At an unveiling ceremony for the new Presidential Dollar coin, Delaware Congressman Michael Castle made some surprisingly candid comments about the war in Iraq.

“Your family is going to need about 25,000 of these things to pay for your portion of this war,” Castle said as he pulled a red drape off the coin. The Congressman’s candor startled his staff and Delaware reports who have become accustom to Castle’s lies and obfuscations regarding the war.

Castle went onto express confidence in the United States mint’s ability to produce dollar coins that are shiny enough to distract people from “how badly they are being screwed by myself and my colleagues in congress.”

When asked to elaborate on Mr. Castle’s remarks on the expense of Iraq war, Castle’s spokesperson, Elizabeth Wenk, returned to the talking points that served the Congressman well in the recent election with her reply, “War? What war?”

Yesterday I mentioned Newt who is unelectable. Joe M at merit bound alley takes a look at Mitt Romney who believes that the Angel Moroni gave additonal chapters of the bible to earthlings on golden tablets and is trying to adopt George Bush’s “I’m a Divider not a Uniter” platform and if you have not seen this Youtube video of Rudy Guiliani in drag, check out the career killer here.

That leaves John McCain for the GOP, and he wants to reinvade Iraq and do it right this time. Why? Who knows. He is not saying.

The Bottom Line: If you want a say in who is going to be the next President of the United States register as a Democrat.

Meanwhile: The GOP is fighting the “war on terror” by monitoring elderly Quakers.

Consider this the Delaware Democrats for Newt site

It seems official: serial adulterer Newt Gingrich is running for President.

Of course, like all who have massive numbers of skeletons in their closet do, Newt seeks to avoid the campaign trail and stay within the confines of paid corporate speaking engagements and back-and-forths in the corporate media, knocking softballs from right-wing hack-pundits out of the park.

Newt thinks we will come to him, on our knees, begging him to be our Saviour. Quoting:

“I am seeking to create a movement to win the future by offering a series of solutions so compelling that if the American people say I have to be president, it will happen.”

Seriously, is there anyone we’d rather run against? Save Frist, I say not. What say ‘ye?

by Kos diarist essexgreen

is Delaware 35% better this year than last year?

It should be. The President of the U of D got a 35% raise this year. He was scraping by on a measly $724,600 last year. He now makes $979,500.

Patrick Jackson does a fair job rounding up the conventional wisdom – but he forgets a couple of things:

1) The “Delaware way” SUCKED for voters. While Celia Cohen would like everyone to give long languid blow jobs to Michael Castle – his voting makes that a morally indefensible option. It is not “personal” to say that Castle is a washed up old loser who spent the past 6 years bending over for everyone Bullshit policy that George Bush could dream up. It is a simple fact.

2) George Bush and Karl Rove have poisoned the well of American Politics. The Democrats did not invent the new rules and while Crossan, Rakestraw and Strine would be perfectly happy to have Democrats play by the old rules while they adopt the Rovian way, Democrats have decided to fight back.

Tough campaign tactics muscling
out ‘Delaware Way’

By PATRICK JACKSON, The News Journal

A scant decade ago Sen. David Sokola’s political career might have vanished in a flurry of fliers noting that his Republican opponent, Mike Ramone, had been arrested many years ago.The charges had been dropped and airing that kind of dubious laundry simply wasn’t done in the courteous political world known as the Delaware Way.

The unspoken rules allowed for tough shots on issues, but frowned upon attacks rooted in an opponent’s private or personal life.

I went to this American institution last night. Due to the fact that the Radio City Music Hall Rocketts show was in the newer bigger building outside of town, the show was performed and broadcast from the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville.

I was fully prepared to hate this self described “wholesome, old-fashioned entertainment”. However, I have to say that the corn pone piereced my cynical northeastern carapace, and I ended up having a fantastic time. All of these people tore it up:

Pam Tillis
Emmylou Harris
Radney Foster
Mike Snider
Jimmy C. Newman
Jean Shepard
Hal Ketchum
Nanci Griffith
Del McCoury Band
Riders In The Sky
George Hamilton IV
Opry Square Dancers
Jon Randall
Kennedy-Rose
Jack Greene
Jim Ed Brown
Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys (Not in that order)

The show was great. So if you ever find yourself in Nashville do not pass up the chance to see the “Grand Ole Opry”.

The Bottom Line: When very very talented people are getting it on, it is going to be good no matter what kind of music they are playing.

Enough already about OJ’S “If I did it” (published by ReganBooks, an imprint of News Corp.’s HarperCollins Publishers. Fox television, which like Harper Collins is owned by News Corp., plans to air a two-part TV interview of Simpson by publisher Judith Regan, on Nov. 27 and 29.). Let’s stop giving this a-hole free pub.

Instead let’s talk up these other ReganBook titles:

“If I lied about WMD” George Bush’s new book in which he speaks (in hypothetical terms) about lying to Congress about Iraq’s WMD program to build support for a pointless invasion of Iraq. OR,

“If I Botched the Occupation” Don Rumsfeld’s new book in which he speaks (in hypothetical terms) about sending our fighting men and women into an unwinnable occupation under manned and under armed in order to prove some bullshit theories about modern warfare.

