nominated to the Court. In 2008 - when Obama was riding high - he has a score of 28 on the ACU report card. If he had been elected I am pretty sure he'd vote fairly well for a few years than go back to trying to appear reasonable and moderate.

And your Van Jones argument is silly, he will not be nominated to the Court and if he was he'd lose.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 4:15PM

So Castle is an automatic vote for Van Jones just like the BEARDED MARXIST who loves people like you. So Obstinate. A meaningless cap n' trade vote and he's a bomb throwing commie ! Politics is still partly a game and tactics and strategy matter. You can't always charge into the machine gun bullets. Newt and Hastert had his vote if they needed it. They let him play the game and you all can't see it!

Al Adab| 10.1.10 @ 12:11PM

Absolutely NOT a mistake. Not only did the voters puge an undesireable, accomodationist Republican but, should Coons win, then at least we are positioned to watch the Left get the blame for this disaster. Lets seperate the sheep from the goats and take our stand for Liberty. Even should we fail, history will record that we did not compromise Freedom for the sake of our comfort. "Is life so dear or peace so sweet..."? Cato made his choice. Do we "live on our knees or die on our feet."

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 1:38PM

All you purged was common sense. Mike Castle equals living on our KNEES ? What disaster ? The one about Van Jones age 42 being on the court for fifty years. Some how by killing this seat and watching the BEARDED MARXIST AND HAIR CLUB MARXIST(BIDEN) PUT VAN JONES ON THE SUPREME COURT IS WHAT YOU NEED FOR YOUR OWN EGO MANIACAL DESIRE TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS BEING ON THE SIDE OF FREEDOM ?

Al Adab| 10.1.10 @ 2:46PM

YEP

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 4:57PM

KAMIKAZE WHO FLIES INTO SHIPS SHOWING HIS OWN FLAG. YOU ARE THE TRUE CONSERVATIVE.

Al Adab| 10.1.10 @ 5:21PM

No sorry, Kamikazi kills himself. I intend to survive FREE whether in North America or not. Nonetheless, I will not submit to tyranny in the name of compromise. To compromise with evil (and statism is evil) is to become what we claim to abhor.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 10:20PM

KAMIKAZE AND A QUITTER. HITCH TO THE MOON. NOBODY WANTS A QUITTER.

George True| 10.1.10 @ 2:49PM

I appreciate your passion about wanting to retake the senate. But the GOP had a real shot with O'Donnell had they been prepared to capitalize on her unexpected win. Instead, they trashed her. They did the Dems' job for them. The Republican leadership got caught completely unprepared for her primary win. With an ad campaign ready to go that promoted the right things about O'Donnell and exposing the socialist ideology and record of Coons, it could be a very different situation right now.

A lot of people can readily identify with O'Donnell. Hey, it took me eight years to graduate from college, because I was working 20-40 hours a week the whole time. I can identify with that. It also took me a long time to pay off my student loans, so I can identify with that too.

My step-daughter went through the whole goth/wicca thing when she was a teenager. But she outgrew it and is now a self-sufficient and upstanding woman who does a difficult job well. So I can even identify with the "witchcraft" thing.

These things, rather than being necessarily off-putting, kind of resonate with Joe and Jane Lunchbucket. The GOP should have been ready to exploit it. Instead they just punted. What a sorry bunch of losers.

freddie101 | 10.1.10 @ 4:59PM

"they trashed her. They did the Dems' job for them"

I beg to differ. This is not the fault of the GOP. O'Donnell herself did the Dems' job for them. There were many in the GOP who were pointing out that she was a whackjob prior to the primary. Unfortunately, the extreme right's crusade against Castle demoralized the GOP base and caused horrendous turnout.
O'Donnell and her backers are the cause the Dems keep this seat.

Tyler S.| 10.3.10 @ 4:20PM

Yeah.... I don't think you really know that much about O'Donnell. Its not that she just graduated or that she's working too hard, its that she lied about her education and apparently isn't working at all, really (even at minimum wage, the $6000 or so she reported as income doesn't add up to a lot of hours, and I guarantee you she wasn't making minimum wage). Then there's all the gay bashing. We might not all agree on gay marriage, but the majority of Americans do believe at this point that homosexuality is not a choice. I think you're confusing "I resonate with her" with "most people will resonate with her"

Tom| 10.1.10 @ 3:49PM

Van Jones will never be on the Supreme Court, he will never be nominated.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 5:01PM

Pardon me Rip Van Winkle but we currently have 4 Van Jones' on the court. Hey, chill, not to worry back to your nap.

