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Filed in National by on January 21, 2009

I’ll be on DTR again feel free to listen to by far the best blogger on Radio @ 9 this morning.

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  1. Delaware Dem says:
    January 21, 2009 at 9:11 am

    Maria saw RAM on the dais yesterday. I didn’t. Did anyone else see her?

  2. Delaware Dem says:
    January 21, 2009 at 9:13 am

    Maria is right. The Obamas did not know about RAM. Viti is right. It was payback to RAM for Kaufman.

  3. Maria Evans says:
    January 21, 2009 at 9:30 am

    DD the pic of RAM at the inaugural is on the talkblog.

  4. Susan Regis Collins says:
    January 21, 2009 at 9:47 am

    It was a very sour note, indeed, to an otherwise glorious day seeing RAM. Okay so it was ‘payback’ for Kaufman….did she deserve a seat directly behind Mrs. Obama? She should have been seated with the V.P.’s family. That way she could have rubbed Beau’s arm….I’m sure it must have been sore from all that waving he did while marching in the parade. 🙂

  5. Lee Ann, Public Servant says:
    January 21, 2009 at 9:57 am

    She was there with her oldest son, as a guest of the Bidens. So what? Now you’re telling him who he should invite and where they should sit?

    You won, you won, you won. Bush is gone, Bush is gone, Bush is gone. Jack’s governor, Jack’s governor, Jack’s governor . . . quit spewing.

  6. Mike Matthews says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:00 am

    Lee Ann,

    It’s much more serious than that. It’s clear that Minner was coerced into choosing Kaufman to be Biden’s replacement. It’s clear, also, that this was obviously a payoff (the cushy seat at the inauguration) for allowing Joe Biden to pick his own replacement. This is just as scummy as what happened in Illinois, except there wasn’t any money involved.

  7. Maria Evans says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:00 am

    Unqualified people in merit jobs, another reason RAM will go down in history as one of the worst Governors in Delaware history.

  8. anonone says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:12 am

    It’s clear that Minner was coerced into choosing Kaufman to be Biden’s replacement. It’s clear, also, that this was obviously a payoff (the cushy seat at the inauguration) for allowing Joe Biden to pick his own replacement.

    There you go again, Mike, just making stuff up with no evidence at all to support it. Just maybe Joe and Ruth Ann have been friends and colleagues for decades and that is why he got her a seat.

  9. Mike Matthews says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:19 am

    A1,

    Bugger off, OK? She was no longer our governor as of yesterday afternoon when the inauguration occurred.

    Joe and Ruth Ann are not friends. I’ve heard this from two dozen sources, half of whom are elected officials I spoke with at Return Day this year. Am I going to name my sources? No, so get over it quick, fast, and in a hurry.

    Joe was in NCC politics in the late 60s, early 70s. Ruth Ann was Sussex County and got elected in the 70s to State Senate, when Joe was sent to Washington. Their only relationship is professional.

    Don’t be so friggin’ dense, OK? It’s very clear that Minner was “gently prodded” into choosing Kaufman so Beau could run in 2010. Hell, Biden has said this in MANY interviews that he’d like his son to win his seat.

    Sometimes I honestly don’t get you. You’ve got some morbid fascination with me, which leads me to believe we’ve met before.

  10. anonie says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:26 am

    The conspiracy theories get more ridiculous by the day. Come on. Trade a Senate seat for an Inaugural ticket? Too funny. That’s just downright ludicrous.

  11. Mike Matthews says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:29 am

    Anonie,

    Of course, I don’t feel that was the sole motivator. Frankly, I don’t think Minner really gave a damn. More like this:

    Biden: “Gov. Minner, I’m the next vice-president. I have power, so I get to pick my replacement.”

    Minner: “Oakily, doakily, Joe. Whatever you say.”

    Biden: “Good girl.”

    Minner: “Can I get a ticket to the inauguration?”

