Is Sean Barney planning a late October surprise or something?
I’m asking, because I’m not seeing much campaigning. Is it me? Is Sean Barney absolutely crushing it outside of lower New Castle County? Granted, my interest in this campaign is minimal, so my political radar isn’t constantly scanning the horizon – but that makes me a normal voter this round.
Or maybe this is the strategy, keep a low profile and just ride the registration advantage to a win? If anyone has some insight into this race, I’d be eager to hear it.
He is keeping a low profile while Simpler is running a very visible campaign…Barney will probably win by double digits simply by voter laziness and straight ticket voting habits, not because voters actually paid attention to campaigns.
Unrelated thought, but I would love for someone to make an infographic on Delaware’s political-position-swapping merry-go-round, I think it would look like a game of chutes and ladders.
Is this based on the gold standard of Yard Signs per Hectare? Curious to hear what you’re using to measuring activity.
It is more of a gut level thing. I asked my younger son, “Who is running for Treasurer?” and he only knew Simpler. I haven’t seen Barney in the Transcript. Our house has been push polled twice by either Simpler, Wade or Izzo. I’m guessing it was Simpler, but I couldn’t be sure based on the questions.
I don’t need a door knock – but you can kind of tell when someone isn’t working hard for your vote, can’t you?
Do you know who appears to be running hard? Claire Snyder-Hall
http://clairefordelaware.com/author/claire-snyder-hall/
When you can loan yourself a few hundred thousand, it’s easier to be seen and heard.
Ah, the ol’ gut ruler. Barney has raised ~$200k across the Primary and General elections. That’s pretty darn good for a down-ballot candidate in a midterm election, and when there’s not a whole lot of attention (aka money) to go around, a lot of it has been on other offices. Looking at his finance reports, it doesn’t look like any of that money came particularly easily, and likely came from individual conversations on the phone, or at fundraising events (judging from pictures on facebook, he’s been anything but low profile). Comparatively, Simpler has been able to lend himself $230k. I would imagine that’s a really nice luxury in a campaign – being able to both spend that money and not having to spend time getting that money.
Barney hasn’t been absent from events, he hasn’t been absent from fundraising; rather, you just noticed that you’ve received some garbage push polls and your son could only name one candidate for the office. And this clears your bar for what constitutes a blog post on a race you’re admittedly not very interested in.
Simpler can afford to start paid communications earlier because he’s a one-percenter. Barney still has ample cash on hand. There’s plenty of information out there to make an informed opinion about the situation – and even write some interesting analysis – if you spent ten minutes on it rather than just throwing the first thing that comes to mind on a Monday morning on your blog and calling it “the normal voters’ perspective”.
Yep. The behind the scenes stuff is interesting to know but doesn’t change the normal voter’s reality.
I hope I’m wrong about this. You’ve given me the sense that I may be – but I’d rather his campaign gave me that feeling.
Jason330 – You linked to a website for Claire that hasn’t seen a new post in 60+ days, presumably as evidence of her activity? Claire’s great, and I know that she’s been out there pounding turf, but to you in your “Normal Voter” shoes, why does a stale website give the appearance of “running hard”?
And you’re right, the behind the scenes stuff doesn’t change the normal voter’s reality. Which why it’s a good thing that a “normal voter’s reality” isn’t actually reality – otherwise I would stop reading polls and just count the number of yard signs to find out who’s winning. Don’t conflate visibility with support. I spoke with too many people who were honestly concerned that Romney would carry Delaware because they saw practically no Obama yard signs. In case you’re wondering, no, yard signs don’t have a measurable effect on candidate support (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MNznVNV8AoC77U5yzmz2WfXcYsFs-2ulwor7AXUckNc/edit).
Painesme is right about Barney’s activity. He’s doing a lot of fundraising and he’s letting the old-line party organizers do his talking for him. (See the recent letters to the editor in the NJ from Sonia Sloan and Joe Conaway.)
Couple that with the Carper-Markell ties and you can see his campaigning via endorsement, hoping the big-name associations and the party-registration advantage carry him to victory.
He’s not going to win on his messaging. This Fallujah stuff may play well with veterans (but not this one) because it has nothing to do with being a good treasurer. As I see it, Barney’s doing a great job of campaigning for adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, but that’s not an elected office.
As for Simpler, I guess it was inevitable that he would succumb to the hyperbolic exaggeration that is the defining characteristic of Republican candidates. Labeling Barney as a tool of Markell and Carper would have been sufficient; calling him a “lifetime government employee” isn’t going to help Simpler get the middle-of-the-road fence-sitters fall in his direction.
Pains,
I just Googled Claire Snyder-Hall and put up a link. My feeling isn’t t about a web sites anymore than it is about yard signs. It is woolly.
I’m nervous that Barney [and the “phone it in crew” on the top of the ticket (and the utterly crappy national Democratic Party)] is giving Simpler an opening.
I wish I had access to some polling, but that might not be helpful because a down-ticket race like this would have a huge “undecided” element.
Mr. Third Way and his “team” have run one of the most terrible campaigns in party history. No one knows who Barney is just two weeks from an election. All of the polling on our side shows Simpler up – it’s the conversation du jour at every event I’ve been to — and our voters have no urgency or reason to come out and vote. Carper Jr. and his Third Way cronies are not only going to cost us the Treasurer’s seat, they’re going to push Wagner over the line, too. Two opportunities wasted by a lazy, ineffective campaign.
Since Carper hasn’t had to campaign for anything for nearly 30 years maybe he thinks that is how you do it ?
There are some who might tell you that, win or lose next month, the prime objective of Barney’s campaign — the removal of Chip Flowers from the Delaware political landscape — has already been achieved.
I’m not saying this is Barney’s achievement, only that his presence in the race facilitated Chip’s departure. Nor am I crediting those who encouraged and stood behind Barney. The self-destruction was inevitable.
Given the diminishing and highly controlled responsibilities of the treasurer, it’s no big deal who the incumbent is. Simpler as treasurer has as much of a chance of making an impact on state government as Tom Wagner had as auditor.
Yes. The rich guy backed by the other super rich guy who writes six figure checks could win this race for public office against the guy who spent his life in some of public service and doesn’t have access to that kind of money.
If Bonini could come within two points of beating Chip last time, when Chip also spent hundreds of thousands of his own money, it’s certainly possible that this could end up for the Republicans if other Dems don’t start pushing.
Simpler’s gang is cutting legal corners, with its well-coordinated “independent expenditures,” atop Simpler’s own self-funding. @ MW: The GOP is hoping he’ll be its next Pierre S. IV, lingering by Silver Lake for a term or three, until a race for governor or senator becomes realistic . The good news: you can only vote once.
And can we make it less difficult to vote in Delaware?
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/graphics/2014-states-where-voting-is-easiest/
“The rich guy backed by the other super rich guy who writes six figure checks could win this race for public office against the guy who spent his life in some of public service and doesn’t have access to that kind of money.”
“Simpler’s gang is cutting legal corners, with its well-coordinated “independent expenditures,” atop Simpler’s own self-funding.”
Can I get an address for each of you so I know where to send the tissues? I didn’t hear a peep from either of you when Jack wrote himself a $750K check.
Also, “lifetime in public service?” The guy spent a huge chunk of time in school, working on campaigns and at a think tank. He deserves everyone’s praise and thanks for volunteering for military service. But we’re supposed to give him a halo for running Jack’s campaign, working at Third Way and answering Carper’s phones? I think he’s done 4 total years in actual, non-military government service.
@N..ham: Barney has access to plenty of money … all of Carper’s and Markell’s donors. If Chip had access to those sources, he wouldn’t have been financing campaigns out of his own checkbook.
@JM: well aware of GOP’s hopes for Simpler but the parallels with Pete end with their Princeton degrees.
“Given the diminishing and highly controlled responsibilities of the treasurer, it’s no big deal who the incumbent is.”
Maybe so, but I’d hate to simply hand Simpler an office with which to launch his political career.
