I saw the Casey-Santorum debate: I'm not impressed with Casey

[Ignacio Upton]

I just finished watching the replay here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2042474#2042486

All I can say is that Casey was just WEAK. He got in some good zingers against Santorum, but he let slip A LOT of things, especailly the question of the "obstructionist" frame that the GOP uses, the wiretapping program, and Iraq. He showed himself to have a very milquetoast demeanor.
I just want to meet Casey in person and SCREAM at him. He needs to go for the jugular against Santorum, and if he doesn't step up to the plate he deserves to lose.

To quote Bill Clinton, voter's would rather trust someone who's strong and wrong, than weak and right. Santorum, while a complete wingnut, came off looking like he really had his heart in this race, while Casey looked milquetoast.

I'm calling up the Casey campaign tomorrow to have a little "talk" with who ever answers the phone. He needs to be more forceful.

[pitohui]

1. oh come on

how strong does the guy have to be, at least he's not ranting about box turtle sex?

and now i bow out since it's not my senator but jeebus

[INdemo]

22. Casey should never have agreed to a debate on the Russert show

If you noticed Russert allowed Santorum to interrupt Casey several times...and Russert interrupted Casey several times while he was making his case...Of all places to hold a debate this was very poor choice....

[Ignacio Upton]

23. In fairness to Russert

While I agree with you on the issue of interrupting, he didn't exactly treat Santorum with kid gloves. I liked how he went after Santorum over his hypocrisy on the residence issue.

[magellan]

2. Why aren't they ALL screaming is what I wanna know

I guess the stakes still aren't high enough. Bleh.

[Syrinx]

3. I thought Casey came across as dignified

While Sanatorium case across as a panicked frat-boy. Just my opinion.

[Ignacio Upton]

4. Well he came across as more rational

But he slipped up on several questions, and he should have been more aggressive in his debating style. I'm not calling for him to be a like a rabid dog like Santorum was, but he should have had more pep in his debating style.

[LostInAnomie]

5. I think he did himself a big favor be staying calm and reserved.

Man on Dog was unhinged. He was also made to look like a fool for most of the show by Russert's questioning.

Santorum was trying to provoke Casey and get a good sound bite out of him. By avoiding that, and making his points in a cool, calm manner he easily won the debate.

[Richard Steele]

6. Casey is NOT a 'go for the jugular' kinda guy, and he never will be.

And it's way too late for him to adopt a new persona;
he's well known, and any sudden change in demeanor
will be perceived as PHONEY.

I'm FROM Central PA; Casey is about the best we can realistically
hope for in an electable PA(D) candidate right now.

I'll be brutally honest: Damn few people are gonna vote for him.
But a lot of people are gonna vote AGAINST Santorum, because
he's spent YEARS convincing folks that he is the epitomé of
a slick political crapweasel.

And a lot of folks are gonna vote for the HOPE that Casey
will follow in his dad's footsteps. His dad is regarded as
a 'politician', and that's not a compliment there...
But he is regarded as 'pretty good' as politicians go;
fairly scandal-free, never stole so much that anyone really noticed,
and actually showed up and did his job for PA week in/week out.

He never set the world on fire, but he was never the
nationally-known EMBARRASSMENT that Santorum is.

Casey II's greatest strength is that he comes across as
an unambitious mid-level functionary. Just a guy who will
show up for work, and work every hour he's paid for.

Trust me: he's playing this right. This election is his to lose.

[sandnsea]

7. Why do people want to elect raving lunatics

I don't get it. Must be a generational thing. I think the lunatics in the White House are quite enough. I'd like some level-headed sanity back.

[EST]

8. I will admit to a bit of mmmm disappointment.

He did come across as a bit slow and...well...stolid.

Although I do think people are hungering for a few passionate, articulate democrats, he may do well, given the area he will be serving. Perhaps his constituents are in need of someone who, unlike M.O.D Santantrum, does not go charging off in six directions at once.

If all the screaming that man-on-dog does about his flavor of the week twisted rant has rubbed people raw, then a more measured, although perhaps not analytical, approach to representation and leadership may be needed.

The rest of us, however, need some loudmouths who will not shut up, like a yappy little dog, and who will fly up in the face of corruption and faithlessness and demand attention and action right NOW!

