Local Politics Scene Changed
Jason has been saying that if Biden is selected as Veep, the Delaware Politics chess board gets up-ended. I’m not sure that it is as drastic as that, but there will be impacts.
First, with few exceptions, if you are challenging an incumbent in a primary, hang it up. All of the oxygen in Delaware politics just got used up. I’m not sure that this applies to Coons and the other guy™, but the time to get you message out has been cut short.
I also think that the Governor’s race will really get interesting. Someone, please ask both of the Dem candidatesif they would vow to pick their primary opponent to serve in the Senate. Comments?
Heh, I just posted something similar at M-BA. I bet that al the Dem candidates here are going to be vying for Biden’s endorsement, if they aren’t already.
I think, at this point, a Biden endorsement will carry heavy weight.
Well, we really don’t have an incumbents being primaried on the state wide level. So I don’t see that as a problem.
I think Castle will now paint himself as Joe Biden’s best friend and life long partner.
I think Minner picks Carney if he loses the primary, but Minner will not pick Markell. Remember, Minner is the one who picks, not Carney or Markell. Her term ends on January 2o. Biden has to resign well before then.
And I wonder if Biden will have any say, and will he try to save the seat for Beau? It will be illegal for Beau to be appointed so long as he is serving in Iraq, so he cannot be appointed to the seat at any point in 2008 or 2009.
I think Democratic turnout in Delaware will spike across every demographic, swamping every Republican in the state. But I think most incumbents, including Castle will survive, although Cathcart and Spence and Lofink remain in trouble.
Agree with DD about Dem turnout. This is going to be a big “change” election on the state level.
Castle will eek out a 55/42 victory, but would have lost to any one of the following had they run; Beau Biden, Matt Denn, Chris Coons, Kowalko, Peterson, Schwartkopf…in short any Democrat with any elected experience in any office not named Gordon.
PS. Good luck breaking 35% Copeland, you steaming lump of loserhood. I hope this finishes him for good.
Just thinking down the road…in an effort to appear bi-partisan what about Castle for Sec of Interior or EPA Administrator?
A graceful exit to public life and way to rehab his Bushie reputation.
El Somnambulo thinks that the Speaker of the House and his caucus should start packing up for their trip to the basement. (That’s if the Speaker makes it back at all.)
The Biden choice guarantees a huge Democratic turnout, and a huge turnout among ‘low information’ D’s who are not doing much ticket splitting.
El Somnambulo now foresees a 24-17 Democratic edge in the House.
I doubt that Biden has to resign until he is sworn in for VP or close to it. And while Minner technically makes the pick, I doubt that she would do that without the blessing of Biden and maybe also Carper. So I think that she will rubber stamp what they (Biden esp) want.
Expect the repub whine machine to ratchet up the call for a real candidate for O’Donnell’s pink suits to run against.
I like the idea of Castle for Interior or EPA. He still has my vote for reelection (sorry Mike-haters, I like the guy). But he was very much an environmentalist Governor and would be an interesting addition to a cabinet.
Agree with Cassandra. If Joe Biden is VP-elect, this is his call.
History indicates that he will not wire it for Beau. They had the chance to appoint him to AG, but made the right call and had him run for it.
There was a lot of wisdom in that course of action.
Mahaffie,
I would not puke if it came to pass.
My prediction ?
Biden pressures Minner into naming a placeholder and 2010 brings a titanic clash between Mike Castle and Beau Biden.
How is that for a program ?
Having watched Castle for these past ten years, I am 100% sure that Mike Castle would quit rather than face the prospect of that match-up.
Why is it illegal for Beau to be named to the Senate if he’s in Iraq? Doesn’t appear to be anything in the Constitution that would bar him from doing both. Minner will appoint Minner-lite when he loses to Jack. Minner-lite would be in over his head if he made it to the Senate. Jack doesn’t want to go to Washington, otherwise, he would have taken on Castle.
You people have interesting imaginations.
Remember that Carney’s a Biden guy and Blunt, who was forced out by Denn, is a Biden guy, too. Tom Gordon? Biden guy.
I think this makes things very tough on Markell, who needed the undivided attention of the state Dems in order to pick off Carney. That focus is now squarely on Biden for at least 10 of the 16 days left.
Alternate view: The focus of the party insiders is now divided between Biden and Carney. Markell’s supporters aren’t big Biden fans; they’re motivated by their guy, not self-interest.
Besides, Dave, surely you don’t think Biden will achieve anything higher than yet another term as Senator…
“Having watched Castle for these past ten years, I am 100% sure that Mike Castle would quit rather than face the prospect of that match-up.”