Tyler S.| 10.3.10 @ 4:13PM

Actually, history will forget you ever existed. People who stand on principal but achieve nothing meaningful don't get chapters in the history books. They get forgotten as the nonentities they are. As for the Cato lines, a bit melodramatic, no? Have you ever heard of a glorious last stand about tax and spending levels? Anyways, I would argue that liberty is increased when we as a people decide we will give up the comfort of a few additional dollars in take home to provide for our countrymen in their times of strife, so really its all relative to what your viewpoint is.

Bill Lawrence | 10.1.10 @ 12:57PM

If Christine loses, it's not going to because of Coons campaigning or by the media or even by "establishment" Republicans withholding their support.

It's going to be because "establishment" Republicans actively campaigning against her. There is no excuse for Karl Rove et al to attack her character especially when it appears the charges against her -- witchcraft, for Pete's sake -- are false or wildly overblown.

Stormy| 10.1.10 @ 1:02PM

"Senators need to learn the critical factors in policy quickly, sometimes very technical subjects, and be able to negotiate for the best interests of their constituency accordingly."

Oh, Lynch, I understand your point now. You mean senators like Al Franken did? He hasn't even learned in two years Senate procedures.

"Anyone who's going to rely on their moral core as the sum and total of their engagment with the subject material is going to make big mistakes. See George W Bush."

At least GWB had moral core values, as opposed to someone like BHO, who has yet to demonstrate that he has any moral core values, other than redistribution of your wealth. In any event, the total sum of his GWB's presidency is superior to that of BHO's to-date. Does anyone feel better about their lives today than they did, say in 2007? Experts will tell you that an individual must have good core values to make good decisions.

Pigletrios| 10.1.10 @ 1:16PM

One good thing has come out of the mess we face today is that it energized Americans to face the fact that our inattention to what our government has been doing for the past 20 years has brought us to this place. So many different aspects of life as we know it in America have gone drastically wrong because of our inattention, our decision to turn the cheek on decisions that didn't affect "me". I only hope that the American people never get lazy about this again. If we keep pressing and forcing the changes we want in our representation, we will succeed in reducing government back to the level it needs to be - by the people, for the people. They work for us folks, not the other way around. Keep fighting!

srucpa| 10.1.10 @ 2:06PM

I am amused at all this back and forth. The MOST amusing is the claim that Odonnel is inexperienced!? What about our own Commander in Cheif and President? Talk about inexperience for the most feared man in the world. Some of you are aplopectic about someone in the Senate? Give me a break.

JeffW| 10.1.10 @ 3:35PM

srucpa,

SHHHHHH Don't interrupt Gearjammer, he is having a stroke. Apparently his crystal ball says that Van Jones is going to be a Supreme Court justice and he can't see anything beyond his fear.

freddie101 | 10.1.10 @ 4:57PM

Huh?? Whether you like his policies or not, Obama is an honors graduate from one of the world's most prestigious (if not THE most prestigious) law schools. He then practiced law, both commercially and for the public good (the oft-maligned community service work). O'Donnell, until three weeks ago, never completed enough credit hours to earn an undergraduate degree, and fibbed about having taken coursework at respected universities. There is no comparison. None.
It is fine, and healthy, for folks to debate against Obama's policies. But the "Tea Party Movement" is an orchestrated manipulation that is causing people to turn off their brains.
http://www.facebook.com/TeaPar.....Distortion

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 5:05PM

I know high school drop outs I'd take over Obama. Evil is not washed away by academic credentials and becoming a lawyer. The democrat party has fallen into the hands of truly evil people.

Skinner| 10.1.10 @ 5:19PM

As many have stated before, So What?
We know he graduated, but at what place in his class? Top 10? Bottom 2? We’ll probably never know, since he won’t release his educational (or any other) records. Check your skirt, your relativistic slip is showing.
When it comes to policy, sure, he's smart in school (Marxist theory), but dumb as a toad on the bus (real world). Socialism ain’t worked yet, it ain’t gonna work just he’s been anointed..er elected.
Obama has never had a job in the private sector. All of his suppossedly "lawyer" jobs were on the public dime. Same as his current one.
Ah yes, his famed community service skills. Like what he accomplished with the Annenberg Foundation, right? His rubber stamp position for his buddy Ayres. What did that accomplish during his time as chair? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Look it up.
Your baby boy is a whiny playground malcontent who's now threatening to take his ball and go home because EVERYONE won't play by his rules.
You actually believe every piece of biased crap you see on Facebook or YouTube? You’re no better than The One.

