A comment from a post last night inquired as to who would win a one-on-one match between John Carney and Jack Markell. Carney, of course (with or without the damn mustache). And it would be an old fashioned @$$ kickin… an easy W… so easily, Carney would have to let him score a bucket to avoid a total in yo face, but that’s beside the point. Then what is the caller’s point, you ask?
That post summed up the insular Delaware political scene in one damn punch.
How’s that possible, you ask?
Drive to 18th and Broom and to the rickety shrine that is Baynard Stadium. Carney scored a few points there; athletically (St. Mark’s and Holy Rosary) and politically – because those hometown images are burned into the eye of the public collective consciousness. Delawareans remember, and in the world of Delaware politics, memories never fail.
We know our candidates as buds. First name only, bro – should someone have the temerity to address “Mike” as Mr. Castle, he/she would be taken behind the Logan House and whipped for blasphemy. It just ain’t done. Tell me truthfully, aren’t you all just a lil put out that you have not all received one of those snappy gold embossed dinner invitations replete with the official White House Seal? Why????? Because it’s F#$%&^ Joe and Joe hangs out at the f*#@%^& White House and he’s one of us… that’s f$%&*&^why …and that’s Delaware.
Yes, it is a quintessential social trait of any really small town where everyone keeps their shades drawn as to avoid becoming the talk of the town… unless one’s running for office… lol - Also where the town folk know every other town folk who currently knows every other town folk who lives in town or is buried in the Town Folk Cemetery. Delaware is a Xerox copy of that dynamic, but with one glaring exception… It’s a DAMN STATE!!!! Small enough to escape from Wilmington, where ya know everyone, to Rehoboth, where ya know everyone. It’s kinda like a Twilight Zone, really. But Rod Serling ain’t runnin’ for office.
That is what any politician had better stick in their mental quiver should he or she hold any ambition of procuring one of this State’s big ticket items:
You’ll need to be able to imbibe with us locals too. Politely slammin’ some brew’s (we’d name a brand but not before we are paid to do so) at Jam Session, knockin’ back a lil Jack as the gourds fly towards Milton, Sipping in elegance the Grey goose with the Bachelors, Shots of Jaeger w the young tailgating voters in Newark, Cheap beer and roho (well, not in cost) at St. Anthony’s, Ouzo with the Orthodox, Beer (and lots of it) at any fire hall in the state, and sipping in Wright and Simon style the carved out pinapple concoctions at Andy and Terri Strine’s front row table at Point to Point… right before you go off to get smoked at the tailgate of every other Brooks brother and Ladybug on the grounds… Cause the whole state will be there… swear to God… the whole state’s f*&^$#@there.
This is our scene, our way, and our party. You call us by our first name and we will consider placing you in office and callin’ you by your first name.
And it all fits in the end as well as Pete duPont’s tortoise shell (yes, they are real) glasses and 1977 Harris Tweed Jacket.
Now remember that play in the Holy Rosary/St. John the Beloved game Oct. 27, 1975… We can …small wonder, eh?
January 29th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/82774040_af8946957f.jpg
sums it all up!
January 29th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Ah yes, the vaunted Delaware way which is little more then a Mafia style operation at the Universiy and Whist Club over oysters and Bombay Gin martini’s where Carper and Castle play lets make a deal.
With the GOP establishment now holding their annual convention at Stonegates and the Dem’s playing pull down the lobster; it begs the question of do we have any choices left in this state?
We have become mired in medocrity.
January 29th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
TOUCHE!
January 29th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
This all comes down to the Deer Park, where (allegedly) Edgar Allen Poe wrote “The Raven”. On December 23, 1843, Poe lectured at the Academy (UD) and visited the Inn. As he was attempting to emerge from his carriage at the Inn, he was reputed to have fallen in the mud and was so upset (and drunk) that he put a curse on the building, “those born in this hell hole called Delaware will always stay here!”
January 29th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Very interesting! I’m looking forward to this site.
January 30th, 2010 at 1:53 am
Wrong!
None of the typical players are in the game for the Repubs US House race!
Look at the names.
The bad news for repubs is, you don’t recognize them!
The good news for the Repubs is, you don’t recognize them!
If one of the guys running for the House can get bank, they win!
It’s not just about same old Dems it’s about same old everybody! Delawareans are not just sick of career democrat politicians we are sick of career politicians!
Could we finally get a guy, not somehow, related to Biden or Castle?
I don’t know which way you guys lean yet, but I will find out!
January 30th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
The natives are surly. There’s a story running around town that Copeland will force a primary with megastar new guy Tony Wedo for Congress.
Ought to be interesting.
