Rethugs Already Crying That D’s Are Playing the ‘Age’ Card

Somebody better get the waahmbulance ready to transport Mike Castle to Stonegates. National Rethug aparatchiks are already crying Beowulf (or is that ‘Grey Wolf’ or ‘Dale Wolf’) at the perception that D’s are playing the age card on Metamucil Mike, according to Plum Line’s Greg Sargent:

“It strikes us as a very questionable line of attack to make age an issue when you consider that in that very same media market, the Democrats have a candidate in Arlen Specter who is almost 10 years older and first ran for office in 1965,” NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh emailed. Delaware and Pennsylvania share some media markets. (Memo to Rethugs: Age IS a legit issue, especially when taken in the context of one’s ability to serve a six-year term, and especially if there’s a Joe Sestak waiting in the wings.)

Republicans are already using this to paint Dems as disrespectful of the elderly. “I can’t imagine this will sit well with Delaware voters when you consider the high regard Congressman Castle is held in and his distinguished record of public service,” Walsh said, confirming the NRSC would keep up this line of attack.

Hmmm, far be it from me to point out how flawed this strategy is, but does it really help Castle for the Rethugs to assist the echo chamber in reinforcing that he’s been in elective politics for 42 years, and that he’s getting up there, even by Vicmead Hunt Club standards?  Just one brief health issue like Bill Roth’s fainting spell, and the issue is even more front and center than the R’s have already  ensured (or is that Ensured?) that it is. And isn’t nominating someone who works to deny affordable health care to tens of millions of Americans more disrespectful to the elderly than anything the D’s are alleged to have done?

There are pitfalls, however, in a strategy pitting (relatively) youthful challengers vs over-the-hill incumbents. Cale Boggs cleaned Joe Biden’s clock and Bill Roth wiped up the Federal Reserve’s floor with Tom Carper. Wait, did I get that right, or do I need to take that that memory stuff, gingko, eukanuba, eye of Newt…?