RCV| 10.2.10 @ 1:40PM

Just curious, Skinner. How does working at the private corporate law firm in Chicago, or teaching law at the private University of Chicago Law Law School consist of jobs "on the public dime"? Just wonderin'.

Siegfried X| 10.1.10 @ 4:31PM

It takes two to tango. Likewise Republicans can really only be a party if EVERYONE works together. Conservatives will only treat "moderate" Republicans as part of the team if they treat us the same way.

If the Republican Establishment had chosen another, more "electable" conservative instead of O'Donnell, all Delaware Republicans would have voted for her. Instead, the leadership gave us Castle, on the extreme left of the party, forcing a decision between those two candidates.

Siegfried X| 10.1.10 @ 4:41PM

By using the electability argument to select RINOs the Republican leadership forces conservatives to vote against them. That's because every time we elect a RINO the Republican leadership says "See, only moderates can win". So they rig the system so that only RINOs are selected as candidates and can win the primaries.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 5:11PM

It's one seat=one stinking seat. They play it safe on one stinking seat and you/re all going nuts. By the way, the same firm that computes Rush Limbaugh's accuracy rating has reported to me that if the debate I've been having with some of you were a football game I'd have won 88 to NOTHING! Gonna go celebrate-ta,ta !

Skinner| 10.1.10 @ 5:32PM

So you're OK with the status quo?
The hand ringing Republicans that infest the party? "Let's don't disagree with our political enemies 'cause they'll be meaner to us!!"
The RNC (I'm not a Republican, just one of your "stoopid" conservatives) is a joke.
The Democrats are insane, granted, but they are, for the most part, consistanty insane. Is that even possible?
The republicans are the wimp at the beach getting sand kicked in his face.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 10:43PM

I know. I call them country club clucks with kick me signs on their back. Bush was politeness man. Mister turn the other cheek Christian. Cheney was the best thing in that administration. I loved it when he told Leahy to go bleep himself. My dream ticket is Cheney-Paladino. Ass kickers with brains !

Thom| 10.1.10 @ 6:08PM

“expected value” and economic “utility” are born of the same mother, free enterprise. In the political zone the “consumer” has to make all the usual value judgments about what value their “investment” in one product over the other will bring plus consideration that their “voting” with both their votes and output of their labor might result in sending a message to the producers to produce more and better versions of same……

Clearly, the Republican consumer has gotten tired of paying for a product wrapped in Republican decorations and finding a Democrat/Marxist inside all too often. By the same measure most Republican consumers have gotten tired of contributing to the Democrat/Marxist Party via the Republican Party. If consumer protection laws applied to political products, numerous products labeled “Republican” would result in class action suites and charges of fraud. If the Republican Party had to pay triple damages every time a defective “Republican” branded product came out of the closet and had to return all contributions to Republican consumers for said fraudulent product labeling I suspect said producer of such defective products would improve upon their quality control.

As I remember when the “Republicans” had about 55 Senators and a majority in the House, most of the legislations that passed both houses and went to a Republican President expanded the size and scope of government in order to please those defective “republican” products which have now been shown to be just Democrat/Marxist products mislabeled. As I’ve said on many occasions, we’ve got to where we are on the back of the moderation/compromise/pragmatic jackass and there is no time left on the clock for more of the same in order to keep this Republic from being drowned by what all forms of Marx bring given enough time. “we have no time……..”

Tim*| 10.1.10 @ 6:42PM

Like Jeffrey Lord said, " FOCUS, FOCUS , FOCUS "

Christine O'Donnell's Message , " LESS GOVERNMENT , LESS TAXES ."

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates .

Rise Up !

RCV| 10.2.10 @ 12:39AM

Christine O'Donnell's message: "MISAPPROPRIATE FUNDS! LIE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND!"

Tim*| 10.2.10 @ 1:29AM

Coons Is A Serial Liar & A Serial Taxer .

