Whether sporting the badge of the All Americans (82^nd) , Screaming Eagles (101^st), The Big Red One (1^st Infantry), Hell on Wheels (2^nd Armored),  Seals, Rangers, Delta Force, or Green Berets… or the patches of those who fly – or flew – Mustangs, Fortresses, Voodoos, Phantoms, Tomcats, Hornets, Eagles, Warthogs, Blackhawks, Hueys, and Apaches; the legend continued.  Our fighting force was –and remains – the force… end of conversation.

But with the legend also came scuffs on the shine of that honor as our vaunted military prowess fell victim to the social issues of the times.  Minority soldiers were largely segregated (see Tuskegee Airmen)  and afforded not the respect and inclusion one would expect from a nation forged from the “All men are created equal” of Jefferson’s quill.  The women pilots (Wasps) of WW2 were relegated to fighter and bomber ferry missions while the men flew the combat sorties.  Racism and sexism remained in place even in view of the ultimate sacrifices blacks and women paid in defense of their country.  Change – as it always is – was painfully and abhorrently slow.  Votes, remember?

But in the end it was the scope of a man’s/woman’s  talent, mettle, and courage that would lay claim as to whether they were deemed worthy to wear the uniform of the US fighting elite.

Or was it?   It wasn’t… at all… not even close.

There was a new source of bigotry cookin’ in the kitchen’s of the White House, Pentagon, Congress, and on stoves all across the land of the free: The Gay soldier. Somehow, amazingly, the men in the halls determined ones sexual orientation equated military fitness (socially, ethically, morally) and could, if left unchecked, undermine the entire foundation of the armed services.  Huh?   And God forbid one happened to be a black Gay soldier… or Black Lesbian soldier… whoa, Nellie… sure as hell can’t have that, now can we?  After all, the public hysteria and fear had kept closets of Gay teachers, athletes, cops, coaches, parents and politicians under lock and key for like… forever, in fear of public crucifixion and personal ruin.  I mean, aren’t gay people perverts, disease ridden, and always always looking to infiltrate our sacrosanct family structure so as to get us all (the straight world) to “Change Teams?”  After all, that’s what the rumor mills crank out… gotta be true, right?   If everyone believes it then it must be true.

Well, the soldiers knew all to well the torches were lighted for them too should they dare come out and exercise their constitutional rights so they did what all persecuted folks do to keep breathing: they kept their damn mouths shut so the $^!% wouldn’t hit the fan

But the $^!t did hit the fan cause some brave gay soldiers and political supporters said no way…

The powers that be were now faced with a political hot potato and a simple question:  How to pander to a largely ignorant and intolerant “Family Value” voting populace while adhering to the Constitution (Remember that document?) and appearing to possess any semblance of an open mind?   “Don’t ask don’t tell” (see keep your damn mouth shut) was the palatable compromise fashioned by the White House, Joint Chiefs, and sheep of the Pentagon.  Kinda sounds like the advice given to Sarah Good and the rest of the Salem hunted to keep them from the Magistrates gavel and Puritans gallows.  Didn’t work, Btw.

And now the whole shebang is back as the House voted to repeal “DADT” aka The Gay Ban.  The tally?  234-yea… 194-nay. The Sectarians… er, ah… Republicans are just peachy with DADT.  All but 5 (including the brave Judy Biggert R-Ill) voted to maintain the ban, while the more progressive Democrats (excluding the 26 doctrinaires) wanna scrap it.  Coons, Carney and Spencer – in addition to Ted Kaufman (who we’re liking a lot these days) –  have stood firm with a LGBT community that is tired of orientation having any bearing on anything.   We agree and applaud them  for such a show of common sense, pragmatism, and fairness.   We’d love to say the same for King Castle who cast his regrettable party vote to extend the ban (but he’ll spin it to the middle soon).  We would love to hear Mama and Papa chime in on this but I’m guessin’ Mama would be a hesitant yea and Papa a definite nay.

