I Love This Shit
by ChrisJanuary 26th, 2006 2:23 am
Kos:
And no, his two primary challengers aren’t viable alternatives. PA Dems will have to do better than them if they want a serious challenger to Casey who can also win in November. Like it or not, Casey has the clearest path to victory of any Dem Senate challenger this cycle. And we need this seat to have Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and subpoena power.
The thing I love best about this is that Markos, a guy with a huge readership and at least a little pull, is taking a shit on the only two Democrats in Pennsylvania who have the spine to run against Casey in the Democratic primary. This is after Rendell and the DSCC wiped the table clean and anointed Bob Casey as the next Democrat to have his ass handed to him by Santorum. The thing I love second best is when writes “Like it or not, Casey has the clearest path to victory of any Dem Senate challenger this cycle.” I can only assume this is Kos’ way of telling us that Democrats don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of picking up a single seat held by a Republican not planning on retirement this cycle. I have to say I was a little more optimistic, but then again, who the hell am I? Nothing like the hiss of the air out of a balloon.
Casey may be a wonderful guy, I have no clue and I really do feel a little bad for being so negative. That said, I do know that Casey is a shit candidate with even shitier positions. He may well win the Democratic primary, but that’s probably the last thing he’ll ever win as a candidate for public office. He’s dead to rights after that and I can’t say that I really care. That right there is the problem. I’m about as partisan a guy you will ever find, but I will not lift a finger for Casey. If you can’t get me, and Democrats like me, to tow the party line in a general election against Rick Santorum, it’s all over. Game. Set. Match. Not that it wouldn’t have been over anyway. Casey is self destructive on the stump. Clearly.
You know what I would love even more than watching Kos take a crap on the only two people with the spine to run in spite of the DSCC and Rendell suicide pact? I’d love it if Kos and John Aravosis and anyone else from far away with a national profile, would stay the fuck away from Pennsylvania politics. The Pennsylvania Democratic party is self destructive enough without you taking a shit on our candidates. The establishment is more than able to lose races it ought to win without the help of prominent national liberal bloggers. More than that, there are more than a few of us here who really do care and who really are trying to back good candidates with good positions who we think have a chance - even if that chance is small. We are trying to build a relevant Democratic party in Pennsylvania, and more importantly, a better commonwealth. Please stop fucking us over. Even if just for a few weeks or a few cycles, please stop. Thanks.
January 26th, 2006 at 7:23 am
Amen. Word. etc.
Too well put to add to…
January 26th, 2006 at 9:35 am
interesting to see Armando come out so strong anti-Casey and pro-Pennacchio in the huuuge thread
January 26th, 2006 at 10:06 am
I was pleased to see that. He tends to be a bit more of an idealist than a lot of the other writers and diarists, so I’m not surprised.
January 26th, 2006 at 10:21 am
Sometimes I wonder if some of these folks are thinking too far ahead. Are they thinking “we’ll get Casey in, and after that, we’ll get a better liberal to take Specter’s seat…”? Is this baby steps politics?
January 26th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
[…] Rowhouse Logic: […]
January 26th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
And no, his two primary challengers aren’t viable alternatives.
CLASSIC self-fulfilling prophecy. Paul Hackett wasn’t a “viable alternative” until progressive netroots bloggers like Kos and Atrios got behind him and gave him the financial support (and ensuing press coverage) he needed to run an effective campaign.
If bloggers like Kos and John were to throw their full weight behind truly progressive candidates like Chuck Pennachio and Alan Sandals, no one could say that they weren’t viable candidates.
Down with centrist capitulation, and up with the people!
January 26th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I’m SO glad someone finally said this! It needed to be said.
January 26th, 2006 at 9:21 pm
Well, damn from yer post I can’t figure out if Kos is right or not? It is your state after all.
January 27th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
Chuck Pennacchio (www.chuck2006.com) may never have ran for public office himself, but he’s a proven winner. He organized successful “longshot” campaigns for US Sens. Tim Wirth (D-CO), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and the late Paul Simon (D-IL). He also has tons of Washington experience serving as personal aide to Sen. Alan Cranston (D-CA) and as Military Personnel Caseworker for Congressman Ron Dellums (D-CA). Sounds like a pretty fucking viable candidate to me.
And when you hear him speak in person you should be very impressed. He is so much better than rambling Bob Casey and Chuck does it all without a script.
Chuck may not have Casey’s recognition yet but he’s busy making campaign stops all over the state (and has been since late 2004). Besides, you can buy recognition or the media can give it very quickly. If Chuck win’s the primary he’ll be all over the news. What you cannot buy is passion for progressive politics and grassroots campaigning skills and Chuck has both. He actually meets with voters and wins them over. I’ve seen him do it several times myself.
January 27th, 2006 at 7:21 pm
Amen.