Jeffrey Lord , "........ after promising in his 2004 election campaign that he wouldn't raise taxes Coons raised property taxes by 5% in 2006, then again by 17.5% in 2007, and again by 25% in 2009. Coons has proposed to raise hotel taxes, paramedic taxes, and, in a hilariously stereotypical move reported by the Washington Examiner's Byron York -- even taxes on 911 calls!"
Christine O'Donnall's Message , " LESS GOVERNMENT , LESS TAXES ."

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates .

Rise Up !

J.C.Eaton| 10.1.10 @ 7:45PM

Gearjammer, my man. Judging from your very macho nom de plume you must be a professional trucker...or were. If presently so employed, for the sake of all that's holy, find a rest stop. Take some Sominex, lorazapam, or very hard-core narcotic subsances and GET SOME SLEEP!!! The roof of your melon is starting to lift on and off your head. And please don't be so much in awe of Obama's education credentials. Harvard lawyers, Yale lawyers, anybody's lawyers are not much if any smarter, more clever, and courtworthy than any other schools lawyers. Our schools turn them out like little link sausages. Most of them don't know how to tinkle in the courthouse. Put a bag over your head, breathe deeply and come back home.

gearjammer| 10.1.10 @ 10:37PM

You have me mixed up with Freddie 101. My blood tests will show zero drugs including MJ, which I suspect many here over indulge. Next to zero on booze-well not that next to zero. So quit pushing that stuff on me or I'll report you to Michael Savage. Not a trucker but I drive an pickup with a stick . I wanna jam the gears of a machine-the DPPM-democrat party political machine. They are evil and I hate them. Rinos are not evil-Chaffee, Jeffords, Arlen can't be called Rinos. They are truly sick evil men. Another category all together in my book, Murkowski is probably not really evil-just an out of control Diva. But, I admit that is just speculation.

voted against carter| 10.1.10 @ 10:59PM

I will make a prediction that is sure to drive the lame stream media and the democrats nuts.

IF YOU ARE A LIBRATARD PROGRESSIVE DUMBOCRAT you will NOT get elected this time out.

EVERY single Democrat running for ANY office this time is going to LOSE. PERIOD. NO one understands just how PISSED OFF all us dumb rubes are. This election the democrat party is going to come unglued. You watch.

Siegfried X| 10.2.10 @ 4:10AM

Once in awhile conservatives need to throw a fast ball under the chin to keep the liberals under control.

Castle's loss helped defeat amnesty and the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Siegfried X| 10.2.10 @ 11:14AM

Legislation is what matters, not parties. If a congress passes left-wing legislation, then it's bad regardless of how many Republicans are in it.

Return to First Principles| 10.2.10 @ 9:27AM

The thought of Mike Castle being the 51st vote turns my stomach. I would rather be in the minority than put that much power in the likes of RINOs like Castle. The elites need to understand we want conservatives with true conviction and principles that are willing to stand up and lead. The only difference between the Democrats and "moderate" Republicans is the pace of the Republic's demise.

james wilson| 10.2.10 @ 9:50AM

The Republican registered primary voters correctly saw that it is better to have a Marxist Democrat represent the state in the Senate than another Democrat Republican fouling the nest and stabbing them in the back.

RCV| 10.2.10 @ 1:35PM

Well, we Democrats very much appreciate the gesture.

c| 10.2.10 @ 2:30PM

democrats do not understand the word principle. you can jim jeffords, arlen spector, charlie crist, lisa murkowski, lincoln chafee,etc. they fit in with charlie taxman rangel, chris "cottage in ireland" dodd, william cold cash jefferson, the clintons, blago, al sharpton, elliot spitzer, wacko grayson in florida, etc. we could go on and on.

c| 10.2.10 @ 2:32PM

oops, "you can have.." trying to be clear to you lefty democrats

Paul Ashley| 10.2.10 @ 1:35PM

Even if O'Donnell loses, the GOP will have been sent a message that the voters will no longer support RINOs, hopefully putting the fear of God into the RINOs who do manage to get elected.

Mark| 10.3.10 @ 4:07PM

The problem with a small tent mentality, however, is that you'll never get a majority under it. Democratic governments like our own are built on compromise. Those who stand on absolute principal are doomed to be relegated to the sidelines of history while those willing to find a common ground push the country forward. Of course, there are also those who firmly believe that it is better to be marginalized than to back down on any belief. I fear that your model will inevitably hurt the republican party though, as another name for RINO is moderate, and moderate republicans are often the most successful politicians there are. Even Reagan knew when to stand on principal and when to compromise. He did, after all, raise taxes.