But even with the yea vote to end the blatant – and thinly veiled discrimination – this amendment has to pass the muster of the same cast of characters that have helped carry on the hysteria up to this point: The President, Joint Chiefs, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.  They will  digest the slanted findings of a Pentagon study and walk to the podium.   Now how do you really think, given the nature of political pandering in the vaunted “Family Values” environment, the men in the suits and Unis are gonna come down on this?   And in an election year… hubba hubba.   If you’re guessin’ status quo then you are in the majority.  For DADT to be given a ticket to the scrap heap it will require real courage and big balls on the part of the aforementioned playas.   I’m not sure they’ve got ‘em, but will hold out a glimmer of hope they do…

It also in all fairness must be stated that The President has once again declared June LGBT month.  Yes, we applaud this show of support for fairness but it is after all a proclamation, and they are after all just words.  Getting past the hatred to do what is right will take action.

Now here’s something to consider Mr. President and Secretary Gates… and the Pentagon exploratory squad:   I would wager that there were more than a few gay patriots at the Boston Tea Party (ironic ain’t it) and Massacre, San Juan Hill, Gettysburg, Normandy, Pork Chop Hill, Saigon, and Fallujah.  Many have died defending the freedoms of some of the very citizens who still call them names.   I don’t know about y’all, but when a Gay soldier’s casket is flown to DAFB draped in the American Flag, I call that… debt paid.  Hey people; how many of your “normal” friends would truly take a fatal bullet for you and your family?  They did.  How bout we all grow up, take a look at our own “closets,” and finally… finally treat everyone like human beings

And Americans at that.

Actually, if a ‘nor’easter had decided to make a call and wipe out all the Coppertone dreams, it would still be a great weekend.  And why is that, you may ask?

‘Cause it’s Memorial Day.  And should anyone reading this not get it… you really should get it.  Maybe you rode – or are riding – past the expanse of the Veterans Cemetery off Rt. 71 and noticed the fields of Red White and Blue flapping in unison to the now cool breeze.  Or perhaps you visited a loved one – or two – interned there or some other revered spot .  Regardless, it is a scene like this that puts a ‘lil rainy day into perspective.  This weekend has so little to do with bicycles, beer, French fries, fine dining, or negotiating the curves between Ruddertown and the land of Sunday Bloody Sunday while totally smashed.   Nah, this weekend has everything to do with taking a moment to appreciate the sacrifice many brave souls made so y’all could decide for yourselves whether to cross over to Nalu (love that place) or continue up the west side to further experience the Miller High Life.

Yes, it seems like eons since Omaha Beach, Guadalcanal… (the death march), Pork Chop Hill, Khe Sanh, and the fall of Saigon; or even the opening night of Desert Storm.  The fierce street fighting in Kandahar at times touches the senses only as a CNN night light.  But these all have littered our consciousness in addition to our landscape with fields of white crosses that often lie in anonymity as we make our way quickly (we hope) in efforts not to miss the Toss of the Tacos.  Sad isn’t it?

How many of our brethren would love to have stuck around to witness such gaiety and popped a couple of cold ones with us all?  More than one could ever imagine.

This weekend – and Day – is entirely about our freedoms and those whom took it upon themselves to bestow on us all such a benevolent and admirable gift; and at such a dear price.

DE2010.com writes of the political realm and how it has become at times as oily as the tentacles of marshlands and waterways surrounding N’awlins; the protection of our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and preservation of our freedom.  So Mama, Papa, King, Chosen One, Quiet Man, and Spencer for Hire, take a breath if y’all would and get the dubious state of our State and National political specter out of your minds for a couple of days. Think more of why you’re really here and what ya really ought to be doin’.   If you think for a moment that the spirits of those lost are all smilin’ on the many liberties lost while folks were busy securing or keeping their jobs, then by all means fire up the Weber, throw on a Kansas City Cut and pop open a Fife Zin.  But make certain to serve up a side of conscience with them taters…K?

And for our readers?  We wish – along with the politicos – a safe, festive and introspective weekend.  Just remember who provided it for ya and what it takes to keep it.