    Biden: “Is that all you want? Can be arranged…”

  12. cassandra_m says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:32 am

    It’s clear that Minner was coerced into choosing Kaufman to be Biden’s replacement.

    I don’t know about the coercion part of this, but all throughout the many Biden replacement discussions, I said over and over again that Biden would either run the board on this decision or have final approval. Frankly, I have no idea how anyone can look at the political chess board in this State and not see that. The pieces on this Chess board were the same ones who decided that it was Minner’s turn oh so long ago. Biden was always going to have a very big say and veto power on the decision. Because that is the way that the machine crapola works and we all know that Minner wasn’t going to offend any of that.

    The real stories here folks is the curtain being pulled back some on the stupid machine politics AND how that highlights the ways that the people who are supposed to represent us can commandeer the system for their own purposes.

  13. anon says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:33 am

    Deep Thought: Joe Biden may have done us all a favor by engineering Kaufman as a placeholder.

    Because if Joe had stayed out and left Dems to fight it out over that seat – Carper would fill the power vacuum and go to any length to get a Lieberman clone appointed rather than an actual Democrat.

  14. anonone says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Sure Mike, unnamed sources. First you imply a quid pro quo – a senate seat for a seat at the inauguration. Then you say that he “coerced” her. In what way did he “coerce” her? How do your unnamed *cough*imaginary*cough* sources say he did that? What does “gently prodded” mean?

    Biden would like his son to win his seat. No kiddin’. Fine, let him run and the voters decide. Biden was a senator for 3 decades and the VP Elect – of course I’d expect his suggestion to carry some weight with Minner – why wouldn’t it? So she accepted his suggestion – there is nothing wrong, unethical or illegal about that.

    I think that it is perfectly reasonable to expect the sitting Governor of the Vice President Elect’s home state to be invited to be in his party at the Inauguration, friends or not. It would probabaly have been a slight if he hadn’t. Implying something unethical or illegal without any evidence to support it is slander, not reporting or commentary.

    You’re rapidly becoming Delaware’s own Rush Limbaugh

  15. Reis says:
    January 21, 2009 at 11:02 am

    A1, there are none so blind as those who will not see.

  16. anonone says:
    January 21, 2009 at 11:10 am

    By the way, Mike since this is so “serious” and you’re accusing the sitting VP and the former Governor of “coercion” and a quid quo pro for a senate seat and it is “just as scummy as what happened in Illinois” and you have “sources” to back it up, and since you’re not a journalist, it really is your duty as a citizen to report this to a federal prosecutor.

    Not. Holding. My. Breath.

  17. Unstable Isotope says:
    January 21, 2009 at 11:31 am

    I think Biden chose his successor and Minner went along with it. I think it’s for the reasons that Cassandra states – she’s not a boatrocker and Biden was the VP-elect. I don’t think Minner being a guest at the Inauguration is surprising at all. Almost all Democratic officials were there. The only ones who weren’t welcome were Blagojevich and John Edwards.

  18. Reis says:
    January 21, 2009 at 11:32 am

    Now I know what that smell is.

  19. Mike Matthews says:
    January 21, 2009 at 11:57 am

    “The real stories here folks is the curtain being pulled back some on the stupid machine politics AND how that highlights the ways that the people who are supposed to represent us can commandeer the system for their own purposes.”

    Cassandra says exactly what I was aiming for. This is what I meant to say, A1. So get over yourself.

  20. R Smitty says:
    January 21, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    I think part of the rub is the exact timing. She was a private citizen by that point, meaning it’s preferential treatment (hey, just explaining, not accusing) for being a “good” governor (not as in good job – read on). In other words, she obeyed her command and was given a treat. I don’t find it all that controversial, except now the nation might know what fools we were to elect “that” to the Governor’s office.

    😆
    I slay me.

  21. Lee Ann, Public Servant says:
    January 21, 2009 at 12:19 pm

    Is this the same anonone trashing me elsewhere on this blog, yet here we are in agreement? Ain’t America grand?

