Mike Castle has regrets
Mike Castle really needs to let it go. He stated today that he regretted not running a write in campaign, in response to a question at a forum in Wilmington, especially now in hindsight, knowing that Lisa Murkowski has appeared to have won her write in campaign in Alaska over her teabagger opponent. But hindsight is 20/20. Apparently Mike Castle forgets that he polled a possible three way write in campaign. When the poll was being conducted, his campaign spokesman estimated that Castle’s chances of success were at best 5%. And when the results of that poll were announced, that spokesman was prescient, as Castle was only polling at 5%, while Coons was leading O’Donnell 49% to 40%. So Castle wisely decided against the write in campaign, as he would most assuredly would not win, but such a campaign would increase the chances that O’Donnell would win.
Mike, take your cue from Nancy Pelosi, and have no regrets. You did the right thing. You did your part in saving Delaware, and America, from Christine O’Donnell.
Alas, I fear these regrets will propel Mike Castle into another showdown with Christine O’Donnell in 2012. Because you just know that Christine O’Donnell will be running for what may or may not be an open seat in 2012. And Castle, with these regrets, may feel a rematch is necessary.
Let it go, Mike. You said when you considering retiring a year ago that your wife longed for Florida’s beaches. I think you both deserve that, rather than thinking about regrets or Christine O’Donnell.
Castle still fumbling in the dark for his man-pants:
What a dick.
Will Castle come out of retirement in 2 years to challenge Carney?
The NCCo Council election is a closed election I believe meaning the county parties each select a candidate-plus serving at the local level is so beneath COD…..
Ease off. He’s a competitor. He allowed a moment of public honesty. He sees guys whom he would have beaten preparing to take their oaths of office. I value candor when it comes from Joe Biden, Jimmy Rollins or Mike Castle.
Point taken. I understand the competitive aspect, but fear he will waste valuable time chasing it. Much like Brett Favre.
a) He would have lost big as a write in and might have fucked things up enough to throw the thing to O’Donnell.
b) Head to head against Coons he would have been favored, but would not have been a shoe in.
c) What a dick.
Mike said what you’d expect a competitor to say in response to the question posed — given what happened in Alaska …. — on the morning after.
I’ve watched Mike for 30 years and I think he’s on his way to becoming an elder statesman — a voice whose moderation may ultimately be more respected than other living ex-governors on the left (Russ Peterson) and on the right (Pete du Pont). He’s still adjusting to his new reality.
Castle would’ve stole the race! It was inevitable that O’Donnell was going to turn numerous people off as the weeks after the primary went on. Moreover, the ‘original’ polls pre-primary, had Castle easily beating Coons.
Because of the ‘unusualness’ of this election year, Castle would’ve earned the establishment GOP vote, Castle would’ve won the voter block who ‘thought COD was unqualified’ vote; and, Castle would’ve won the voter block who thought ‘Coons was too liberal’ vote. There would not be any ‘cancelling each other out’ non-sense.
I said this all along. Murkowski is proving me right. It was The TEA PARTY EXPRESS who propelled COD past Castle; Murkowski learned that the hard way. She even ‘Warned’ Castle of the TPE’s influence and hard-ball tactics. However, his campaign strategists did not heed Murkowski’s warning.
Mike was too nice. Ran a conservative campaign, left a lot of money in the kitty and failed to employ the John McCain strategy of ‘moving right’ in his bid against ultra-conservative JD Hayworth in Arizona. McCain left no resources on the table. Conversely, Castle was the gentleman who believed in the ‘Delaware Way.’ Sadly, he learned a career-ending lesson the ‘Hard Way.’
“…on his way to becoming an elder statesman — a voice whose moderation may ultimately be more respected than other living ex-governors…”
“Elder statesman”, my ass. I’ll always remember him as one whose true character was revealed when he bitterly crumbled in defeat.
I am a Castle supporter, but running as a write-in would have been a mistake.
It is hard to get a feel for how many people voted for her, or simply were the normal votes against the Democrats. But either way he would have had to split democrat votes with Coons, and I do not see that happening in this environment. I think the Democrats would have seen it as helping COD.
I am a conservative and I understand the frustration of living in Sussex as a Republican. All you can really do is make a protest vote in the general elections.