Ciao

Yep, that Scott Spencer.  The very same.  Only he took us literally, and expanded his playing field and aura beyond the borders of Delaware… Waaaaay beyond.  How ‘bout to the White House to the Moon to Mars.  That’s soooome playing field, bro.

And what the hell are we talking about?  Spencer for Hire has joined forces with the former Director of NASA’s Manned Spaceflight Center, Christopher Kraft, to challenge President O’Biden’s plan to scrap NASA’s Constellation Moon Program in favour of a more Kennedyesque proclamation to explore Mars missions and Commercial spacecraft initiatives from here on out, ergo putting the dependable Space Shuttle fleet out to pasture.

Spencer and Kraft have vehemently  expressed in a letter to the President that a middle space scenario utilizing the Shuttle fleet and maintaining Moon based ambitions would – and could – afford a relative stepping stone to the agency whereas the program works in concert with O’Biden’s highly aggressive Mars initiative; augmenting it by providing valuable support, offering our own developed and proven Space shuttles in lieu of dependence on less dependable Russian craft, and dodging any technical and political land – or space – mines that may arise as a result of working with such a tenuous ally.   Spencer’s vision includes  language for the continual scientific, medical, and educational boon manned missions provide in addition to allotting  for the maintenance of the 30,000 jobs that would be mothballed along with the decades old Shuttle program should the President have his way.    And, in a “looking for jobs” rich political environment, what could be more fundamental… and more popular.

When we wrote that Spencer was a “Natural Civil servant waiting to happen”, we weren’t kidding.  This is a guy who will tackle anyone at anytime if he sees an issue that affects our state or national citizenry.   Running his political engine largely on Green – you ought to hear this guy talk drilling… and well before the squeal of the Bourbon St. horns was  silenced with WD40 and the oily Bobby Jindal called in the troops to contain the Delaware sized slick – Spencer also desperately wants the voters to know that his buck – if he had one – don’t stop on the environmental dime.  As evident with his White House “Space Shot,” it’s about technical and financial efficiency in addition to keeping the working man working.  Just ask him… he’ll tell ya.

I don’t know if Spencer’s and the ChrisKraft’s presidential howl at the moon will ever make it from the dark side or just fall victim to a lunar eclipse, but it does show the mettle and b^!!$ of the man.  He’s got both and the party ought to recognize it a ‘lil.

We like the guy.  And if he had the money and party support to fire off a couple of his own Morton Thiokol boosters… we think the people would like him too.

But we can’t have that, now can we?

And even if all the wizards, genies, and leprechauns suddenly bestowed on these wannabe’s the millions needed to compete at this high level, most of the names on the pretender list would still suffer from a dearth of political acuity,  personalities to rally the masses, and a genuine possession of the labyrinth of  local, national and global complexities as it applies to the office they seek.  This lil old fact has eluded them into a delusional state.

But there is one candidate amongst this dubious crowd, we feel, that should he come into possession of such a commanding coffer as all the “Big Names”, then he would become a very serious candidate indeed.  We of course are referring to one Scott Spencer.  What, you may ask?  After blasting Rose and K and Freddie, etc…?  And poor (and we mean poor) Brent Wangen; he of disclosed 20 whole dollars cash in hand, Brent Wangen.  What could possibly make Scott Spencer so special… so different from the rest?   What – the other pretenders may inquire – does this transit consultant have what we don’t have?  After all, we too are official, well maybe… depending on who you ask.

Well, for starters, he is – in our opinion – a playa (albeit, a poor one), a natural civil servant waiting to happen.   A tsunami in search of an subterranean quake.  In the driven fashion of Gerald Brady (who was courting votes in pre-school), Spencer walks through the front door.  He has charisma, he has balls, he can be seen carrying his soapbox to any street corner he needs to be on.  Doesn’t back off – or down – from facing off with John Carney.   He has total command and belief of his platform, and can articulate – and at great length… lol – every nuance of every issue to which he is passionate; recite with certainty and clarity any fact that will bolster his case and educate even one constituent. …and even accept intelligent and objective counter arguments to his own beliefs.  He listens (he likes to talk more) but is never adverse to bending ears on what he values most:   Human and Constitutional rights, Tooling for electric cars, investing (heavily) on green technology, hunger and housing initiatives for the poor, education, Middle East peace accords, putting the pump jockey – ergo creating new jobs – back to work at gas stations, and keeping the promise he made to his family to keep Sundays free from politics… good luck with that one… lol.

