Karen Weldin Stewart (D) vs John Brady (R)
This is getting into some philosophical territory.
In part DelawareLiberal’s mission (though unstated) is to help Democrats get elected. Republicans have many assets at their disposal to help them get elected (like entire TV networks and radio stations), Democrats have a bunch of crappy blogs. So I take that part of that mission seriously. This is asymmetrical warfare.
However, we also call out shitty Democrats like Tom Carper much more frequently and with more gusto than Republican assets call out shitty Republicans.
I guess that confuses things a bit. It shouldn’t. In the absence of proof that a Democrat is a loser, a crook, or a crumb bum like John Atkins. We’ll take the side of the Democrat in any race against any Republican.
If my Republican’s think Brady would make a better Insurance Commissioner than Weldin Stewart, fine. Make that case. It is a free country.
Were you at the JCC debate? Ask Mike Matthews about it.
No & I will.
I’m not a Rethug and am much better looking the Smitty (and almost as much as DV), but I’ll reply. Quite frankly, Stewart’s claims of 20 years of insurance experience appear to be three years under Levinson 20 years ago as a clerk. Brady, on the other hand, lists extensive insurance experience in the Legislature and on behalf of various organizations.
Based on the two representations, one of which is 99% embellishment, I’m voting for Brady.
In addition, Stewart’s financial tie-in to Harris McDowell, and perhaps his mysterious R-Way organization, leaves a trail of slime I don’t want my insurance to slip upon. According to the debts and obligations to McDowell that Stewart has incurred, I don’t want to make McDowell the de facto Insurance Commissioner by putting in his faded flunky.
…and am much better looking the [than] Smitty…
*sigh* you just invalidated your entire argument after that.
Tom S.,
Do I know you?
No, but I shook your hand at the JCC debate and told you I enjoy reading your blog so I knew you were there and that you covered it.
Ahhh, yes! Thanks.
I just searched for it at DWA. Did you blog on it Mike?
I have worked with Brady on some projects related to law enforcement. He has extensive experience in drafting laws, and is well respected by legislators on both sides of the isle. If he is committed to an initiative, just stand back and watch it happen.
John Atkins was an arrogant prick when he was a Republican. There’s no reason to believe he’ll be otherwise as a Democrat.
No, but I commented here about it saying that Karen was, quite frankly, totally underwhelming in the debate. She stumbled multiple times and there were literally long stretches where she was unable to think of something to say. To say the least, it was really awkward.
How’s this for an argument: Brady knows what he’s talking about; KWS doesn’t. Her performance at the JCC debate had Democrats rolling their eyes.
Also, Brady is a progressive in the tradition of Tyler Nixon. At the JCC debate Brady described himself as a Republican Progressive and defined one as “A Republican who actually cares about people and wants to help them.”
Also, the ONLY reason Brady is a GOPer is because of something Gov. Carper did to him. That’s when he switched. Ask Brady about it. He’ll probably tell you why. Hopefully, you’ll share my anger at Carper about it.
You should interview Brady like you did KWS. You’ll see immediately that Brady is one of the smartest most compassionate people in DE.
Thanks for the food for thought. As for Carper, like I could have a lower opinion of him…..
“Republican Progressive…”
Seeding my discontent (think back to my post the other night) and giving me ideas.
I may need to contact John (after the election, that is). Hmm…
Well Jason, I’m outraged! The site said Delaware Liberal and that’s what I’m shopping for. I’ve been hoodwinked. I’ve been cheated! How in the world can a blog w/ liberal in it’s header gratuitously endorse D candidates, merely along registration lines? No, you’re kidding right? And your only disclaimer to that fame…”unless loser, crook, or crumb bum”? That’s not liberal…that’s lethal! Look at this little, small, state. Good government is doable. Weighted, informed decisions give liberals a gateway here—and progressives to really see some change. Default voting is one thing–no fault voting is a tragedy. Maybe a name change is in order to Delaware Deliberate. Man, I can’t believe you were all Democrats. Geez, where does a liberal R go from here?
OK-I’m back. Well of course DeLib takes a Democratic lean, you hardly hide it–but it sure is fun, watching you think and maybe reconsider a choice, and putting it out there. Good work all of you…Group hug?