Just an fyi. Claire Snyder-Hall is working very hard. She has personally knocked on thousands of doors, has been endorsed by SIEU, Emily’s List, ADA and others. Her volunteers are canvassing and making phone calls to be sure her constituents get out and vote on November 4th. Her correct website address is:
http://clairefordelaware.com/ . Thanks to everyone for voting and hopefully for voting for the Democratic candidates.
“All of the polling on our side shows Simpler up…”
Interesting if true. What is “up” relative to?
“He deserves everyone’s praise and thanks for volunteering for military service.”
Fuck that knob-polishing bullshit.
The trouble with Barney is I don’t want to launch his political career either.
“Interesting if true. What is “up” relative to?”
“Up,” meaning “in the lead.” Not by a ton, but it should never have happened in the first place that a Republican is in the lead in an open statewide seat in Delaware.
Good point. With Carper as his mentor – perhaps there is some part of him, a part he may not even be fully aware of, a vestigial sense of right and wrong, that doesn’t want to launch his career either.
That’s always the Republican advantage. They are unburdened by conscience.
I miss the days when voting Republican was an option
Write in Mouse for treasurer. I promise to this, that and the other thing and not steal too much
anono, I’m skeptical. But I guess all will be revealed in a fortnight. Can Carper extend his inevitability shield to cover people at will? Has the DEGOP really found the great white, (light blue and yellow) hope for post-teabag elections?
Skepticism is always a good thing, Jason330.
Really? No one went with my chutes and ladders idea from the first post? Ok…being Carper’s assistant is a ladder to State Treasurer, which then goes where…I think if we made this map of Delaware Dems it would be a lot of fun.
Speaking of running hard…any thoughts on Sean Lynn and Trey Paradee being MIA at the only scheduled debate last Thursday?
@Really: I think it sounds like fun, too, but it also sounds like work.
What does a Delaware Democrat who is in the club have to do to lose an election? There are only ladders and no chutes.
Sounds like the problem with Delaware politics in general right there…the illusion of choice.
Its possible Sean Barney is spending his time trying to polish up his debate skills. He’ll need to do A LOT better than he did against Flowers when he debates Simpler next week.
simpler is even money right now. i think he may walk away with this thing. he is going to win the” liberal” 14th and i think that bodes well for the rest of the state.
Ken Simpler is not going to win the “liberal” 14th.
Claire Snyder-Hall’s GOTV coattails will help Barney.
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/firststatepolitics/2014/10/21/treasurer-race-personal/17611239/
News Journal reports that Simpler is in the lead.
“Ken Simpler is not going to win the “liberal” 14th.”
I’d bet my house that he does. And by a lot. He grew up down there, and is supported by a lot of prominent Democrats in the area.
“I’d bet my house that he does.”
What about the land under it? In SuxCo, they often don’t go together.
“The latest back-and-forth could be evidence of concern among Democrats. Internal polling shows Simpler leading Barney about two weeks before Delawareans vote on Nov. 4, according to Democratic and Republican sources.”
That’s ridonkulous. Simpler has all the charisma of a hemorrhoid. We aren’t talking the 1985 Bears here.
You don’t need to be the 85 Bears if your opponent inspires no one and runs a terrible campaign. Sounds to me like the News Journal is citing polls on both sides, too. They wouldn’t cite them if they hadn’t seen them.
“What about the land under it? In SuxCo, they often don’t go together.”
Good point.
Starkey clings to trope that Barney “misrepresented” Simpler’s Medicare attack.
http://townsquaredelaware.com/2012/02/13/one-mans-savings-another-mans-robberies/
Anno: “He grew up down there, and is supported by a lot of prominent Democrats in the area.”
Gee, I am a “prominent Dem” in the area. I know every prominent Dem in the 14th. The most prominent is Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf. He supported Sean Barney from the beginning. Then there is 14th RD chair Claire Snyder-Hall. She supports Barney. I live in the 14th. I supported Sean from the moment he told me he was going to run-he is a man of deep intelligence and deeper character. He is humble and has every reason not to be. Every member of the 14th RD committee supports Barney. I know of one self-proclaimed Democrat who supports Simpler—a developer who became a Democrat 2 years ago and has never supported the Party. Simpler may have grown up here but most of the voters do not know him at all. He doesn’t exactly travel in the circles of the common people–those who do not know hedge fund managers.
Off year elections revolve around issues and turnout. The 14th RD Democrats and the county party have been working hard for almost two years to build a successful party. Our ground game will deliver the 14th to all the Democrats on the ballot there and will contribute to Democratic victories all over Sussex. Unlike the Republicans, we are not divided because a defeated incumbent “constitutional sheriff” is running a write-in campaign and because a respected Republican state representative has endorsed the Democratic candidate for Register of Wills against the incumbent Republican.
Speaking of the Republicans and the 14th, who is the Republican candidate in the 14th against the “hated” Speaker Schwartzkopf? They couldn’t recruit anyone.
I’m torn. I wish Barney was better, but the way Mitch Crane and Claire Snyder-Hall are spending shoe leather inspires confidence. I think all this “Simpler has a chance” talk is based on the GOP’s ability to create buzz. I recall being swayed that Mike Protact had a chance once. He didn’t.
“The 14th RD Democrats and the county party have been working hard for almost two years to build a successful party. Our ground game will deliver the 14th to all the Democrats on the ballot there and will contribute to Democratic victories all over Sussex.”
“The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers.” – Earl Weaver
Mitch — I respect the work you’ve done, and have no doubt that you will maximize the effort in Sussex. I also have no doubt that Simpler is going to crush Barney in the 14th and the 6th SD. So why don’t we just check back in on this on November 4th and see who was right? The animosity is unnecessary.
@JM: And the positive reason to vote for Barney is….?
Thanks for the respect anono , I guess. Animosity? I have none against Mr. Simpler. I worked the polls Primary Election Day with Simpler’s mother. She is a fun, intelligent and gracious person. I don’t like criticising her son, but this is politics. It is not personal. I do not believe we need a former hedge fund manager as the next great thing for the Republican Party.
Animosity is unneccessary; so is anonimity.
Again, the only reason offered to vote for Barney is that it’s a vote against Simpler.
In a predominantly Democratic state, launching the career of a Carperite Democrat has far more chance of coming back to haunt progressives and liberals than launching the career of a flawed Republican does.
The old Type I vs. Type II error conundrum.
Anono –
Your side is either lying about their polling, or should fire their communications staff. Campaigns 101 – if you’re the presumed underdog and you have a solid poll that shows you’re up, tied, or even only slightly down, you shout it from the mountaintops. That’s a freebie, next tip I’ll have to charge.
Painesme — If you read the article, you’ll realize that Simpler is no longer the presumed underdog. Insiders on both sides are saying the same thing – Simpler is going to win this race.
Simpler is merely managing expectations in a race where turnout is key. If people think he’s going to win, a small percentage of them may stay home. And again, it appears as though the News Journal saw polling from both sides that said the same thing.
You’re really going to give the Simpler campaign advice? They came from absolutely nowhere and appear poised to do something that hasn’t been done in over 20 years: elect a new statewide Republican. Seems to me like they’re doing quite well without your “tips.”
Barney’s team, on the other hand…
Solid, reliable polling on down-ballot statewide races in Delaware are rare. Respected independent pollsters focus on governor, U.S. Senate and Congressional races, and occasionally on AG. Spoke with one of Mayrack’s key people today, and that camp is wondering whether there’s any reliable data out there.
So, Simpler’s own polling may put him ahead. Feel free to take that with a grain of salt. But I don’t see a whole lot of optimism coming out of the Barney camp.
Again, for the fourth time, the News Journal quoted “Republican and Democratic sources” on the polling. That means multiple polls, from both sides. One poll can be discounted, but if the GOP has Simpler up and the Democrats have Simpler up, chances are pretty good that he’s up. Take it with a grain of salt if you want, but it is what it is.
Anono –
Where should I send the bill? The NJ can quote whatever sources that it likes, and I don’t think you’ll find many people around here who are willing to defend the journalistic quality of that paper. Talking off the record to a reporter does not equal a released poll – you can say whatever you’d like to a reporter off the record without fear of scrutiny (especially to Starkey), releasing a poll opens you up to wider scrutiny and for people to call your shit. Which no one has done, so at this point, it’s all words.