Scott Spencer is a pretender… but he isn’t.  A red white and blue walking dichotomy, folks.  A pretender in that he can’t win, struggles to raise the financing necessary to buy one good billboard let alone fire home his message and burn his name in consciousness of a Carney loyal Democratic public.  He doesn’t remotely have the “party backing”, but doesn’t seem to give a s@$#.  But he too falls to such pretender delusions and related spin when it comes to financing.  His “I’ll just say the amount of campaign contributions shouldn’t be the focus of a campaigns success” mantra is a dead pull to left that he doesn’t have a pot to p!$$ in when it comes to Campaign finance.  He also mentions he takes no special interest money.  Hmmmmm.  Really, Scott… has there been any special interest from the special interest in your campaign?  So you would turn down a hundred grand or two right now?  I don’t think so.  But it sounds good.

So Scott Spencer is a contender who wont contend.  Just won’t happen, bro.  But it is fun to imagine what ya could do if ya had the 600 hundred grand JC’s got on his debit card.

Ya got game, Spencer… just nowhere to play it.  But it will be cool watchin’ you tackle the chosen one this primary season.

One thing is for sure.  This guy will play all nine innings.

Now had you’d been a lil earlier you might’ve caught a glimpse at some pretenders using what little war chest they had in attempts to settle down their tummy’s after learning that Mama and her black card had entered the race only to be followed by the news that Papa U had reached into his own back pocket and pulled out 500 G’s of his own loot.  Half a mil, baby… HALF A MIL. All in for Papa.  Rose Izzo in contrast has enough in her faux Louis V – $122.00 – for an evening at Toscana (with tip, of course).  Rose is not even close to being alone in her angst.   With most pretender campaigns running on Valero type fumes, and when faced with the fact that it will take in excess of 5 MILLION DOLLARS ( yes, Rose, Kevin, Scott, Brent…you heard right) to play at this table, one has to wander just what the hell they were thinking in the first place.   I mean, Rose can’t afford the cab fare for a trip from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Chelsea Pier off the West Side Hwy and back.   Seriously.  Can you spell delusions?

Now I just know we are gonna hear all about the haves and have not’s in the next few days, and how it shouldn’t ever be about the money; and we agree.  However, the facts are the facts, and money talks and it says that “those who cant raise it, walk… out of the picture.” This reality is no different from that of partisanship, hate, intolerance for the others views, fear mongering, and stretching any truth – or out right lying – to stroke a clueless public and keep one’s fanny in office.  It is what it is and part of the current landscape… so don’t complain as you all were witting accomplices in this ongoing drama.

But allow me to digress back to Mama and Papa.  We have to give Pops props here.  Half a mil is a hefty bet and he’s got the stones to place it on the table and watch the dealer whisk it right into the cash slot.  Gone!  You’re in now, Old man… up to your eye balls. His new best friends from MH Media must have convinced him he needed to tap his ATM as to not only show serious commitment – and the fact that he will gamble his own  - but to fire the first shot over the bow of Mama Rollins; who could catch that cannon shell with her hand and throw it back, yo.   Now securing that kind of cash included some liquidity scenarios for Pops… but who needs a retirement fund when you ain’t gonna retire anyway.  And the college fund for the grandkids?   That’s soooo far off… and hell, they may not even wanna go to college… right?  And the second Mortgage -should he go down in flames – might put him and the clan in a double wide (or upgrade to a mack daddy Sand Piper)  for awhile, but he ain’t bettin’ more than he can afford to lose.  But he is betting a lot.

And so is Mama Rollins.  She hopped in knowing precisely what the personal – and national – tab would be.   And let us not forget one Mr. John Carney who was sittin’ on half a mil himself… or close to it (has a few bucks left, we’re sure, but he is hitting up everyone he ever knew for donations.  He doesn’t possess the personal billfold to compete with Mama or evidently Papa, but he will tap the national MAC for some bread once he gets past Spencer.  But he cant match Rollins whatsoever in a general.  So he will pray for the upset.