    Also, as I have said before, what is so horrible about the Kaufman appointment? In terms of democracy, appointing a placeholder is preferable to appointing someone who will then hold the seat for 20-30 years — anyone interested in running should quit whining about Beau and throw their hat in. I don’t think it’s a slam dunk.

    And who the hell is Maria Evans? You don’t know a damn thing about my qualifications, girlfriend.

    Being out in the bitter cold has made me feisty.

  22. Miscreant says:
    January 21, 2009 at 12:39 pm

    “Being out in the bitter cold has made me feisty.”

    Make sure your lips don’t get stuck to anything.
    And, look sharp, you answer to Dave Small now.

    http://www.delawaretalkradio.com/talkblog/dave-small-to-be-named-acting-secretary-of-dnrec/

  23. anonone says:
    January 21, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    Lee Ann,

    what is so horrible about the Kaufman appointment?

    I agree. Hopefully, he’ll focus on serving the people of Delaware as he knows the lay of the Senate already, has offices and staff ready on day one, and is not distracted gearing up for a campaign. Also, he will probably vote in the same mostly liberal way that Biden did.

    If politics is the art of compromise, I think Kaufman was probably a good compromise. Better than Caroline Kennedy (if that happens).

    The downside is that we lost the opportunity for a couple of years of seniority if a non-placeholder had been chosen.

  24. Maria Evans says:
    January 21, 2009 at 6:33 pm

    Well now gosh, Lee Ann, I don’t remember mentioning your name anywhere, did you get a little uncomfortable with my “unqualified people in merit jobs” comment? Or was it something else I said?

    Minner’s administration held jobs open for child molesters while they sat in prison. She’s a disgrace. That alone should have kept her far, far away from the Obamas. And, while I’m on the subject, our AG shouldn’t be too pleased with her either.

  25. anon2700 says:
    January 21, 2009 at 7:24 pm

    Oooh, catfight between Crony and Clueless. Let’s watch…

  26. Miscreant says:
    January 21, 2009 at 7:46 pm

    Asshole.

  27. Maria Evans says:
    January 21, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    Enter the sexist…

  28. pandora says:
    January 21, 2009 at 8:29 pm

    I hate and despise the term “cat-fight.” It’s insulting, so knock it off!

  29. anon2700 says:
    January 21, 2009 at 8:34 pm

    My apologies. No sexism intended, I just liked the alliteration. Since Lee Ann isn’t a crony anymore, I withdraw that appelation as well.

  30. pandora says:
    January 21, 2009 at 8:49 pm

    Apology accepted.

  31. Lee Ann, public servant says:
    January 21, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    It always amazes me when people suddenly decide to get civil here. All the f bombs and derogatory names flying around and it’s “cat fight” that prompts an apology. Go figure.

  32. anonone says:
    January 21, 2009 at 10:01 pm

    Maybe ’cause the “f bomb” is gender neutral? 🙂

  33. Lee Ann, Public Servant says:
    January 22, 2009 at 6:24 am

    It’s not my job to be the apologist for Ruth Ann Minner, but sometimes I just have to laugh (Mike Matthews). All I will say to the folks with such piercing insight into the relationship between Biden and Minner is that there is a long-standing friendship that goes back to 72 and her helping Joe downstate. And Jill Biden and Ruth Ann are close, too. Does that mean that, as long-time politicians, there wasn’t some tacit tit for tat? No. Remember, she also was in Chicago on Election Night.

  34. anon2700 says:
    January 22, 2009 at 7:06 am

    And “tit for tat” isn’t offensive to anyone??? 😉

  35. Lee Ann, Public Servant says:
    January 22, 2009 at 7:18 am

    It’s more complicated than that. He remained her friend after virtually everyone else had abandoned her. I doubt any blatant, overt discussion transpired. This is my take; unlike Mike Matthews I don’t know for sure.

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