[TreasonousBastard]

9. I agree-- heard most of the debate on the radio, so...

I don't know about body language and other visual effects, but Sanctimorium was perfectly on message through what I heard. That his arguments were complete bullshit is irrelevant-- he sounded convincing to anyone who wasn't already aware of what's going on. And that includes most people, who may know the basics but don't understand a lot of nuances in things like how you combat terror. Or even if we have to combat terror.

Casey avoided some fairly obvious, to me, counter arguments and just didn't sound as secure in his positions as he should have.

If anyone knows politics it's Bill Clinton, and he's spot on here.

[elperromagico]

10. Casey is fortunate in that the PA Senate race is a referendum on Rick

more than anything else. I hate to say that any election is "in the bag," but this is the closest thing to "in the bag" we've got right now.

If I had to guess, I would say he's trying to behave like the incumbent and force Santorum to behave like the challenger. That's not too difficult in this case.

[acmejack]

11. People in Pa are desperately trying to tell them themselves

That their "Safe" choice, their anti-choice Casey is not a mistake. They could have had a passionate, eloquent, articulate individual who would have cut Ricky to ribbons but no, electability was the buzzword. Now people are desperately hoping that since they compromised on their values, at least they will get the electability portion correct. I certainly do too, another DLC lackey is better than nothing, I suppose.

http://www.chuck2006.com/

edit for spelling

[Cosmocat]

12. No ...

Casey was the only choice ...

Look, Casey is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was the ONLY choice to take Santorum down ...

1) Money ... No "other" candidate was going to be able to put the money on the table that Casey can, by a wide margin, and Casey has JUST enough money to be able to keep up with Santorum ... Santorum had a 16 million or so war chest to start this thing ... He would have been able to run ads portraying any other candidate as a child molesting alien 100 times a day for 5 months with the other candidate having NO ability to counter ...

2) Sorry ... While we might have been the virtue in the other candidate, he came across as too shrill for many Psnnsylvanians ... Again, WE might haveseen his quality, but he WOULD have been painted as a left wing nut by Santorum AND the MSM ... And, he would have acted in a manner that fit that typecast ... AND, given the choise between a right wing nut and a left wing nut, PA would have broke right ...

[acmejack]

14. I hope you end up with the DLC guy.

We'll find out. Generally when one compromises their principles to win they end up losing and having no principles. I find Mr. Casey singularly unimpressive. Fortunately, I don't live in Pennsylvania, but I am sure Benjamin Franklin would be proud.

[Sugarcoated]

19. Right now it's getting majorities

in the House & Senate. It's pretty simple, really. We will continue to get reamed by the weasels if we don't take it back, first and foremost.

[Eric J in MN]

24. Why was Casey better able to raise money...

...than another Democrat would have been?

[ThomWV]

13. I Posted Yesterday That The People Of PA Had 2 Bad Options

But I'd still vote for Casey.

Dam shame. To be quite honest about it I'd vote for Specter before I'd vote for Casey, but Santorum is such a bad joke .....

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. I enjoyed watching Rick coming unglued. That's a sign of fear.

He was clearly desperate. And to reaffirm that Bush is a terrific leader drives the coffin nail a little deeper.

[Township75]

16. I didn't watch the debate, but speaking to PA folk who have...

it appears both sides are disappointed in their candidate, but with that in mind, most think Casey may have eaked out an edge as Rick was panicky and whiney.

[exlrrp]

17. Not impressed with a lot of Democrats but

I vote for them anyway. I'm a WHOLE LOT Less impressed with their Republican opponents.
Democrat/liberals have been under the most virulent attacks for the last XXX years. I want leaders that want to fight back, not rearrange deck chairs!
Guess its that old Army training--the conservatives don't own that one either

[KoKo]

18. Getting rid of Santorum as one of the top GOP Crazies as a spokesperson

is worth it even if Casey is weak and DLC. Santorum's crazy statements always get him air time on the Pundit Shows. I'm sure if he loses he will become a regular on Matthews and the other pundit shows..still spewing his Coulter type idiocy...but at least he won't be voting with Repugs anymore. We have to take what we can until we build a stronger progressive base for the future.

[Sugarcoated]

20. There'a a bumper sticker I saw the other day here

says, 'Casey: He's not Santorum" or something to that effect. And while he's not the best, he's soooo much better than Rick Whackjob.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

21. Hell, with a slogan like that I'd vote for Old Nick himself...

It's a shame that's the only selling point he has (if it is - it may well not be) but it's still a damn good one.