“You’re really going to give the Simpler campaign advice? They came from absolutely nowhere and appear poised to do something that hasn’t been done in over 20 years: elect a new statewide Republican.”
Please. Without the self-immolation of Chip Flowers, Ken Simpler goes back to running hotels.
What always amazes me about Delaware Republicans is how little it takes for them to show their obnoxious, overconfident selves — the very trait that brought them into the wilderness in the first place. In this case, he hasn’t even won anything yet, he just hasn’t been blown out.
Let’s remember that the biggest clown in Delaware politics, Colin Bonini, came within about 3,000 votes of winning the office. Being 3,000 votes better than Colin Bonini doesn’t mark one as a genius.
Anono — I’m not disputing what you say. Generally, I would not put faith in polling conducted on behalf of candidates in these down-ballot races because they tend to be less reliable than the work of independent pollsters who focus on the top races. However, if separate polls have the same candidate ahead, that does make the conclusion more credible.
What appears to be happening now is hardly surprising. Simpler has run a campaign that emphasizes that he possesses skills characteristic of a treasurer. Barney’s campaign seems rooted in the hope that voters will choose him because of “veterans’ preference.”
Geezer — Caveat all you want, but if they beat a legitimate Democrat (which Barney is) who is supported by the establishment (which he is and Chip was not), it’s a BFD. Make all the Bonini comparisons you want, but 2010 was a wave election for Republicans in a way that 2014 is not. There is absolutely no excuse for Simpler to be in this position.
“Talking off the record to a reporter does not equal a released poll – you can say whatever you’d like to a reporter off the record without fear of scrutiny (especially to Starkey), releasing a poll opens you up to wider scrutiny and for people to call your shit. ”
Why on Earth would any Democrat lie to Starkey and make it look bad for their guy? I can see the Republicans doing it, but no Democrat would tell Starkey that their guy was down unless it was true, right?
Anono – just saw this: “And again, it appears as though the News Journal saw polling from both sides that said the same thing.”
Sorry, had assumed you actually knew something. Let me explain – that line means that Starkey had talked to two people who are registered as a D and an R. Those people told him what polling showed as an “off the record” comment, not that the NJ actually saw those polls. Knowing who the NJ goes to for comments, it’s actually a good possibility that neither of these individuals have even seen polling.
And yes, even if Simpler’s campaign is the best, most efficient operation in the last hundred years and he will ride it to Governor one day, not releasing that poll is a really basic tactic. It’s cool if you want to question my expertise, but this isn’t something from PainesMe’s Big Book of Campaigns – it’s an effective and proven tactic that is objectively a missed opportunity for Simpler if true.
So I’m assuming that the News Journal talked to a Democrat in the know, and you’re saying likely not. But at the same time, you’re assuming they talked to Simpler’s campaign directly, and not simply a “registered R.” Could it be that there really is no polling and that the situation is the same on both sides?
Anono – Are you kidding me? I mean, you’ve been on this blog, right? There are plenty of (vocal) D’s that would rather Simpler win than Barney.
Anono –
Could very well be that the situation is the same on both sides. All I’m saying is that you should be extremely skeptical of anyone that says they’ve seen polling, but don’t want you to see it too.
I just read and don’t ever say anything. But I couldn’t resist regarding painesme last comment – considering the incredible level of arrogance behind it while also being so wrong and flawed in its reasoning at the same time.
Have you ever run or involved in a serious campaign besides making phone calls or putting up signs? I agree with your Campaign 101 reference; however, to the extent that it illustrates the zenith of your political reasoning or analysis ability.
The Republican is running in a state that he knows he has a big voter registration disadvantage. The Democrat is running in a state that no new Republican has won statewide in over two decades. There are plenty of reasons while both sides would be quite about any internal polls – understanding why is what separates those who would be considered amateurs from those who are not.
For example, the Republican may not want to run the risk of waking a “sleeping giant” by getting the Democrats re-energized on focusing to turn out their base. A low turn-out theoretically would help the Republicans. We traditionally have below a 50% turnout rate in mid-term elections and no race higher on the ballot is drawing attention this cycle. Are we driving out people to get Coons or Carney over Wade of Izzo? Is there any threat Denn is NOT going to win?
The Democrat candidate may realize this and start telling people to help turn out the vote, but then the risk becomes drying up campaign donations and volunteers if it is perceived as a lost cause and would be better to put the resources to say the Auditor’s race.
There are two explanations just for starters. Like most things in life, political strategy isn’t always black and white but shades of gray. So, shouting from the mountain tops is not always the best course of action and something you learn in say Campaign 201.
If he is “in the lead”, does Simpler ultimately beat Barney? Who really knows? But indicators could be consider the original posting that started this discussion was about Barney’s apparent lack of a visible campaign and Starkey’s recent article highlights that Barney’s pitch in the closing weeks to voters is vote for me, because I am not Simpler.
Vote for me, because I am not the Republican as your strategy for winning in the closing days is usually not a good sign of the conditions surrounding the campaign for a Democrat running statewide in Delaware.
.
Write in Mouse for treasurer. I promise to this, that and the other thing and not steal too much
You’ll never win anything by plagiarizing a 1965 episode of Gilligan’s Island.
“Caveat all you want, but if they beat a legitimate Democrat (which Barney is) who is supported by the establishment (which he is and Chip was not), it’s a BFD.”
Problem No. 1 with that statement: The Democratic establishment’s backing has been more hindrance than help. If Flowers had not dropped out, he might well have won the primary. I have found nobody except party knob-polishers who thinks Barney deserves the job. Problem No. 2: He’s never run for office before, and it shows. Unless he somehow out-debates Simpler, he’s shown no ability to motivate voters.
“Make all the Bonini comparisons you want, but 2010 was a wave election for Republicans in a way that 2014 is not.”
Really? Did you check the primary numbers on SuxCo sheriff? There’s plenty of motivation down there to vote; there’s little reason for Democrats to do so. Of course, Republicans won’t have the motivation to vote against the black man, so perhaps that evens out.
“There is absolutely no excuse for Simpler to be in this position.”
How so? He at least has what sound like credentials for the job, and he’s running against a guy whose only qualification is that he’s not Chip Flowers. It’s very easy for Simpler to portray himself as an outsider, since Barney has already indicated that he’ll be nothing beyond an administration puppet.
In Barney’s debate with Flowers he gave me the impression of a kid with white gloves and a Mickey Mouse voice proclaiming : “I’m my own man … Mr. Carper and Mr. Markell told me I was!”
I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Dem and I need a reason to vote for Barney.
Carper controls a bunch of votes. He’s got old school political power and he isn’t shy about using it. I can’t shake the feeling that it doesn’t matter that some here (myself included) haven’t heard the affirmative case for Sean Barney.
Geezer — I accept all of those arguments. Well put.
@anono: The worst part about the GOP’s craziness is that all Republicans, whether radical or moderate, must sound radical to win a primary. That makes it hard to tell when a moderate is only pretending to be crazy. As a safeguard, I won’t vote for any of them unless they actually take a stand against the crazy. I’ve heard nothing of the sort from Simpler.
It’s like choosing between Ebola and Marburg.
I would have to push back on that. I would say that Simpler did the closest thing a Republican candidate could do, and he won. He refused to play on that field. Valenzuela threw the entire right-wing kitchen sink at him, and he refused to bite. It stands to reason if he held any of those right-wing positions, he’d have said so. It would have made his primary path much easier.
@anono
Depends on your definition of refusing to bite. Simpler put out a mailer accusing Sher of working for “liberal Jack Markell.” I think I see tooth marks.
Plutocratic dog whistles about “robbery” in the ACA. Saying Obamacare’s discounts for bulk purchases of drugs are equivalent to theft. Claiming they caused AstraZeneca’s layoffs. Many tooth marks indeed, for the supply-side zealots.