And to all the wannabe’s?   Save what money you do have and take the fam out to the Charcoal Pit for a Pit Specials w/cheese.  You may have enough left over to go across the street to Rita’s afterwards.  And that Kitchen Sink on the menu wasn’t of the Jack and Jill variety; it was a stainless Kohler that just got thrown at your collective title hopes.

So here we go sports fans.   This Congressional primary just got a $500,000 injection of steroids.  Either Papa knows something or he just made a sucker’s bet.  It’s gonna be interesting.  And let’s not forget the filing deadline on Thursday.  She who else wants to go to Rita’s… lol.

Hey, Spencer.  You’re up this week… do hope you have more than $122.00 you can tap into.  Yes you have more political upside than most, but you gotta get a seat at the table.  We’ll see ya shortly.

A final note:  With all this talk of serious money, is it any wonder Miss Tetley was reportedly out sellin’ the NJ at the head of the ramp comin’ off 95.  The “help the homeless candidate… will run for food”  is about all the ad exposure she could hope for at this stage of the game.  What a train wreck.

Further up – or down – the coast the surf fisherman angle their Garcia’s and Penn’s in hope’s of landing a record “Blackfish”.   Whoa!  What, you may ask is a “Blackfish”?  You mean Bluefish, don’t ya?  Ain’t never heard of no Blackfish.

Well, the entire eastern seaboard may soon be one Capt. Hazelwood perfect storm away from painting the whole beach with one long black oily stroke.  Black Gulls and sandpiper’s and bathers no longer in need to oil up with Coppertone.  At least the colour is slimming… or is it sliming?

And what could cause such a Cimmerian scenario?  A hint: take a Black and Decker drill, put it on anabolic steroids and place it on a platform miles off the coast and away from the consciousness of the Suburban driving public.   Sarah Palin (remember her…lol) was crucified for uttering the words “Drill Baby Drill” during her ill fated campaign run.  We as a country were driving past our need for a pic line of foreign oil, weren’t we?  F$$$ the middle east crude pushers, we were goin green… weren’t we?    Hybrids, Solar roofs, Ethanol tax credits, Hydro and Wind.  Hell, we’re even recyclin’.

Seems we had another 180 in Washington as it applies to offshore drilling and now the left – at least on this issue – resembles more the right.  After battling tooth and nail Bush 43’s offshore petro agenda just two short years ago, The O’Biden’s have floated out their own derricks claiming they provide a more balanced ballast.  In Poli-speak; yes, we changed our minds, now support the drill; but it is better and safer and more “balanced” than W’s.  Uh huh.  Says you.  Come on guys, give us a Barack…er, I mean… break.

Against the irate and irascible opposition by those soon to be drilled coastal legislators, the White House is now proposing drilling for more than just oil.  They are drilling to see if they strike any strong and viable support for placing some really big albatrosses a mere 3 miles (is that nautical?… like it matters) off the coastlines of Florida, Georgia, SC, NC, VA, Maryland, Bethany, Jersey, Conn, RI, New Hampshire and Kennebunkport.   But hey, it’s something we need to do to help “reduce our dependence on foreign oil”.  Where have we heard that before?  Our own Sen. Ted Kaufman has broken with party oilers Biden and Carper to blast the proposal citing spill risks that affects could reek havoc to both the environment and tourism should the unexpected come calling.   He don’t believe these reserves are sufficient to stem any tide… just make the tide blacker.  He ain’t alone.  It also awoke a slumbering John Carney today and has him calling out the White House a lil… and we mean a lil.  He left some “we need to “reduce our dependence blah blah blah” wiggle room. But the O’Biden’s now got a civil skirmish brewin’ on Silver Lake.

God forbid we have those wind driven eyesores within a binoculars reach of Dewey.  But give me one of them Gulf of Mexico behemoths (that they evacuated during Katrina).  Now that is a postcard.  Especially if ya like your burger with some Thrasher’s and a lil pint of Havoline.

