National

I knew it was going to be a disaster. The Al Smith dinner is a New York City tradition during the quadrennial Presidential Election cycle, a white-tie charity dinner at the Waldorf Astoria where both candidates give what are supposed to be self deprecating humorous roasts of themselves and their rival. Kinda like the White House Correspondent's Dinner. The dinner benefits Roman Catholic charities but also serves as a civil break in the tension of a campaign. I knew Donald Trump would be a disaster at this. First off, he cannot ever take even the slightest ribbing. He takes ultimate offense at any joke about him because he has a massive ego but is also massively insecure as a man. Second, he hates Hillary because she is a woman and because she is beating him, so it would be impossible to be light heartedly funny about her. His jokes would be vicious and mean. To be fair, Trump started off ok. And then he went off the rails and just started delivering his stump speech with no jokes, and he was booed off the stage. Rightfully so.

I am working on getting recordings of the full debate between gubernatorial candidates John Carney (D) and Colin Bonini (R) and congressional candidates Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) and Hans Riegle (R) as speak. I will post them when they become available.

Politico on how low will Trump go tonight: “Last time Trump suggested Clinton was the devil, said she had ‘hate in her heart’ and paraded Bill Clinton’s accusers in front of the debate stage. And that was ten days ago, when he was doing better in the polls.” The only thing that is left is the Clinton Murders. He will accuse her of murder.

In a campaign mailer sent to residents of the 9th District, State Representative Kevin Hensley (R) boasted about securing funding for various projects in the district, adding that “he continues to work throughout the district to address drainage concerns, make infrastructure improvements, and address many other issues…” This is a curious boast, since Hensley joined his House Republican colleagues last year in uniformly opposing a funding bill (House Bill 140) that will generate more than $300 million in new revenue for much-needed infrastructure projects throughout Delaware. This infrastructure investment has resulted in more than 50 new or previously delayed projects moving forward.