Mike Castle would wipe the floor with him.
Beau Biden has accomplished basically zilch so far. Yes, he’s successfully glommed onto the child-molestation national panic, but beyond that why should he be in Congress? He’s not a solid campaigner yet and I doubt would fare well in a tough race. They know it, too, which is why he’ll be set up as much as possible whenever possible, until he’s running as an incumbent U.S. Senator.
Governor Markell will be able to appoint the successor to Sen. Biden if Biden does not resign until the morning of Jan. 20, 09.
Markell will take office on the third Tuesday of January 09, which happens to be Jan 20. Biden does not take office until Noon on that day. If Markell is sworn- in in the morning and Joe resigns just before noon, it will be Jack’s pick.
Sounds good to me. Who would Jack pick?
“Beau Biden has accomplished basically zilch so far.”
Yup, and he was woefully unqualified to be AG, especially running against Ferris Wharton. He won because his name is Biden and he had a (D) next to his name, that’s it. He really had nothing that qualified him to be AG.
I disagree, Mike. Biden was/is qualified to be AG. It’s just that his opponent Wharton was vastly MORE qualified than Biden that it made the choice simple if you were of rational, sound, mind.
“Mike Castle would wipe the floor with him.”
I can’t say I agree with that. No Republican in Delaware can “wipe the floor” with any properly-funded Democrat anymore, simply because the electorate doesn’t pay enough attention. They just vote their registration, for all the wrong reasons.
#1–Castle wouldn’t accept a Cabinet post, as it would hand the Congressional seat to the Democratic party. Castle would be crucified.
#2–When Obama/Biden win, Biden will step down well before Markell is sworn in. First reason, it helps Biden’s friend Ruth Ann to control things (and name Carney), and second, it gives the new senator more seniority than those who aren’t sworn in until late January, and seniority affects lots of things, including committee leadership.
Carney, who will most likely be elected, will not appoint Markell. No way. He’s burned his bridges with all of the people who matter, including most of the Democrat establishment and those who work in the trenches.
Beau doesn’t want to be appointed and has been clear about it…
I’m not sure who they will appoint…. maybe Denn? I doubt that.
What if Carney is elected and resigns with an agreement made with Denn to then appoint him as Senator…
Who knows….
I’m still pushing Minner for Senate… send her to Washington!
No Republican in Delaware can “wipe the floor” with any properly-funded Democrat anymore,
okay, I’m with you…
… simply because the electorate doesn’t pay enough attention.
Dude,
You are freaking hilarious. I’m sure the DE GOP’s problems have nothing at all to do with the fact that you Republicans have been wrong about everything (EVERYTHING!) over the past 8 years.
I’m sure it is because Delawareans are “not paying attention.” Yeah. That’s it.
I’m still pushing Minner for Senate… send her to Washington!
Ay carumba. Why not just appoint a box of donuts?
“I’m sure the DE GOP’s problems have nothing at all to do with the fact that you Republicans have been wrong about everything (EVERYTHING!) over the past 8 years.”
Like DPC? DMA? The prisons? Cronyism? DelDOT? The IR Bridge? Allowing the polluters to have free reign to cause cancer? Destroying our economic development program by firing everyone and replacing them with political cronies? Doubling the debt? Increasing the rolls of the uninsured? Falling from 8th to 17th in unemployment rate? Having the slowest-growing economy in the nation? Being 48th in the nation in median income growth? Last in the nation in entrepreneurship?
All Bush’s fault. I know. The other 49 states who have maintained or grown have just been lucky that they weren’t singled out by the evil Bushies.
FSP–What does it say about a political party (Republican) which is out of control for 8 years, during which the long list of problems has occurred, and it yet the party has the lamest roster of candidates in memory.
At least the Democratic party has one candidate (Markell) who admits the problems of the Minner/Carney administration (DPC, DMA, cronyism, etc) and who has laid out his steps to fix them (his blueprint).
“At least the Democratic party has one candidate (Markell) who admits the problems of the Minner/Carney administration (DPC, DMA, cronyism, etc) and who has laid out his steps to fix them (his blueprint).”
After sitting silently like a good boy while they happened. No thanks.
And I’ll bet you that our statewide ticket gets more total votes than any GOP ticket of equal size ever in Delaware.
And, by the way, THAT’S your response?!
No apology to the people of Delaware for how much your party has screwed the state?
No apology on behalf of Carney, Markell or Denn for being silent accomplices to the corruption and failure?
Nice use of imabic pentameter, then this….