So we have another in the series of hot buttons rainin’ down on the mid-term boyz; favourites and pretenders alike.  This, like health care is a big one.  We’d like to hear from those who’s political engines are revvin’ up on the tarmac waitin’ for their Delaware to DC commuter flight to depart.  We would love to hear from King Mike, Mama Rollins (when she graces us all with her already made up mind) and Chris Coons; in addition to Urquhart, Cullis, Wade, Izzo (she carries a craftsman w multiple bits), Wangen, and Campbell, give us all the pleasure of knowing precisely where they come down on the issue.  We’d ask Miss Tetley, but we know she’s plannin’ on homesteadin’ on one of them bad boys… at least till the FEC leaves town.   And we know where Scott Spencer stands: out on the boat harassing the platforms construction efforts, looking every bit like Ahab, replete with fuel injected harpoons.  No, we can tell you all where Scott stands and you won’t need an ear to the ground to hear him.   At least he will tell you exactly where he stands… an it ain’t gonna be on the drilling platform.

Speak up candidates.  This is, as Joe likes to say; A BIG F’N DEAL.  The voters got their ears to the ground too.

It also produces 2 days that wont go down as contributing a F’n thing to the GNP as no one…I mean no one has as his or her mission on Thursday and Friday anything other than to log into ESPN, CBS SPORTS; hooking up their Blackberry’s, iPhones , and HTC’s to witness firsthand their hoops prognosticating prowess taking shape.  It is madness.  It is awesome.  It also has prompted many a business to shut off access to company computers in attempt to siphon a dollop of productivity from their employees.  It also produces a number of upsets that confound the pundits and ruin the brackets of even the most knowledgeable fan.

Now we thought that in the spirit of the tournament we would offer our own Delaware political version of March Madness replete with the bracketing, match-ups and the chance to pick some upsets.  There of course doesn’t exist 64 candidates or even a Sweet Sixteen (but give the repubs time and they might get there)  But we do have the what be believe to be fair seedings and pairings.  So have a look pour a beer and pick ‘em.

SENATE

It’s a short field in the Senate with prohibitive favourite Mike Castle the Class of the field.    The early round game with Miss Tetley will be like Kansas playing West Chester; no upset here.  Coons may have the other bracket to himself but there are rumblings that another soul may suit up.  So we’ll call this one for Coons setting up A Villanova – Georgetown 1985 scenario whereas a perfect game would be needed by Coons to upset the King… and we all know how that game turned out.

Seeds

1. Mike (The King) Castle
2. Chris (The ax man) Coons
3. Christine (I’m a real candidate) O’Donnell
4. Guess who?

Castle vs O’Donnell - An unlikely upset scenario.  Tetley’s got prettier Uniforms and looks the cheerleader herself.  The king’s got better scouts and executes to a tea.  He also has Cougars in the band.

Coons vs Guess Who – The mystery Candidate may remain a mystery… may not.  But Coons plays all 94’.

HOUSE

The repubs have made this an interesting bracket due to the number of players and the presence of the female Bobby Knight lurking in the locker room.

SEEDS

1. MICHELE ROLLINS
2. GLEN URQUHART
3. FRED CULLIS
4. KEVIN WADE
5. BRENT WANGEN
6. DOUG CAMPBELL
7. ROSE IZZO

Wade vs Izzo – the winner gets the right to face The Grande Dame in Round two

Urquhart  vs  Campbell – the Old man Conservative against the Constitution.  The Constitution was potent at one time  but in the shredder recently.  Plus Glenn has the storied past and a tougher schedule.

Cullis vs Wangen – Similar styles here but the nod goes to the rifleman

On the Dems bracket there is but one game on tap.

Carney vs Spencer  – this is a match-up that is reminiscent of any team who has ever faced a Petey Carril coached Princeton team in the first round.  The talent wasn’t always equal; but the pace, coaching, and intelligent deliberate style made the Tiger’s a tough out.  Spencer = UCLA?   Interesting possibility.

So we begin the Delaware March to Madness.