Siegfried X| 10.3.10 @ 6:50PM

That is why we are opposing the small tent mentality of the Republican Establishment. We need a party where conservatives are welcome instead of being treated like pond scum.

wodiej| 10.3.10 @ 12:48PM

For me, this primary in Delaware was a test for real conservatives. Do you really want to rid Congress of RINO's so we can truly get back to our founding fathers principles?

Anyone who has done an inkling of research can tell you our Founding Fathers sacrificed plenty-their homes, their lives, their finances. They were killed, their wives beaten and tortured, their money and property burned or confiscated-all in the name of freedom. This is what it is all about. Castle does not fit that description.

It says alot when a state as blue as Delaware would rather have a true conservative like O'Donnell than RINO Castle. Folks, we don't need to settle for that anymore. We have real people, with real ideas and real backbone who believe in what this country originated from.

I live in Indiana and donated to O'Donnell and many other candidates similar to her in other states. We can make excuses that we cannot afford even a $10 donation to one of these worthy, tireless and courageous candidates. The fact is, we cannot afford not to.

Tyler S.| 10.3.10 @ 4:00PM

I actually like this article. As a super lib, I tend to think O'Donnell is a wack job, even before you consider all the lying and fiscal shennanigans, but I like the clear, well thought out, and above all else economic way in which the author examines the motives of tea party voters.

Siegfried X| 10.3.10 @ 6:49PM

It should be easy for any "super lib" to understand the Tea Party. Just remember how super libs felt about the Democratic Leadership Council back in the Clinton era. Various left-wing organization were created and grew strength in reaction to the centrism of the DLC. The Tea Parties are the same kind of reaction to the left of center Republican Establishment.

Speedypete| 10.3.10 @ 4:26PM

When you compare O'Donnell to what has been said by a Boxer, Reid, Franken, Pelosi and our president she is more worthy to be called the Honorable Senator O'Donnell. It is about honor, integrity and trust. They have already proven they lack these qualities. She deserves a chance. Oh, I forgot --- TRANSPARENCY. Learn not to lie about your candidates.

Richard Rostrom| 10.3.10 @ 5:14PM

wodiej: "It says a lot when a state as blue as Delaware would rather have a true conservative like O'Donnell than RINO Castle."

So it would - if that was true. It now appears that Delaware would much rather have a bearded Marxist than a wackjob like O'Donnell - even if she is a "true conservative".

This race would be winnable for a true conservative candidate - if he was someone with a record of real personal accomplishment, like Scott Brown, or Joe Miller, or even Sharron Angle.

Castle is no prize. In 2009 he was the least conservative and most liberal Republican in the House (per National Journal). However, he was more conservative than all but 7 Democrats, and less liberal than all but 6. IOW, a genuine centrist.

Pre-primary polls indicated that Castle was preferred to Coons. That's apparently what Delaware voters wanted. O'Donnell won the primary with 30,000 votes. There will be 250,000 votes in the general. We'll see if O'Donnell can scale up her primary vote four-fold.

BTW, O'Donnell has raised about $2.5M since the primary for what looks to be a futile campaign. I can think of many conservatives in close races who could have used that money - Sharron Angle, Joe Miller, Bobby Schilling, and Allen West, for instance.

Siegfried X| 10.3.10 @ 6:44PM

"Pre-primary polls indicated that Castle was preferred to Coons. "

Pre-primary polls also said that Rubio could never beat Crist; that the voters preferred Specter (both Republican and Democratic polls showed Specter ahead at times); that voters didn't want Joe Miller, that Ronald Reagan would never win ...

That's why those polls and the idea of "electability" is meaningless. It just spin, which each side saying that their candidate is electable.

Da Playa| 10.5.10 @ 1:00AM

The Republican party as we know it is in the last throwes of death as demographics push it into irrelevance. You can't stop the tide... slowly but surely the nation turns browner and the hump of baby boomers die off supplanted by gen-exers who've known nothing but a Godless secular nation where homosexuality is celebrated in every media channel sent to their eyes, ears and minds. I predict a rebirth will happen in the next two decades, but I think this "Tea Party" is a false start. Fiscal conservatism will rule policy decisions, the moral minority will be relegated to exactly what it is, a minority. Self absorbed and narcissistic facebook generations will vote again and again for isolationism and protection of our borders economically. The future is happening, one day at a time.

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