The only time Biden came to Sussex was to visit his beach house. I once called his office and asked if he was planning any events in Sussex county, and they all but laughed at me.
I actually will not be voting for any Republicans in the state until the 9/12 Patriots give up. And I hope alot of the Independents register republican just to make sure the Primary does not get hijacked again.
@paratrooper:
I am a conservative and I understand the frustration of living in Sussex as a Republican. All you can really do is make a protest vote in the general elections.
oh honey – try living in sussex as a progressive democrat – we’re lucky to survive another day
Slightly off topic ( though, Castle’s chances were alluded here). Here is Christine O’Donnell talking about her chances of becoming senator at the right wing version of “Netroots nation” (rightonline, I think.) This was in July.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syRR7Vby5PE
For the money clip, go to :50 and 1:25. It’s really funny when you listen to this after the election. “This could be a winner takes all primary election”- Christine O’Donnell.
She is such an idiot.
But she gave us “man-pants.”
Christine,
My eyes will not lose sight of thee,
but,
languish after thine,
and gag at gazing.
I’m with Jason that Castle wouldn’t have necessarily won against Coons. Castle obviously didn’t inspire enough passion to win the primary. Would he have inspired passion to win the general, especially if Coons had run a fire-breathing Democrat campaign? It’s all about turnout.
I’m very suspicious of those polls showing Castle beating Coons by a lot. It’s easy to have good ratings when you’re not actually having to take unpopular stances on things. Some of the lead was from nostalgia and people who were upset at the way things went down in the Republican primary.
I still think Castle would have been the favorite to win the general if he had survived the primary but I think O’Donnell showed that Castle was rusty in his retail politics game and had some vulnerabilities that Coons could have exploited.
Mike Castle will be part of the 2012 Republican wave that knocks Obama out of the White House and gives the Republicans a strong majority in the Senate. Mike Castle, your new 2012 Senator from Delaware.
If Dems had run fire-breathing Democratic campaigns Nancy Pelosi would still be Speaker.
Mike Tyson: “Everybody’s got a plan, until they get punched in the face.”
Castle’s retail weakness has been common knowledge for years, but has been helpfully accommodated by Dems at every election, until Coons. But now Coons vs. Castle is one of those fantasy league matchups we can only speculate on.
“Mike Castle will be part of the 2012 Republican wave that knocks Obama out of the White House and gives the Republicans a strong majority in the Senate.”
Against Carper? That comment must be a drive-by from out of state. If Castle didn’t have enough ground game to beat Christine O’Donnell, how is he going to turn out enough votes to defeat the state’s all-time #1 vote-getter?
Castle vs. Carper will never happen. Carper told Castle in 2000 that he would not run for senate if Castle was the repub nominee. However, Roth refused to step aside and retire gracefully, and the rest is history. There is a mutual respect there that would prevent any head to head. I could only see a run against Carney in ’12…
bwwwaaaaahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!
Sounds like someone’s resume isn’t getting any call backs from K-Street.
I think Castle will find he likes retirement. He can throw grenades from the sidelines without any resposibility. Plus, how old is he now? Do you think he’s going to run as a 70+ year-old for a House seat? I think he already burned that bridge.
Like I said before, 2 years from now will look very different than now. Obama will be on the ticket again so it won’t be as much as a Republican wave. In media fantasy-land grown-up Republicans will find some inner maturity and try to govern. Meanwhile, in the real world, they’ll just be gridlock and partisan sniping.
As someone who worked for the General Assembly from DuPont through Minner, I think that Mike Castle was the best Governor the State had during that period. He was especially good on the environment, and was key in revitalizing Wilmington’s riverfront. Although he ended up in Congress,you never got the sense that he was ‘just passing through’, as you did from Carper, whose aides would scrunch up their noses at having to ‘slum it’ in Dover.
So, thanks, Mike, enjoy your ‘elder statesman’ status. Here’s hoping that you follow in the footsteps of Russ Peterson, and continue to make a real difference. Not to mention, Russ is a Democrat now. You might want to think about it…
You gotta admit it would have made the debates with Christine even higher comedy than they were.
Castle got two extended ovations at the Democratic rally in downtown Wilmington on election night, each following a salute during the victory speeches from the newly-elected members of Delaware’s Congressional delegation.