This just sent up on Sean’s FB page, and I think it clearly shows some key differences between him and Simpler. Those differences are why it’s important to elect Sean in November — “Voters face a real choice on November 4th. Even though my opponent and I have similar educational backgrounds, we have made substantially different choices in our lives. I have a record of fighting for Delaware families and fighting for our country – my opponent doesn’t. I have the right experience and right plans to make the State Treasurer’s Office work for Delaware families – my opponent doesn’t. While I am talking about my ideas to help Delaware families meet the challenges the they face, my opponent is lobbing offensive attacks in private through the mail at my record to try to distract voters from this choice. And then backing away from his statements in public. Read an article from the News Journal today about why we need to talk about the character of the candidates in front of us and why one “lacks both the character and qualifications” to be Delaware’s next State Treasurer.
Oh, okay. I see we’re reaching to find what we want to find. The op-ed in question was written fully two years before he filed to run for office. So, while it was a lot of things, it was not a calculated response to a primary from the right.
As far as the mailer goes, yes, Republicans think Jack Markell is a liberal, which he’s obviously not, and that the Workforce Investment Board is a liberal program, which it is. (Should we not proudly proclaim that, or are we still hiding from the word liberal?)
Let’s be honest: the guy IS a Republican. He’s not going to win the progressive hearts and minds. But in no way is he a right-winger or a Tea Partier, which was the idea that Geezer raised. He’s a Castle moderate, and he won the primary.
He did not profess himself to be pro-life or anti-same sex marriage or pro-gun when accused of being the opposite in all cases, and he took shots for saying that the casinos should pay more in taxes. So he could have stood up and declare himself to be on the side of the crazies on all of that stuff, and had an easier time, but he didn’t, and he won anyway.
Again, the question here is not “Is Ken Simpler the second coming?” It’s a binary choice: Simpler or Barney. And remember that Mr. Third Way promoted the idea that the long-term unemployed should have their benefits cut and be forced to work for nonprofits for free, as well as promoting deregulation in the energy markets — and he did so during this campaign. So it’s not like we’re getting a progressive champion if we vote Barney. Hell, vote for the Green Party guy for all I care.
“…and why one “lacks both the character and qualifications” to be Delaware’s next State Treasurer.”
The News Journal never said that part in quotes. The Barney campaign did. So they’re quoting the News Journal quoting themselves. Poor form.
And why in God’s name would they direct people to that article? It couldn’t be better for the Simpler campaign if Simpler himself wrote it! Amateur hour.
I can’t understand all the Barney hatred here. Is it just because he worked for Carper and Markell. I’d hate to be judged because of some of the assholes I’ve worked for in the past. As far as the job, it’s not complicated; either of them could do it. Barney may not be much of a campaigner, but Chip was and look where that got us.
Simpler can certainly win this. Bonini almost did and he didn’t have the personal money or third party expenditures.
If Simpler does win, a lot of democrats will regret taking this one too easy.
@BullMoose: That is a masterful wagonload of bullshit. Let’s unload it a shovelful at a time:
“Voters face a real choice on November 4th. Even though my opponent and I have similar educational backgrounds, we have made substantially different choices in our lives. I have a record of fighting for Delaware families …”
In what capacity has Barney “fought for Delaware families”? From his web page:
“Sean was a senior aide to Senator Tom Carper, advising him on budget and economic policy. Most recently, Sean served as policy director in the Administration of Governor Jack Markell.”
Neither one of these officials follows family-friendly budget or economic policies.
“and fighting for our country – my opponent doesn’t.”
Waving the bloody shirt again. In point of fact, that’s the top half of his bio. This is how Republicans, not Democrats, woo voters. I don’t give a rat’s ass either way about his service — in fact, his volunteering in the wake of 9/11 automatically makes me question his judgment.
“I have the right experience and right plans to make the State Treasurer’s Office work for Delaware families – my opponent doesn’t.”
In fact, your opponent has more experience in finance than you do. “Right experience” and “right plans” are just empty phrases. The experience Barney has is in politics, not policy. That’s a mark against, not a mark in favor, and it shows he wasn’t just along for the ride. I don’t care that they’re assholes, I care that they advocate business-first economic policies.
“While I am talking about my ideas to help Delaware families meet the challenges the they face,”
Oh, horse manure. Your job will be signing checks, as you’ve said you don’t plan to challenge the administration’s handling of the office.
“…my opponent is lobbing offensive attacks in private through the mail at my record to try to distract voters from this choice.”
Boo-fucking-hoo. You’re a crybaby, too?
“And then backing away from his statements in public.”
Yes. As opposed to outright lying about “working for Delaware’s families” when the budget policy adopted by Carper was to cut Social Security and Medicare and the one adopted by Markell was to dole out tens of millions to corporations and nothing to raising the salaries of state workers.
“Read an article from the News Journal today about why we need to talk about the character of the candidates in front of us and why one “lacks both the character and qualifications” to be Delaware’s next State Treasurer.”
I have not seen the article in question, but so what? Was it the newspaper’s endorsement, or just an individual’s opinion?
AQC: Barney had a chance to demonstrate that he was his ‘own man’ by citing something other than his military experience (enough, already) and touting his work with Carper and Markell as his bona fides. HE did that, we didn’t.
What has he done to fill in the blanks since then? As someone pointed out, his campaign is reduced to ‘vote for me b/c I’m not Simpler’.
My issue all along has been whether Barney could or would in fact show that he was his own man rather than the next prototype off the line of Carper Cyborgenics. We don’t need any more Carpers or Carneys, aka DINOs, and Barney hasn’t even attempted to answer that question to my satisfaction.
I just hope that his uninspired and uninspiring campaign doesn’t take Brenda Mayrack down with him. He can still win a ‘statistical’ victory based on registration advantage, but it will be in spite of his appeal as a candidate and the campaign he has run.
Actually, AQC, it’s more like these boys have decided on their narrative and they are going to stick with it. Making them more like the lazy MSM than progressive Democrats. While most of us don’t mind taking the opportunity to take Tom Carper to task, these boys have decided that Barney is a good proxy for Carper and just include him in the bashing. It isn’t fair, but the narrative simply must be fed. The tell? I don’t know if you were reading when Jack Markell first ran for Governor and the first few years of his administration. None of them would have lumped Markell in with Carper at that point. But I digress.
Oh, that’s right, Cassandra. You maintained that you had given me a positive reason to vote for Sean Barney at a Drinking Liberally event, but I was too busy ‘squinting’ to pay attention to your response. So, you wrote here over and over again that you wouldn’t repeat that positive rationale b/c I wasn’t listening the first time.
Since, uh, it’s two weeks from the election, could you MAYBE be bothered to repeat it now? I promise I won’t look, but there MAY be some people actually looking for a positive reason to support him.
Otherwise, continue to label us as lazy thinkers who don’t listen.
The label suits, so will do!
Yep, no positive rationale whatsoever.
You’ve helped make my vote easier. Thanks!
i think the fact that simpler did not go hard right is significant. he isn’t riding in the clown car. that’s why he has a great chance.
AQC, one other reason to at least question Barney’s bona fides is that he was a Senior Policy Director with the Third Way, one of those ‘reaching-across-the-aisle’ groups that paints itself as a ‘centrist think tank’. His former boss Tom Carper is one of its staunchest supporters in Congress.
I think it’s reasonable to ask whether this organization represents his inherent political beliefs as they are far from, IMHO, progressive. I’ve asked that question. Barney has not answered it, nor anything of substance pertaining to his political philosophy. Why should progressives blindly support him just because he has a D designation on the ballot? Aren’t Carney and Carper enough?
So, since Cass will not deign to provide a single reason why progressives should vote for Barney, are there any progressives willing to make the case?
“So, since Cass will not deign to provide a single reason why progressives should vote for Barney, are there any progressives willing to make the case?”
1) Uhm, because the choice is between a known republican (Simpler) and a yet unproven to be a republican (Barney). Simpler, years ago, when no one was looking, wrote an op-ed right out of Right wing talking points equating the drug program to armed robbery. His “youthful indiscretions” at college reek of W Bush frat boy bullshit. Barney? Worked for 2 guys progressives don’t like, but without those two guys in office, we would have…….what? Delawares Bernie Sanders? Or…..Chris Christie wannabe?