This description hardy applies to our current crop of Congressional pretenders as they remain virtually anonymous and at times no more than a blip on the political radar.  While these figures are rife with ambition and good intentions, they can only dream at the moment of becoming what Chrissie referred to in one of the Pretenders earlier hits, “Talk of the Town”.  There would, or could be such talk if in fact any was being generated by any measurable buzz emanating from the respectful camps of Rose Izzo, Fred Cullis, Scott Spencer, Kevin Wade, Brent Wangen, and Doug Campbell.  To date only Fred Cullis (loaning himself the 5g’s to get in), and Kevin Wade with his 3 county declaration jaunt have even announced officially that they in fact are running.

The rest have seemed to be dabbling in the waters of a race with the obligatory Campaign photos – replete with stars, stripes and stock tag lines… nothing terribly creative – serviceable web sites, will anyone ever get a professional – I mean a real one – to orchestrate a serious web presence? – and some loyal followers giving it the old college try in efforts to hit the blogs in defense of their man/woman.  This is all well and good, but they (or most) are in essence giving us the non – run run.  They say they are running; have the campaign buttons on order (when they can afford to pick them up) and are by all accounts off and running… well, kinda

Hey, guys… if your genuinely serious then hop in with both feet.  That’s not too much to ask… is it?  Take out a loan or something.

So we will take a take a look at the extras on all these babies over the next week to better shed some light into the list of hopefuls.  We will provide each candidate our version of the “15 minutes”…DE2010 style over the next few weeks.  We feel that anyone who gives public office (especially the House of Representatives) a shot – even should there exist no logical shot at the job – deserves to be featured …at least a lil.   And if any should fall off the map in the meantime? …then it just wasn’t meant to be, now was it?

Since it is apparent the respective candidates are operating in somewhat of a vacuum, and what little the public – or anyone else – knows can be picked up on their site (unless you are already a strong supporter who has sat in a “Back Room” with one or more of this cast), we will present them to you in our own way.

Hey, we’ll be fair and balanced.  Now where the hell have we heard that before, eh?

AND IN THE ON DECK CIRCLE AND BATTING FIRST… ROSE IZZO.  See ya tomorrow, Rose.

A final note:  We will in addition over this time maintain our focus on the Big Ticket Names as those with punch, money, and excess of DRF, position themselves for the run at the roses.  Perhaps we may even be graced with an announcement or two from the Brooks Brothers.  We would love to feature y’all, that is when you guys actually become  candidates.  The fence must be a mighty cold place to be this time of year …lol.

The names are all familiar as usual suspects as are their mugs – Biden (well, er, ah, maybe) Castle and Carney have no need for an American Express commercial,  and the provocative and seductive Christine O’Donnell –annoying political mosquito she is – has yet to meet a billboard that she hasn’t found to be her cup of tea.  There also may lurk a serious challenger for Mr. Carney who has yet to emerge from the shadows as well as a number of obligatory wannabes that are tossing their chapeaus into the ring as we write.

Will Beau chicken out?  Will John get a promotion without having to spend too much coin fighting off Scott Spencer? Can the dems get out of from under the cloud drifting in from the Potomac?  Will we ever get a peek at what’s under O’Donnell’s political skirt?  Is Castle spicy enough to beat Beau? We’ll get to the answers to these and many more queries, whether or not benign or highly controversial.  We are not going to back off and don’t want you, the reader, to back off either.  Chime in with your opinions, rants, and raves; whether you agree with us or not; we like a hot kitchen.

DE2010.com will be there for the weigh-ins through the Castle/O’Donnell undercard primary and onto November where we’re all gonna find out who the real players are.  Our take is unfiltered.  We call it like we see it and don’t have any stake in any candidate or party.  If they (the candidates) are doing something noble, we’ll call it; if they play patty fingers with the truth, bam!   Status quo politics isn’t gonna git er done here.

We will in addition be commenting on the general political (Global, national, and statewide) landscape.  It all ties into The Small Wonder at sometime, folks, so you ought to be paying attention.  We do.

So lace up the gloves and get ready for round one.