DD – I just caught this now, so to go back to your assertion that he, …reemerged today to announce that he regretted not running a write in campaign… isn’t quite accurate and makes him sound disingenuous in a moment where he really wasn’t. He was part of a panel at this forum at Loma (3rd and Market – the location of the former Perky Bean). The panel had many people, including Gov Markell and Mayor Baker (and others). There was an opportunity for questions to be asked and that question, given the Alaska Senate scenario, was pointed right at him. The similarities are obvious and it’s a legit question for someone in the media to ask.
Given Alaska, I think it’s expected for him to think “what if” and have at least some regrets. His regret, IMO, is more so that he didn’t rally the moderates enough, nor work on getting his larger “I” contingent to go “R” for the primary; less so that he didn’t mount a write-in campaign.
Mike is entitled to a moment of public regret. But he won’t run again. Public service sux too much, these days.
I doubt Castle could have won as a write-in given the numbers; however, had Castle run, it might have made the difference for Kovach, Rhodunda, Beth Miller (how the held did DUI Bennett win?), and maybe Spence. Bonini might have won as well. O’Donnell received the fewest votes of any republican statewide candidate in 2010 and clearly had a negative impact on the rest of the ticket.
I love the fact that she was on CNN claiming that with a stronger ticket she would have done better. She was the top of the ticket, but, as always, refuses to take personal rsponsibility for anything.
I remember when Castle Supported Mccain/Palin 2008.
What is with DL and the handjobs they are giving de’s GOP lately?
You’re right hereagain–and it was a soundbyte way too embellished by folks here.
I would be interested to know though–how many people voted, and just voted for no one in the senator spot. I was surprised a couple of people told me they were going to do that, with Mike gone–and just pass it up.
Looking at the numbers, people were much more likely to skip the other races than the Senate race.
OK, Joanne, you made me curious so I added up the numbers according to the Dept. of Elections.
number of votes per race (statewide)
U.S. Senate: 307,225
U.S. House: 305,502
Attorney General: 258,309
Treasurer: 300,103
Auditor: 279,614
Some people sat out AG and votes drop off as we go down the ticket.
DV, how am I giving him a handjob again? I am saying I don’t want him to run. For my own selfish reasons
I suppose I could say he should be killed, since he is a Republican, but I got into a bit of trouble with that the last time, if you recall.
Thanks UI–you investigative mind you :)!!!!
RSmitty, I see what you are saying. The way I put it it sounds like held a press conference. Gotcha.
I edited the sentence to the following:
He stated today that he regretted not running a write in campaign, in response to a question at a forum in Wilmington, especially now in hindsight, knowing that Lisa Murkowski has appeared to have won her write in campaign in Alaska over her teabagger opponent.
DD wrote “You did your part in saving Delaware, and America, from Christine O’Donnell.” Funny, I must have missed his endorsement of Chris Coons or Joe Biden in 2008.
Mike Castle has always been of two minds about everything.
Well, he announced he wasn’t voting for her. That was the cue to his moderate supporters that it was ok to support Chris. So, yes, no explicit endorsement, but I did not expect him to that.
Why would Castle endorse Coons? The fact he didn’t endorse O’Donnell was enough to make his point. You know, sometimes it isn’t necessary to get into someone’s face to make a point. And sometimes that approach is more effective.
Then he didn’t do his part. He weaseled out of it because he is a weasel, he has always been a weasel, and that’s what weasels do.
How is it a Republicans “part” to endorse a Democrat?
I’m no Castle fan, but what you’re demanding is silly.
What I am saying is that DD’s writing that Castle “did his part in saving Delaware, and America, from Christine O’Donnell” is total poppycock. He didn’t even try hard to beat her in the primary.
And what I am saying that Castle’s not running a write in campaign, which he did consider, and his saying that he would not vote for Christine, were his contributions in defeating Christine O’Donnell.
Of course, as a typical purist, that does not go far enough for you, and Castle had to exactly what you wanted him to do in order for you not to criticize him.
Yo DD, that was a nice little piece. I guess you’re saying that as a defeated Republican it was his interest to stay out and better serve the Dems, as a write in candidacy would help COD. He spent most of his career helping the Dems. If a write in campaign would help the GOP ballot, then he should have done it for his party. But that’s a typical Mike Castle. He’s been a closet Dem at least since the Reagan Revolution. I wish he would come out of the closet and change party affiliation and quit acting like a Republican when he’s really not one.
