The Right to Run

Just read Chris's post linking to this post on Commenst from Left Field, a blog that is new to me. I've read and heard from first-hand sources that the decision to run Treasurer Bob Casey Jr as the Democratic candidate against Rick Sanitorium was made behind closed doors by the democratic elite; a decision involving heads like Rendell, Schumer and Reid. Not until now have I read the text from the horse's mouth stating such.

So I [Schumer] called up Governor... our number one target is Rick Santorum... let him go back to wherever he lives, Maryland, you know you heard about it, he is Pennsylvania but he tried to get exempt from the school tax there cause he lives in Maryland even though he is a registered citizen of Pennsylvania. In any case I called up the Governor of Pennsylvania, Governor Rendell, I said who is the best candidate to beat Santorum. He there is only one person who could beat him but A he won't run and B you wouldn't want him to run. I said why wouldn't we want him to run, he said he's pro-life. He's a deeply religious Catholic man. Bob Casey.
[transcribed by CfLF]

Sanitorium lives in Virginia, right? In any case, the Governor of the state in which this election is to be held had reservations on running his own State Treasurer.

Schumer continues

I said, those days are over Ed. Yes I'm pro-choice, but we need the best candidate. We can't insist that every Democrat check off 18 different issues before they get (unintelligible) we could do that, we can't anymore. And so, we persuaded, Harry using his very...Harry has amazing insights into people...and we together persuaded Bob Casey to run. A poll yesterday...national...all the polls they did...Casey 51 Santorum 40. You should see Santorum nervous and walkin on the floor.

I think that the democratic process is being ruined by the Democratic party. Isn't the will of the people supposed to elect the officials who will then legislate [supposedly] on our behalf?

The alternative? For me, it's Chuck Pennacchio who stands for everything that I stand for. Casey being the only "viable" candidate is a load of bullshit. How big a bonfire do we have to build under Casey's ass before he realises that being "electable" won't win him shit. I wanna like this guy, but he's not helping his own cause out at all. His handlers should stop sitting on their hands. So should his interns, staffers and yes-wo/men.

Comments

[eRobin]

As of now, I won't vote for Casey. Not that it will matter. He's going to lose by 20 points if he's lucky. Man-on-Dog is running as a courageous man of principle. By Election Day nobody will care that those principles are insane or have nothing to do with why we vote for a Senator. Casey is a me-too Dem, Kerry re-tread. Jeebus, I may vote for Santorum for having the balls to run this kind of campaign. Gotta admire that.