2) Give republicans an inch and they will take a mile. Gov. Simpler stickers won’t be far behind if he wins.
3) Given the choice between a frat boy wall street business douche who is currently trying to bend the rules so he can expand his hotel in violation of established town codes and a Turd Way moderate D, I am going with the moderate. And I don’t even like Barney.
4) Do you think you have a better shot at dragging a right winger in the republican party or a moderate D a little more to the left. For example, John Carney is far more easier to talk to and try to convince (and he has moved on some issues) than the d-bag he was running against.
I am not Barney’s number one fan. At. All. But I will be damned if I am going to hand the levers of power to anyone in the Republican party. They are douchebags. To. The. Core. It is often not about one person, but who that republican surrounds himself with. And I bet if you look, he already has some crazies in his inner circle waiting to build on Simplers moderateness and start introducing right wing whack a doo shit.
The same thing happend with Lopez. Great guy. Nice smile. Has a family (nudge nudge wink wink) then votes against (and dodges) his constituents wishes on gay marriage and equality.
Also it is one thing to complain about Barney talking about his service all the time. But it is beyond insulting to shit on his military service, Geezer.
The fact that republicans don’t realize Markell is a republican should be an indication of where that party is on its ideas.
I don’t see this as a stepping stone to either candidate. It’s hard for me to imagine the Sean Barney who was annihilated by Chip Flowers in their last debate making it much further in DE politics. The D advantage will make it difficult for Simpler to rise farther either.
El Som pointed out the only significance of this race for me; the carryover to the Auditors race. It will be a tragedy if Barney costs Mayrack enough votes to lose.
“It will be a tragedy if Barney costs Mayrack enough votes to lose.”
Agreed – but can that actually happen? The ONLY place Barney is being hurt by his connection to Carper is in this comment thread. (5, maybe 6 votes?).
What I don’t get is why isn’t the vast wealth of Team Carper (money, experience, etc) HELPING Barney? Maybe it is behind the scenes and it is the kind of help that will show up on election day ?
Great thread BTW. SussexAnon, big props to you.
I love how SussexAnon tries to answer the Geezer/ElSom charge but fails MISERABLY to argue anything but the “he’s not Simpler” line. Thanks for reinforcing the narrative. And, by the way, we shouldn’t HAVE TO bring Carney to the left. This is DELAWARE. He should already be there. And now you want another Third Way freak in statewide office.
And I agree with Rufus. Neither of these guys goes any further than this office.
“Agreed – but can that actually happen?”
It’s simple. If a majority of voters move to the R column on the ballot to vote for Simpler, they’re not likely to move back to vote for the largely unknown Mayrack over the known Wagner.
Once the incumbency money starts flowing, no Democrat is going to move to the left. The notion that Carney has been moved is pure bullshit. I liked SussexAnon’s comment except for that bit of foolishness.
“Given the choice between a frat boy wall street business douche who is currently trying to bend the rules so he can expand his hotel in violation of established town codes”
You’d fit in well on Team Barney with your average (at best) truth-bending skills. The hotel and the town are working arm-in-arm for the best solution for everyone.
“The Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission is unanimous in its praise of the concept for the proposed expansion of the Avenue Inn on Wilmington Avenue.”
http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/p/rehoboth-planners-seek-solutions-for-avenue-inn-project/1225482
Also, Barney only worked in Delaware’s state government for what? One year? This is a public service resume to run on? Setting aside his military service, he’s spent more time in school and in politics (Third Way, Markell, Bradley) than he ever did in actual professional public service. It’s not like he’s a 10- or 20-year experienced hand. If it was Barney’s 20 years in Delaware state government vs. Simpler’s 20 years in high finance, I think there’d be a larger discussion to have.
I have been following this thread and am not sure what people are calling for. Are you asking me to support Simpler? Because that’s what it sounds like. Are you asking me to not support Barney until he says something like, “Carper sucks!”?
I’m really not sure why this candidate has created such a ruckus. Can someone please explain? Is this about what Barney hasn’t said? Or is it something else?
Over the years DL has sat down with candidates and asked them questions. Perhaps DL could try and arrange something like that with Barney and get back to everyone? This is all very confusing and I’m having trouble understanding the point, which seems to be… We don’t know if Barney is progressive enough (I’m not even sure what that means in this case). Well… maybe we could find out? Because, right now, this thread is full of hypothetical scenarios based on things not said.
We did, Pandora. DD and I met with him. I can’t speak for DD, but the questions I wanted answered remained unanswered. I met with him a previous time, so I’ve talked to him face to face twice.
Along with the rest of us at DL, I endorsed him over Flowers b/c Flowers was a disaster.
But I’m at the point where the last thing I want to do is to enable yet another Carper or Carney to push their Third Way BS for decades. I have yet to see anyone emerge from the Third Way/Concord Coalition cult who turned out to be a stealth progressive or liberal. Barney has resolutely declined to even give us a hint of what he stands for.
I’m not taking it on faith any more. That gave us Carper and Carney. Either he gives progressives a positive reason to support him or, IMHO, progressives should not be fooled again.
Voting for Simpler is simply out for me. Barney is not going to be liberal enough for me – but who is? I’m resigned to the fact that shitty statewide Democrats are better than the best Republicans. This race isn’t about policy for me, it is about politics.
Why is this a close race? That’s my question. Why hasn’t Barney put this away? Does Barney suck at politics? Is Simpler great at politics? Is Carper’s taint really a factor?
Can I write “Carper’s taint” and not giggle my ass off? Apparently not.
Can I inquire as to what questions you asked that remained unanswered?
And by not taking it on faith or being fooled again are you (back-handedly) supporting Simpler? Are you saying anybody but Barney? I’m not sure.
I’m trying to understand the progressive bar you’ve set for Barney. I mean, you wrote an extremely complimentary post on Steve Newton’s announcement. You said:
Steve is many things, but he isn’t a Progressive. I guess this is part of why I’m confused. Why would you support Libertarian Steve Newton? I can understand liking that Steve would shake things up and he would be better than Miro, but to support him the way you did doesn’t make sense if your bar is progressive values.
I’m really not trying to be difficult, and my time has been consumed with meetings on Priority Schools, but I’m not getting your point here. Given that we’ll have only two realistic choices for Treasurer… what exactly are you calling for? What is the goal?
There is a Green Party candidate for anyone looking for a protest vote who can’t bring themselves to vote for Simpler.
Pandora, I don’t agree that we have to be consistent in our choices or how we come by them. With 100,000 years of trial and error evolution residing in each of us, sometimes the cosmic vibrations play a hand. I’m fine with that.
In a close race a vote for the Green Party candidate is a vote for the Republican. I’d only advocate voting for the Green when there is no chance that the Democratic could lose – as with John Carney who is a stone cold lock.
Vote Bernie August!
I’m calling for the same thing I’ve been calling for for months now: Give progressives a reason to support him other than ‘He’s not Simpler’ or ‘I told you once, I’m not gonna tell you again’. Something, anything that passes at least minimal muster.
I will no longer enable any more Carpers. I was an enthusiastic volunteer in his early days, fooled by his claim that Gene McCarthy’s opposition to the Vietnam War inspired him to enter the political arena. He’s still around over 30 years later, spewing his ‘across the aisle’ BS. Oh, and supporting every phony military intervention that has come along.
Barney’s career is directly tied to Carper’s. First as an aide, then as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Third Way. Despite that, I’d probably vote for him if he gave us one good progressive reason to do so. Instead, he’s followed the Carper/Carney dismissiveness towards progressives. What has he done to deserve progressive support? I’ve been asking that question on this blog for months now w/o getting an answer other than ‘he’s not Simpler’. No, until proven otherwise, he’s positioned himself as another Carper-type fellow. Why in hell would I want that? Why would progressives?
I’ve seen that movie before, and I don’t want to enable another one of these Third Way guys to start their political career. The disastrous consequences are there for all to see.