I’m sorry, I forgot that this is republican love week at Delaware Liberal.
Castle did what was good for Castle, like he always does. He ran a losing primary campaign against a nit-wit, and he knew he would have lost a write-in campaign to Coons, not O’Donnell. The R’s would have split and the D’s would have come home.
Alaska is a strong red-state; Delaware is not. Mike Castle would not have won as a write-in.
he knew he would have lost a write-in campaign to Coons, not O’Donnell. The R’s would have split and the D’s would have come home.
I see absolutely no evidence for this claim.
“Mike Castle would not have won as a write-in.”
which is why he didnt run…… a1, you DO know the election happened, right?…. castle didnt run, o’donnell lost… you know that right?
pandora, when was the last time a Senate Candidate won a write-in vote before Murkowsky? And she was helped because Miller totally self-destructed in Alaska.
strom thurmond?
I never said that Castle would win. I’m questioning your assumption that a Castle write-in would have led to a Coons’ win.
yeah, that is totaly bogus. COD would have gotten the same ammount of votes…. maybe a few points less, and coons and castle would have split the rest.
i think A1 must be from the same part of Delaware COD is from.
pandora, we disagree on a moot point.
Yes, there have been 3 successful write-in Senate candidates in U.S. history, the last one before Murkowsky was Strom Thurmond in 1954. Thanks, a.price.
Castle is a self-serving weasel. That’s all.
We posted the whole interview we did with Castle at the event yesterday at our website- dfmnews.org in case you are interested in all Castle said.
“He weaseled out of it because he is a weasel, he has always been a weasel, and that’s what weasels do.”
Truth! Some of his ‘moderate’ ball washers would have you believe he’s on his way to elder statesmanship. He ran an arrogant and ineffectual primary campaign, got his ass spanked, then refused to endorse the winner, and is still bending over for the Democrats. That’s his legacy.
You know what I love about this thread (sarcasm alert)…
For months, “Staffy”, Burris, and I had to deal with the EQ’s of the DE political world calling us leftist-commie-libs, because we weren’t on board with their kamikaze train of destruction. In the wake of a Delaware earthquake that undeniably shifted Delaware continental plates to the left of center, I see purists accusing many here of Republican love and effectively accusing them of being anything to the right of liberal-democrat.
At least I got friends. Welcome to the club, buds!!!
Micreant – I hate the notion that you should be forced/expected to endorse the winner of the primary. She should have worked to bring every one of us into her camp, rather than expect us to line up like lemmings and fall off cliffs to support her. “The GOP didn’t support me!” (waaah). No, CoD, you really didn’t (and don’t) give a rat’s ass about the many out here who are not blind loyalists to the intolerant-right!
Why should you just blindly support a primary winner, especially when that person is unpalatable to many like you (meaning like Castle). It went far beyond the fact that she won the primary. There was some nasty shizzit that occured behind the scenes the her camp engaged in and some right out in front. I’m not speaking of what nowadays can be considered typical negative campaigning. There were outright threats to get people fired because they supported Castle. How that actually could have been followed through is beyond me, but it was laid out there. Considering the threats that came from her campaign during the general (“I WILL CRUSH YOU”), don’t doubt that it happened. I don’t doubt it, because I saw it and experienced it. To do all that crap, then more-or-less claim, “let’s be friend’s” afterward is nothing but a pompous and somewhat narcissistic approach to reality. She did nothing, NOTHING to earn support from Castle with the way that behind-the-scenes aspect of her campaign was run.
It came down to personal dignity vs party loyalty. Her primary campaign was built on exaggerations, lies, bullying, and worse: passive aggressive rants and innuendo. If he coalesced to her, he would have then sold himself out to politics and for what? The hell with that. What was more disappointing to me was that DuPont endorsed her. He did it with his nose pinched, but he did it. He lost a lot of respect from me for doing that, too. Principles be damned, it’s party time! Eff that. That’s far more spineless than saying “F*CK YOU Christine O’Donnell!”