Phew….for a minute I felt a bit like one of the guys in the lifeboats after the Titanic sunk and Republicans like Brady, Smitty and JC keep swimming up to the side saying, “You have room, have mercy.” and I’m all, “We really don’t but gosh you could have told Captians Bush and Castle not to hit the iceberg in the first place…they would have listened to you.”
Funny, you included Brady–good call. But get out of the boat..remember it was women and children first!
John Brady is a deliberate and circumspect person. John is aware of the inequities of the world and seeks solutions to issues regardless of how difficult it might be.
Insurance in many ways is a very procedural business which John has the temperament for and he also has the passion to do serve all equally.
With John as Insurance Commissioner businesses and individuals will get a fair shake.
I have to say that Mike Protack’s endorsement is a big negative for Brady in my book. I’m very concerned hearing about KWS’s resume and debate problems. I’m definitely in favor in hearing an interview with Brady if he’s willing. If not, no vote from me. I may just not vote for anyone in this race, just like I’m sitting out the County Council President race.
I’ve known John Brady for years. I do not know Karen Weldin Stewart except to see her. As such these are just observations about John to let you know a bit more about him. They are NOT an endorsement. If I knew the lady, I’d tell you about her too.
John Brady is smart, highly driven and has an innate understanding of political issues and personal relationships. He has written, literally, thousands of pieces of legislation concerning nearly every subject in the Delaware Code. He consistently has held, like the old “In Living Color” sketch, “15 jobs, mon!” In addition to being a busy private attorney, House of Representatives counsel and row office holder in Sussex County, he teaches bar review courses, occasionally works as a night clerk at a Rehoboth hotel, and every Christmas volunteers as a campus police dispatcher at his alma mater so others can spend time with their families.
If there is one significant criticism of John it is that he likes to fiddle in everything, meaning that his mind is constantly looking for something to keep it occupied – thus the billion and one avocations at the same time. He is also congenitally late for everything, which is probably a direct function of being involved in way too many things.
My take is that he is looking for one job to consume all of him at once.
“I’m definitely in favor in hearing an interview with Brady if he’s willing. If not, no vote from me.”
I did one here:
http://delawarewatch.blogspot.com/2008/07/john-brady-best-candidate-for-insurance.html
Thanks, Dana. I’ll take a listen to it.
I just want to state for the record that an hour after I was on the Mascitti show grousing about the negative push polls coming from the Republican Party I received a call at home from John Brady. He basically apologized for this type of tactic although he had nothing to do with it. He told me he didn’t condone such tactics and felt I was being unfairly attacked. He refuted using such tactics and I think he is a class act. My impressions of Karen still hold true but John Brady is a class act and a very bright fellow and his actions that day deserve recognition.
John Kowalko
Some how I just don’t think an endorsement from Mr. Pink is a good thing.
Especially someone defending McCain repeatedly
dis,
not
even
close
That’s because you keep using skewed, hotness push polls, DV.
In all honesty, it is entirely the responsibility of the candidates to “make the case” why they are the more qualified candidate. The fact that Karen Weldin-Stewart keeps the details of her work-experience so guarded is more than a little concerning, and as a moderate Democrat it makes give someone like John Brady a closer look. It’s always on the candidates to prove their case to the voters, not vice versa.
Jerry, I have known Karen Weldin Steward for many years. The reason why she keeps her supposed work experience so guarded is because everything in her resume and in her campaign literature is a lie. If anyone would talk to her supposed employers, she would be out of the race in a flash. Stewart was never a VP of any Fortune 500 company. Neither is she a business owner. Her “Weldin Group” is a “group” of one, herself. She has never taken over “20 insolvent insurance companies as a virtual CEO.” During most of the last ten years, Stewart was either unemployed or worked in retail stores as a clerk. Were Stewart ever to speak in a forum where she did not have or would be forced to deviate from a prepared script, her lack of any meaningful post-secondary education would become obvious. She is unable to write a cogent sentence, let alone a paragraph or an entire document. I cannot imagine that she authored any kind of legislation as she claims in her campaign literature. It is amazing that her opponents have not managed to discover this easy to prove information and to shortcircuit Stewart’s candidacy for insurance commissioner, as she could not be less qualified to manage and regulate the insurance affairs of the State of Delaware.