“While most of us don’t mind taking the opportunity to take Tom Carper to task, these boys have decided that Barney is a good proxy for Carper and just include him in the bashing.”
Bullshit. He was the ECONOMIC ADVISER to Carper and Markell. Why do we bitch about Carper and Markell? Their economic policy.
“I don’t know if you were reading when Jack Markell first ran for Governor and the first few years of his administration. None of them would have lumped Markell in with Carper at that point.”
You mean he hadn’t done anything to have him lumped in at that point. Since then he has.
So much for your “deep thinking.” You’re a lazy polemicist.
He’s not a proxy. He was the brains of the operation.
“I have been following this thread and am not sure what people are calling for. ”
I’m not calling FOR anything. I’m calling BULLSHIT on both of them. As much as I criticize Barney here, I criticize Simpler over at Delaware Politics. Neither one deserves the office, but I’m more afraid of another empty Democratic suit staying in office for years than one rich-kid Republican looking for a way into politics. As noted, his career would end right here. Barney’s would not.
As I said, it’s your choice: Ebola or Marburg. Good luck.
He was the ECONOMIC ADVISER to Carper and Markell. Why do we bitch about Carper and Markell? Their economic policy.
He was Policy Director for Markell, which has a much broader brief than Budget and Economic Aide for Carper. And you know what? He *was* working for Carper and Markell. Which means that they get to set the direction for policy — not their aides. But perhaps all of the management you have ever worked for never gave you a lane to work in. But even better for this lazy narrative that you keep working is that Barney worked for Bradley for President. Definitely a more liberal guy than either Carper or Markell, and definitely more interested in the issues of poverty and inequality that Carper or Markell will ever be. Yet that part of Barney’s resume always gets excised in this narrative you’ve settled on.
I’m holding the lazy mirror up to you — because that’s where the lazy is.
Uh, Bradley was as fiscally conservative as Carper. I briefly flirted with supporting him for president, but, after scoping out his positions, I realized I liked the IDEA of Bill Bradley better than I liked the real Bill Bradley. You just might want to go back and check out his record and his platform. As intellectually lazy as I am, I did that when he was running. Didn’t know that he had supported Reagan’s draconian budget cuts in 1981, but I did once I researched it.
Still waiting for that one good progressive reason to vote for Barney…maybe you’ll tell everyone after the election.
Sean Barney will restore integrity to the office.
“Yet that part of Barney’s resume always gets excised in this narrative you’ve settled on. I’m holding the lazy mirror up to you — because that’s where the lazy is.”
Yes, I know, you’ve never been wrong.
You know who else worked for Bradley? Brian Selander, who defended everything Markell did.
You ought to use your own mirror more often.
“maybe you’ll tell everyone after the election.”
No, she won’t. When Barney turns out to be a less-mumblesome Carper, she’ll hope everyone forgets what she said.
Look, Cassandra, I understand: You work with the party, you can’t buck it the way some others can. But please don’t insult everyone’s intelligence here. You haven’t a leg to stand on.
“Sean Barney will restore integrity to the office.”
How so? He’s already been called out by the News Journal on multiple occasions for false accusations directed at Simpler. He hides behind his campaign manager and an out-of-state Super PAC when it’s time to play rough. Where’s the integrity there? Because I’m missing it. Say what you want about Simpler’s politics or issue positions or writings, but he’s played it straight since the beginning.
“Sean Barney will restore integrity to the office.”
Really? Where’s he going to find it?
I hope you don’t mean that someone who keeps waving his bloody shirt in my face as a qualification for office has integrity. He keeps displaying the opposite.
Look, Cassandra, I understand
Actually, you don’t. You’ve just made up the narrative that suits you. Understanding requires a hell of a lot more work than that. And I don’t work with the party. But thanks for playing more of your lazy cards over here.
And Bradley ran to the left of Al Gore, for cryin’ out loud — calling for universal health care when Gore was running away from Hillarycare. Bradley’s fiscal conservatism included the Earned Income Tax Credit, universal health care (I said that), and opposition to a round of Reagan tax cuts. Not exactly Carper conservatism.
If you want to run for office in Delaware who should you work for to gain political experience?
And… El Som could you tell me (or direct me to a post I obviously (embarrassingly) missed!) what questions Barney didn’t answer or didn’t answer to your satisfaction. What exactly did he say? Thanks
Geezer – You’re not paying attention to the entire race or the entire records of both candidates. Have you even thought for a second to question Simpler’s super-stretched claim that working at a shadowy high-risk hedge fund for the super-rich in any way equates to being qualified for a postion that is supposed to serve the public and work for all Delawareans? Simpler has made his disdain for the working people of Delaware clear. Sean’s has ideas to help the lower and middle income Delawareans. All Simpler says he’ll do is put together a few Powerpoints that will say that government should do less to help thoae who need it most.
@BullShit: “Have you even thought for a second to question Simpler’s super-stretched claim that working at a shadowy high-risk hedge fund for the super-rich in any way equates to being qualified for a postion that is supposed to serve the public and work for all Delawareans?”
Just because you don’t know anything about finance doesn’t mean we should all don your stupidity blinders. You clearly have no idea what the treasurer’s duties are, or that Sean Barney has pledged to do those duties and no more. In fact, you don’t know anything, period. Why you want to keep illustrating it is anybody’s guess.
“Simpler has made his disdain for the working people of Delaware clear.”
How?
“Sean’s has ideas to help the lower and middle income Delawareans.”
Please list these “ideas.” I have not seen or heard any.
“All Simpler says he’ll do is put together a few Powerpoints that will say that government should do less to help thoae who need it most.”
Who cares? He has no power to do anything of the sort as treasurer.
Now go back to hiding under your bed before the Ebola Monster gets you.
@Cassandra: I see you’ve put your well-worn asshole hat back on.
List the progressive ideas Sean Barney has enumerated. You’ve got nothing but your usual bag of insults.
You no longer have anything to do with the Democratic Party? You should have said something. Or acted like it.
“You’ve just made up the narrative that suits you.”
You got the pronouns wrong. That’s you, not me, asshole.
Your little song of praise for Bill Bradley is a real hoot. You know who else you could cherry-pick similar credits for? Every Clinton Democrat. Give it a rest, you pathetic shill.
Progressive Dems, pragmatic or starry eyed, should stick with the Democratic ticket. The straight ticket. Yes. Vote for the party because if you’re progressive and in the club, you at least have a voice therein that stands a better chance of being listened to than shouting outside from Green-land. I am wondering why I’m not seeing “vote Dem>”, Vote straight ticket from the Party messaging program? Or is it in phone banks, door to door material or direct mail not targeting me and I just haven’t seen it. I was shocked to hear from the Party ED that there are no “vote Dem.” yard signs.
There’s a huge Vote Dem billboard on 202 entering the city.
@Cassandra: I see you’ve put your well-worn asshole hat back on.
That’s called working in the language that Geezer is most comfortable with. That’s normal when communicating with someone who is trying to work from rules that he wouldn’t tolerate being applied to him.
You know who else you could cherry-pick similar credits for?
Said the man who is here pulling his own narrative about Sean Barney out of his ass. AND who is working his false narrative magic on Bill Bradley now. Just like that room full of typing monkeys, you are bound to find something true the longer you type.
“Vote for the party because if you’re progressive and in the club, you at least have a voice therein that stands a better chance of being listened to than shouting outside from Green-land.”
I disagree. I think that the opposite is true. NOT voting for the Democrat Party (sic) is the only way to be heard. Right now I’m advocating not voting the ticket provided there is no chance that the vote would help a Republicans.
The way the party is going though, I can see voting for a third party in the future even if the vote will help a Republican in the short term.
“Yes. Vote for the party because if you’re progressive and in the club, you at least have a voice therein that stands a better chance of being listened to than shouting outside from Green-land.”
Your Carperite Third Way “Moderate” Merit Badge will be waiting for you at Party HQ. Wear it with pride, good and faithful servant.
Troller anono would have voted against Amy in 2006, had he lived in Wisconsin.
I mean Minnesota.