I say good for Castle in not endorsing her. I also say bueno to that list of Republicans who supported Coons. Yeah, that hurts my standing, but so what, like I give a crap. I got my spine, it’s strong, and I can still look in the mirror and say that I did it right. So can Castle.
F*CK YOU, Christine O’Donnell!
You rock, Smitty!
Sing it, Smitty.
“He ran an arrogant and ineffectual primary campaign, got his ass spanked, then refused to endorse the winner, and is still bending over for the Democrats. That’s his legacy.”
From your keypad to the state GOP’s brain trust. The more conservative the statewide candidate, the worse the statewide candidate did. Wagner won, Bonini didn’t, and don’t think that’s a difference in name recognition; both have low name recognition upstate. Wagner is the last “moderate” Republican, and the last one standing in statewide office. I’m sure the Democrats would prefer you not notice that.
Is it safe for Dave Burris to come out now?
Yeah, what pandora and UI said, Smitty!
“Micreant – I hate the notion that you should be forced/expected to endorse the winner of the primary. She should have worked to bring every one of us into her camp, rather than expect us to line up like lemmings and fall off cliffs to support her. “The GOP didn’t support me!” (waaah). No, CoD, you really didn’t (and don’t) give a rat’s ass about the many out here who are not blind loyalists to the intolerant-right!”
Well said Smitty.
The O’Donnell crowd cried and whined about people being forced to support the party choice at the convention. They then turned around and said that Republicnas owed her support after the primary. The truth is a whole bunch of Republicans did not want to support her.
Having an R after your name on the voter’s roles and voting in a primary does not condemn you to a life of servitude. Individual Republicans voted against COD especially in New Castle County.
I guess it was Tom Ross and the party bosses who cost COD this election.
I guess it was Tom Ross and the party bosses who cost COD this election.
heh…
yeah, and it was too sunny…
…and chilly…
…and too Novembery…
…and that the Primary isn’t the final election of the process (who authorized a General election, anyway?)…
…and Ginger, can’t forget about Ginger…
…Rick Jensen’s momentary lapse into lucidity…
…and Dan Gaffney and his mean questions…
…and AIR! Living, breathing people actually voted! I mean, WTF was that?!
All that…all that is why I lost! -CoD.
Nice, if somewhat over-rationalized, response Smitty. I’ll try to get back later (family calls), or not. In the meantime, I never doubted you have a spine, one that is so flexible from bending over to show the liberals how progressive and moderate you are. And, you’re right about Castle not having to automatically endorse the elected candidate for his party. Based on decades of pandering to the liberals in New Castle County, he did just as I expected he would, cementing his legacy as a spineless coward. And you seem to be his bastard son.
Ah, Miscreant. Suck it up, son, your Crusader Christine shot the ticket down the toilet. Hate NCCo all you want, but when you accept reality, a Republican in Delaware has almost (“almost”) no shot whatsoever at a statewide seat if they can’t handle being pragmatic and in the minimum accept that “moderate” is a huge deal.
I’m not saying a Conservative-Core-Value has zero shot, but when you pretend or literally deny that moderates don’t matter, well, then pack it up, because you’ll never get beyond your local district. It’s Delaware and it’s 2010.
As far as “flexible” spine, well, I don’t recall me pandering to CoD or her camp or the like. I have some issues with Castle and his political career, such as not building the party, but overall, I haven’t complained, not before not now. One thing I never did and never will do, is change my stripes because someone else is at the top.
I thought you had more of a sense of reality, but sorry about my mistake.
Ooo, missed this one…
Based on decades of pandering to the liberals in New Castle County, he did just as I expected he would, cementing his legacy as a spineless coward. And you seem to be his bastard son.
Why is it, that when someone stands up to your glourious ideologues, they are spineless cowards? Is that just the simple way to deal with avoiding the points of opposition brought forth? It’s par for the course, tho.
…one that is so flexible from bending over to show the liberals how progressive and moderate you are…
Yeah…sure…
I’ve made a good habit of making Republicans aware of this, as well. As soon as the response to me could be read from a bullet-point list and being repeatedly told I had a right to be there but to never speak, I realize the debate was long over.
Gee whiz, Wally, sorry if this makes you sad, but maybe you and Mrs Cleaver (I know, she was the mother) can go bake some pies and pretend your back in the coservative ’50’s!