The other 49 states who have maintained or grown…
Right. Delaware is an island of malaise in an ocean of good economic times and growth.
Please.
It is the GOP mindset (we can cut taxes on rich people, let corporations self regulate and good things will happen) that is being rejected from top to bottom. It is even being rejected by Republicans. You guys can’t even find people to run for office for god’s sake!
As for this…
Last in the nation in entrepreneurship?
I agree with you. The Minner/Carney administration has been a bust. Carney needs to get a job in the private sector to see how things really work.
No apology to the people of Delaware for how much your party has screwed the state?
No apology on behalf of Carney, Markell or Denn for being silent accomplices to the corruption and failure?
Funny to hear this apology talk from you. You who would vote for BUSH AGAIN.
You just sound silly now.
Yeah, Dave. No apology for voting for Bush (twice)? I apologize for voting for Minner once (in 2000).
No apology to the people of Delaware for how much your party has screwed the state?
No apology on behalf of Carney, Markell or Denn for being silent accomplices to the corruption and failure?
(I’m going to have to keep doing this until you address it.)
Well just posting the same thing over and over must be WAY easier that actually owning up to Republican complicity.
Every Federal tax cut on the wealthy affects the state revenue negatively. The Bush administrations willingness to undertax and overspend IS the reason that we are screwed here. Sure there are Minner screwups. We have never defended DPC or prison screwups. I am pissed that Minner didn’t go get an engineering degree to be able to detect the error that the IR Bridge engineers missed.
It is cute to see the two of you back together again. Welcome back, Dave.
“Every Federal tax cut on the wealthy affects the state revenue negatively.”
It does? The ‘wealthy’ pay a higher percentage of taxes now than ever before.
“The Bush administrations willingness to undertax and overspend IS the reason that we are screwed here.”
Defend that statement.
Delaware is the corporate state! Neither party have EVER tried to fix DPC, the prison system, nursing homes etc! These were throw away people, non voters to both parties. Lets be real here!
Every election these folks are brought out for “the blame game”! After the elections its biz as usual.
The EPA, DNREC and other agencies have been cronyized and represent the biggest poluters in Delaware, ie. dupont, Valero, Cherry Island, all those chemical toxic poison spewers on the river.
Carney wants to identify the cancer clusters! What then John? Got a health care plan to deal with the results?
Helen Graham Cancer Center already has all that information, and is one of the most closely held medical secrets in Delaware.
We need leaders with bold new leadership.
Viv Houghton had the best plan….fine the hell out them. BIG fines that will force them to clean up, repair, remodel or shut em down.
“Environmental crimes causing cancer and other debilatating diseases are crimes against humanity”.
Who will be the real leader to address these public health issues?
#2 DelDem said:
‘I think Castle will now paint himself as Joe Biden’s best friend and life long partner. ‘
But real Del Dems know it’s Castle and the closet repuke Carper who are buds.
Sh*t those jokers are even campaigning together…check out the all the pix in the Snooze.
I will be surprised if Biden doesn’t endorse KHN after she takes the primary.
I’m not buying this idea of a ‘placeholder’ senator to replace Biden –can someone name a time when that has happened on a national level?
The answer is never.
The fact is, depending on which Democrat wins the Democratic nomination for Governor (and who will most likely be the next Governor) –the other guy would be the likely new Senator.
Either way, it is good news because both Carney and Markell are terrific.
By the way –as this is a thread on local politics –I heard that Karen Hartley-Nagle is now denying that she wrote the Op-Ed piece that recently appeared in the Wilmington News Journal under her name. According to a source I heard tonight –Hartley-Nagle is saying the piece was actually written by some former staffer or something?
Has anyone else heard this?
That sounds very strange to me. I mean, newspapers always contacts anyone submitting anything for publication to verify they wrote it.
BC
After 8 years of Bush, you’d have to be certifiably insane to look to any Republican to fix those problems. The GOP plan is as follows: “Incompetent Government is the quickest path to Small Government”. Anyone else feel like the United States have been drowned in a bathtub by the GOP?
It appears some people will say anything to smear KHN without fact checking. That probably means she is doing a great job and they believe she is winning.
Has anyone taken the time to call Karen Hartley-Nagle?
“After 8 years of Bush, you’d have to be certifiably insane to look to any Republican to fix those problems.”
See what I mean? Exchange “Bush” and “Republican” for “Minner” and “Democrat” and you’d have a more accurate statment.
And I’m still waiting for the apology from Carney, Markell and Denn for being silent accomplices in the failures, scandals, corruption and cronyism of the last 8 years.