Cass, yknow why Bradley lost to virtually-unknown newcomer Christine Todd Whitman in New Jersey? In large part because he gave the back of his hand to New Jersey teachers, and they went out and endorsed Whitman.
Besides, if you’re hanging your hat on Bill Bradley as some sort of proof of progressive bona fides, then we should look at his journey from Bradley to Carper to the Third Way to Markell.
Finally, it’s not up to US to examine tea leaves to find some hint of his progressive bona fides. It’s up to the CANDIDATE to make a case if he wants progressive votes. He hasn’t.
Bradley was a United State Senator. He did not lose. he retired from the Senate. Christine Todd Whitman was elected Governor. They never ran against each other. I think she beat Jim Florio.
Teachers? New Jersey? Bradley had unexpected trouble against Whitman in 1990 because the early incarnation of RW Talk Radio, emanating from Trenton, incited hate against Gov. Florio over tax increases that year. Bradley was the available target that fall. Can you say “off-year turnout”?
There’s a small resentful cabal trying to to beat up on Barney ’cause he doesn’t smoke the right cigarettes or listen to the right music or something. The kid’s a first-time candidate, full of idealism, who hasn’t done anything wrong.
I hate it when the parents fight.
It upsets my cosmic vibrations.
El Som and Mitch are both wrong. Bradley retired in 1996, chosing not to run again. He was challenged by Whitman in 1990, but beat her narrowly.
The lesson from that race appears to be that Bradley, like Barney, seemed to not take the race or his opponent very seriously, and only hung on by the skin of his teeth.
I have been very unimpressed by Barney’s performance throughout. He didn’t hit Flowers very hard and has barely touched Simpler. His military experience is honorable, but hardly a selling point for election to this job. (Frankly, I’d vote for anyone who promised to work to abolish the treasurer’s job, but that ain’t happening.)
SW is right. Whitman in 1990, then a virtual unknown, almost beat Bradley. His refusal to take a stand on a state income tax increase and his loss of support from the NJEA made the race close. It was his last Senate race. He declared politics ‘broken’ and retired. Until he briefly ran for President.
I guess the fact that Sean Barney once worked for him is his sole progressive credential, according to those who do not consider themselves ‘intellectually lazy’.
Me? I dunno. Working for Carper and holding a senior policy position with the Third Way many years later seem more germane to his political leanings, at least until/unless Barney shows his progressive side.
Of course, he could actually deign to reach out to progressives, which is all I’ve asked, but he’s chosen to go the Carper and Carney route. Not gonna vote for another one of THOSE kinda D’s. Too many years of ineffectual ‘reaching across the aisle’ and downright hostility to what was the base of the Democratic Party to earn my vote as long as he stays silent.
Thanks for the correction Sussex Watcher. I thought that, being an election geek, i had total recall of who ran for what, at least in the north east. If I had time, I would have checked before I posted, but i relied on my now less-than-perfect memory. But I was light on the larger correction, Whitman never beat Bradley, not in an election, and not on the basketball court.
I’m not sure who will be able to reach the Progressive bar being set here. Will we be able to endorse/support anyone? Because if this is the new standard then it will have to be applied across the board, right?
Will we be able to endorse/support anyone? Yes.
Because if this is the new standard then it will have to be applied across the board, right? No.
Precedent isn’t the boss of me. I get that Carper’s taint looms large here. His taint is all over Barney. You could say that Carper’s taint stinks to high heaven.
(Although Barney turned down the gentleman’s commission that Carper offered him, so there is that.)
My standard is pretty clear: No more Carpers or Carneys. Candidates who don’t even try to reach out to progressives need not apply.
I’m voting for Matt Denn and Brenda Mayrack. They’re above any progressive bar we might set, and they’re why I’m going to the polls. The rest? I’ll vote for D’s at the local level, a couple of Green Party candidates as protest votes, and maybe one Republican.
Candidates who don’t even try to reach out to progressives need not apply.
And why should they? And here we are having the argument we *should* be having instead of demonizing Barney because of the bosses he has had. (And I’ll note that no one has even bothered to answer Pandora’s question about this — if you are a young person interested in politics in Delaware, who exactly are you supposed to work for?) Because progressives move absolutely no needles in this state’s politics. None. The progressives in this state endorse Charles Potter as one of them, ok? The person who thinks of himself as the spokesperson for progressives showily endorsed Mitch Crane and just as showily turned on him when he didn’t win the primary. This same person also showily endorsed Steve Newton and has been running away from that ever since. And what about Jack Markell himself? He *did* reach out to progressives, turned out to be a disappointment and then what? It didn’t matter, because progressives wield some noise, but no power.
Of course, he could actually deign to reach out to progressives, which is all I’ve asked, but he’s chosen to go the Carper and Carney route.
He’s reached out specifically and early to *this* progressive, but I know that doesn’t count since I don’t set myself up as the spokesperson of all of the progressives and the arbiter of all things progressive. Most of his campaign staff are progressives, too. And he is running for a job that doesn’t have a lot of room for progressive values, but hey.
Once again, you are using Barney as a proxy for the fact that this state’s progressives have no power even though you think that witholding your *blessing* means something to them.
Thanks for the tough love, but we all know that “Progressive” means nothing to anybody in elective office. It meant a little to Jack Markell when he was running against Carney, but that was like 100 years ago.
We have no power, so all we have is our conscience – so I don’t blame anyone for voting their conscience and their convictions, as pointless as it is.
I haven’t been paying attention to this race because I had decided not to vote for either candidate — not for Barney because of the Carper/Markell ties – UNTIL LAST WEEK. Been thinking about it and don’t want to take a chance getting a Republican with money and big ideas about moving up in the state into that office. AND, just heard a typical, rotten, dishonest Republican Simpler ad on WDEL. No way am I leaving that space empty on the ballot (which means another vote for Simpler). I’ll take my chances with Barney.
Thanks June. That’s about where I am. The potential downside of Barney is “Oh well we have another crappy Democrat shoving money at rich people and corporations.”
History is replete with examples of how the potential downside of a Republican like Ken Simpler getting close to the levers of power is much, much, MUCH worse.
Cass: ‘This’progressive, aka ‘you’, have refused time and time again to cite any positive reason why progressives should vote for him.
In a way, you’re the perfect proxy for the Barney campaign. Just tell people who seek answers to go fuck themselves.
Still, not one positive reason from you why progressives should vote for him.
I’ve never set myself up as the spokesperson for all progressives. Just a meme you’ve dreamt up to start making ad hominem attacks. As a writer on a liberal blog, I have a right to my informed opinions. BTW, I love your use of the word (?) ‘showily’. Something someone with your intellectual heft would never resort to.
I no longer care why you’ve decided to do this. After all, it’s YOU who have claimed that since he reached out to YOU, aka ‘this progressive’, we all should accept your word for it and just STFU. You want to be the bully of this board? Go right ahead. Don’t think it becomes you, though, even if that’s what you’ve become.
I’m going to re-post my earlier questions below. I’m like June – I wasn’t really paying attention to this race. But given the amount of attention Barney has received here I’d really like my questions answered, because I feel like I’m missing something.
If you want to run for office in Delaware who should you work for to gain political experience?
And… El Som could you tell me (or direct me to a post I obviously (embarrassingly) missed!) what questions Barney didn’t answer or didn’t answer to your satisfaction. What exactly did he say? Thanks
Pandora: I wrote and sent you a long post last night (worked yesterday, headed to work today). You should have gotten it last night.
Most people go to work for Carper b/c they want to establish corporate bona fides. They go from staffing the banking committees to working for the banks. The Third Way is half the way there.
I worked at the grassroots level on local campaigns and ended up working for the General Assembly for twenty-plus years. But, I guess the answer is you should do what’s best for you. If you have a conscience, I grant you the choices are somewhat circumscribed.
Cass: ‘This’progressive, aka ‘you’, have refused time and time again to cite any positive reason why progressives should vote for him.
Not true. Just check out the way you've treated Pandora's questions on this. Just because you say it, doesn't make it true.
After all, it’s YOU who have claimed that since he reached out to YOU, aka ‘this progressive’, we all should accept your word for it and just STFU.