I’m sure you guys know of some other ReaganBook titles that deserve more airtime than OJ’s. Let’s hear about them.

A delawareliberal reader points out that The News Journal posted this story online, very late Thursday evening, but then never the next day either in print or online.

Recycler illegally dumped ash, state says
166,000 tons deposited at Pigeon Point Landfill

By JEFF MONTGOMERY, The News Journal
Posted Thursday, November 16, 2006

A sludge recycling company deposited thousands of truckloads of power plant ash without permission on a closed landfill south of Wilmington, according to newly disclosed details about what one group calls Delaware’s biggest environmental scandal.

Someone told them “Ix-nay on the Ory-stay.” But who? and WHY?

This kos diarists exposes the “liberal” media exposing itself:

In an extraordinary confession of journalistic failure, CBSnews.com editor Dick Meyer reveals that the House Republican leadership for the past 12 years were a bunch of weirdos and misfits unfit for public office.

Really, it’s just a simple thesis: The men who ran the Republican Party in the House of Representatives for the past 12 years were a group of weirdos. Together, they comprised one of the oddest legislative power cliques in our history. And for 12 years, the media didn’t call a duck a duck, because that’s not something we’re supposed to do.

I wonder when we are going to get our mea culpa from Doug Williams for throwing nothing but softball at Michael Castle for the past 12 years?…. I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.

Hap writes: Someone told me that Castle has already filed for ‘08.

I heard it too. This is where he filed

Dave at FSP:

I really don’t know what to say

Now, I’m not so sure.
……………………………..
Oh, and if you missed the bloody leadership fight that the Republicans just went through it is probably becuase the “liberal” media did not cover it.

Related Note: The DNC linked to me.

The president said there was much to be learned from the divisive Vietnam War _ the longest conflict in U.S. history _ as his administration contemplates new strategies for the increasingly difficult war in Iraq, now in its fourth year. But his critics see parallels with Vietnam _ a determined insurgency and a death toll that has drained public support _ that spell danger for dragging out U.S. involvement in Iraq. (snip)

“We’ll succeed, unless we quit.” Bush said.

I’d say Bush is dumb as a box of Count Chocula, but I think don’t think a box of Count Chocula derserves to be insulted like that.

Celia (that minx) beat me to the conventional wisdom, so I’ll skip right to the general election results and one up her by including the legislative “races to watch” feature 20 months in advance of hers.

The 2008 General Election Results:

Senator: Joe Biden
Congressman: Jack Markell
Governor: John Carney
Lt. Governor: Matt Denn
Insurance Commissioner: Some Democrat

2008 Legislative Races to Watch:

4th Senate Dist; Copeland leaves his seat open in order to have his ass handed to him by Carney. Some Republican wins the open seat. (no change)

17th Senate Dist: Without Vaughn to beat up on – Still’s record makes him the most hated man in Delaware. He is a slimy out of touch grandstanding douche bag and the Kent county Democrats are on a roll thanks to the leadership of Abbey Betts. (Dem Pick-up)

9th State Rep Dist: If Rebecca Walker decides that she wants it – it is all hers. (Dem Pick-up)

18th State Rep Dist: Someone is going to announce a surprise retirement a la Roger Roy- it might as well be Spence. (dems pick-up)

19th State Rep Dist: Someone is going to announce a surprise retirement a la Joe DiPinto- it might as well be Gilligan. (dems hold)

20th State Rep Dist: Manolakos is the “Chauncey Gardener” of Legislative hall. He is surprised to even be there. (dem pick-up)

25th State Rep: The R’s will run hard at freshman Kowalko, but to no avail. (dems hold)

27th State Rep Dist: Jaques strong showing proves that this district is ripe for the Democrats. Lofink retires or is beaten in the general. (dems pick-up)

31st State Rep Dist: Prameela Kaza decides to go again and makes Nancy Wagner the next Stephanie Ulbrich. (dems Pick-up)

33rd State Rp Dist: The R’s think they should have this one – but Walls is no dummy. He’ll cruise to re-election. (dems hold)

34th State Rep Dist: In a kind of mirror image of the 33rd, the Dems think this is winnable. It is not. (Republicans hold)

Joe M at Merit Bound Alley has been trying to find out what is up with the “write in” votes and is getting nowhere with the Department of elections.

The election was NOVEMBER 7th and all we know so far is:

1) Christine O’Donnell’s write-in tally will be available “soon”, and
2) For the other numbers, we will have to wait until “the beginning of the next year.”

I’m sorry that is messed up! Why the O’Donnell results soon and the other results in two months? What is taking so long?

Joe has been a perfect gentleman with the CoI’s office. In response to my comment that we should post the email address and phone number of the office and start making a fuss, Joe Replied:

Joe M Says:
November 16th, 2006 at 5:47 am I’m going to call the office today and find out why first. I’d hate to generate a lot of trouble for the CoE if there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. I’ll have an update today.

I know that they have a tough job (working under constant under constant scrutiny from both sides) – but this is getting ridiculous.