I maxxed to Charlie last time as did 1/2 of the firm but the bloom has faded from the rose.
He’s smart and conservative but it’s the same old re-runs over and over again.
We live in Newark and are increasingly tired of the silver spoon set feeding us.
If the GOP wants to win again they need people from zip code 19701 not 19710.
After I meet with Tony Tuesday I may visit GOP HQ and chat with Seth.
January 30th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
A Copeland/Wedo primary? You’ll have Greenville minus Tony’s neighbors plus all the black people Charlie takes pictures with for his website VS the rest of Delaware!.. this would be an interesting twist in a party that’s so battered the state police show up once a week on Lancaster Avenue to find Ross in his wifebeater holding a bottle of Glenlivet and Wimer passed out on the floor with a perfectly shaped 750ml impression on the side of his head while Prissy is yelling at Laird’s dogs to shutup in the back room because the du Pont money can no longer afford the Purina, its now kibbles ‘n bits. If Charlie runs its only because he was forced to because he “owed” Greenville.
January 30th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
For starters Ross is a beer drinker while Laird likes Dewars and Prissy likes diet anything.
January 30th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Furthermore the GOP treasury is depleted because people like Michelle have quit giving because Prissy won’t ever share a turn so that the cupboards are bare.
Prissy told Tom Evans that this wasn’t a lifetime appoitnment after 6 years and she’s been there 30.
Tom Kovach is gunning for her and Dave Jones is no ally. She and Dave have tangled for years to the delight of all and sundry with Jones having the most recent win in 2002 when he became the New Castle County Chairman despite a last minute surge by her to stop him. She pleaded with State Rep Debbie Hudson to run but to no avail. She called me asking me to run at 4:45 the day of the vote. I was busy helping Beatrice Carroll run against Hazel in our 3rd attempt to replicate the “Margaret Rose Henry I took your money and run as a D”
strategy.
Glenn Kenton warned them that MRH would screw the GOP and boy was he right.
January 30th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Counsel, you’re quite the insider, I remember Kenton warned a bunch of Wilmington friends of mine, there were a lot of explicatives used if my memory serves me correctly. Full disclosure I am Wilmington Dem in the 4th RD, not happy with the current elected officials, statewide and locally, it was okay here in the 90s, but so was cocaine. From this point of view, the DE republican party is f’d up beyond repair.
January 31st, 2010 at 7:12 am
Gilly,
Thank you but an insider I am not. My billable hours are always under scrutiny because I do more pro bono work then many. Thank God my wife does well at Christiana otherwise our kids would be out of Caravel and in Gauger.
Yea, Kenton told as did Denny Rochford. I was there and all Basil and Prissy could hear was that MRH was a minority. The first week of the special election MRH actually asked if she got a clothes allowance. We’re knocking doors on Baynard and she wants to go shopping?
As for now Ross and people like Tony Wedo – my wife is threatening to leave me for him because he’s a dead ringer for Mel Gibson (WTF?) are trying to right the ship and with 6 stellar state house candidates including one in the 4th that you vote for they are making progress. Lavelle, Hudson, Kovach, Buckson, Phillips are the new leaders.
A new era is upon us.
January 31st, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Governor Carney sure beat Markell alright.
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:20 am
The meeting of minds is a powerful form of communication, and I flatter myself to think that I also think like you do.
February 3rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
We always attribute good taste and common sense to those who agree with us.
What we like about the folks who chime in here is that it represents a plenitude of opinion and ideology. Also some really smart observers. It also tells us that the voters in the First state may not be the sheep they’ve been made out to be. The pols had better take notice.
We are not yes men and listen to those who stand in dissent as we do to those who share our particular view on an issue. We see all sides but def have our own opinions.
This is what makes a horse race…no?
February 13th, 2010 at 8:39 am
Thank you Nat.
Always nice to be helpful.
February 15th, 2010 at 11:27 am
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February 15th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Thanks for sharing this.
February 19th, 2010 at 8:10 am
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March 1st, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Im in the US Army and I have to say the words and discussions i have seen about the military are completely disgusting. The way you talk about the people who serve YOUR country, the people who put THEIR live on the line, they are doing it for people like you. Some of you have no appreciation to these people who dont even know who you are but are willing to give up family, friends, loved ones, and their own lives so that you can see another day in peace in this country. Instead of talking down about homosexuals, why don’t you see all that they are giving you. They are giving you their LIVES. And in return this is what you give them? A life of secrecy and self denial to make YOU PEOPLE happy?! Get over yourselves! this is so selfish when they are doing something 100% selfless, this just goes to show that gays in the military have alot more ball$ than many of you do here. Why dont you go over to the sand box live their life and back at home