Which is, of course, exactly what you are doing here –claiming that Barney hasn’t reached out to progressives, which is dead wrong.
I didn’t receive anything, El Som.
Not voting for Barney is a valid choice, as is voting for Barney. I’m typically more polarized than this, but our crappy Democrat Party has emptied me of my fighting spirit.
All that typing, and still not a single reason to vote for Barney.
I didn’t pull anything out of my ass, but what comes out my ass is better than what comes out of your mouth. That he was a political policy adviser is a FACT. Your claim that he is progress is your OPINION backed up by nothing you have even pretended is a FACT.
He told you some bullshit you want to hear, so you’ll ignore what he’s actually done — advised two DINOs on their budget and economic policy (being the policy director doesn’t mean you don’t work on economic policy, it means you work on other things as well).
We just disagree, but that’s not OK with you. You had to put down those with legitimate points because you have no factual legs to stand on.
I’m not sure this is worth my time anymore. Here’s where I end up. Some people will vote for Barney happily, some not so happily, some won’t vote for him.
One of the reasons people won’t vote for him/vote for him happily is due to who he worked for – two of the highest elected officials in the state. Would people change their opinions if he had worked for Carney or Coons? If not (and I would think not) then who should someone work for to get political experience in Delaware?
The second reason I hear for not supporting him is that he didn’t say… something? I’m not sure exactly what this means – what exactly didn’t he say?
I have no idea if Barney is a progressive, or progressive enough or if he said “something” or didn’t say “something” to make either point.
If you don’t want to vote for Barney because:
1. You support Simpler
2. Believe a Simpler victory will wake up the Dems
3. Aren’t comfortable with him because of who Barney worked for, and believe that is enough to link him to them, and their policies, by association
FINE. I can understand all those reasons. However, I haven’t seen any facts that justify not voting for him because he isn’t a progressive. And I’m not saying he is! I have no idea. But people asking for proof of his progressiveness haven’t provided their own proof.
And with that… I’m probably done with this. It’s exhausting. 😉
@Pandora: Can’t prove a negative. This isn’t about him reaching out to progressives — it’s about him reaching out to voters. If he won’t tell voters of his progressive bona fides, I have to wonder, “why not?” When a campaign is run without any specifics, it means the candidate does not want to tip his hand to the voters. So at best, he’s lying by omission.
This notion that he isn’t responsible for the choices of his bosses is a case of trying to have it both ways: Those doing so want to praise his experience while maintaining that he had no importance. Which is it?
This isn’t about him reaching out to progressives — it’s about him reaching out to voters.
Even though reaching out to progressives (translation: kissing El Som’s progressive ring) this is specifically what El Som’s complaint is. You boys need to get your grievances in sync here.
This notion that he isn’t responsible for the choices of his bosses is a case of trying to have it both ways:
Actually, it isn’t about having it both ways. This is about objecting to beating him up because of who his bosses were. Because there is nothing progressive about that. The people who insist that working for Carper and Markell are the folks trying to have it both ways — insisting that their staffers are all acolytes (they aren’t) and cutting off any possibility for a young person here to get any experience working at a higher political level.
But I see you are still typing, so you’ll get to something coherent one day. Keep hope alive!
“AND, just heard a typical, rotten, dishonest Republican Simpler ad on WDEL.”
How was it dishonest? Inquiring minds want to know….
“The people who insist that working for Carper and Markell are the folks trying to have it both ways — insisting that their staffers are all acolytes (they aren’t) and cutting off any possibility for a young person here to get any experience working at a higher political level.”
I’d buy this if it weren’t for the stint at Third Way. That’s a clear red flag, and was not a necessary stop.
“You boys need to get your grievances in sync here.”
I’m not in synch with anyone. You just put the “ass” in assumption. I have my own views, thanks very much.
” Because there is nothing progressive about that.”
At last, we reach your real problem: tribalism. I’m not a progressive and I do not wish to be one. I’m here to expose bullshit like yours.
You’re a phony. You’re “progressive” when it suits your purposes, and only when it suits your purposes.
“insisting that their staffers are all acolytes (they aren’t) and cutting off any possibility for a young person here to get any experience working at a higher political level.”
Never said they were. Simply pointed out that Sean Barney has done nothing to indicate that he isn’t an acolyte. Taking credit for advising Tom Carper about budget and economic policy means owning it. And, of course, this isn’t about all aides — just Sean Barney. Think you can hide him in a crowd?
Stop hiding behind your tribal loyalties and try to do some critical thinking. Or do you save that for your day job?
“you’ll get to something coherent one day. Keep hope alive!’
And yet again, you try to insult with words best aimed at the mirror.
You’re no logician, dearie, just an extra-wide asshole with teeth.
One other point: Sean Barney is running on his experience working for Tom Carper and Jack Markell, and nothing else, other than being so over-emotional he volunteered in the wake of 9/11. Why is it I’m not supposed to judge him by the work he cites as his credential? Is it something beyond “because Cassandra says so”? If so, what?
Did he tell you he’s a secret progressive, but not to tell anyone because it might cost him votes? If that’s the case, he’s even more despicable than I suspected.
“:cutting off any possibility for a young person here to get any experience working at a higher political level.”
Oh, the motherfucking humanity!
Last time I checked there were 535 members of Congress.
Barney reached out to me at the Planned Parenthood event. May not count for much in some quarters, but it means much in my community.
You’re no logician, dearie, just an extra-wide asshole with teeth.
There you are. Still typing. Still not clear about what the words mean, but you are getting closer to typing out your own identity here.
Keep hope alive, asshole!
153rd!!
Just heard that Simpler ad John Manifold was talking about. It’s extremely misleading, not to mention nastily aggressive. Sort of like Cassandra.
This is why Simpler doesn’t scare me: Like any conservative, he’ll trip over his own dick in no time.
@John Manifold: See what I mean? More Carper economics while wooing people with support for abortion. I don’t have to worry about reproductive rights in Delaware — there are no Republicans to push the ALEC agenda. But I DO have to worry about another Social Security-cutting, Pete Peterson-loving fake Democrat holding office here until long after I’m dead.
And yes, John, I’m sure it means a lot in your community. Would that be the community of Delawareans with knee-pads personally signed by Tom Carper?
@Cassandra: You’re not even pretending to try at this point. Why won’t you tell us what he said? Is it because he didn’t say anything?
” It’s extremely misleading, not to mention nastily aggressive.”
Second person to say the same, but no real description of how it’s misleading. Care to enlighten those who haven’t heard it? Is it a personal attack of some sort? Because that would be counter to Simpler’s claim to focus just on their professional experience.
The ad I heard today — and I didn’t have time to absorb all the details — is not a Simpler ad. It’s an ad from a pro-Simpler PAC. They ran two back to back — the first attacks Barney, the second praises Simpler.
It claimed Barney wants to raise taxes, among other things. I knew the ad was phony the moment I heard it … because it suggested that Barney has actually taken positions and wants to do something of substance while he’s in office.
“It claimed Barney wants to raise taxes, among other things.”
If he was the Governor’s policy director when the Governor’s policy was to increase taxes, that’s not really an unfair attack. If he’s running based on his government experience, then that stuff is fair game.
Was there more that would be considered legitimately unfair?
And why don’t Democratic candidates use the PACs like the Republicans? The Simpler people have been very effective with their use of the PACs.
That is legitimately unfair. I think the technical term is bullshit. Havng met Simpler, I have no doubt that the Ad was strange and hostile. I’d go so far as to say pinched, oddly feral and ratlike.
Anono is indeed ratlike.
“That is legitimately unfair.”
Okay. Your saying so definitely makes it true. Disregard the fact that he’s running on his public service record, of which his time in the Governor’s office is supposed to be part.
If his time in the Governor’s office is off limits, then what is he running on again?
And let’s not lose sight of the fact that his government service record consists of one total year of service inside Delaware. But of course, that should be off-limits.
Pandora: I just got home. I sent it to the e-mail link that accompanied your post yesterday. If that’s the wrong link, let me know and I’ll resend it to you.