Take a look at this. Ed Rendell is praising Rick Santorum for "delivering" for Pennsylvania, refusing to record any ads for Bob Casey, and saying he won't "attack" Santorum. This is just the kind of crap we've been taking Joe Lieberman to task for. Rendell is providing Santorum with political cover so he can claim that he "delivers" for Pennsylvania and play down his far right extremism. This is unacceptable.
Now I know there's some history between Casey and Rendell, as they did run against each other in the 2002 gubernatorial primary. Of course Rendell is "supporting" Casey but he has made it clear that it is lukewarm at best. Beating Santorum is crucial to our hopes of retaking the Senate. If we can't beat him, there's no way we're taking back the Senate. If we can't take back the Senate, we can't stop Bush's insane right wing judges from getting put on the bench nor will we be able to check Bush's gross abuse of power. Ed Rendell knows how important that is. But he's putting himself and his little petty grudges first by slighting Bob Casey.
One of the big reasons Joe Lieberman is in big trouble is that he provides political cover to Bush and the Republicans on Iraq, privatizing Social Security, Samuel Alito, etc. And that is just what Ed Rendell is doing. We need every Democrat repeating that Santorum is a right wing extremist who has done nothing for Pennsylvania. Santorum is trying to re-write history by playing down his ideology and focusing on how he "delivers" for the state. That is his only hope of winning. And Ed Rendell backs him up on that. I generally avoid profanity in my posts, but WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH HIM?
Yes, I suppose Santorum has delivered for Pennsylvania: he's delivered them right wing extremism and intolerance with a touch of arrogance and moral superiority that any thinking person cannot help but find repugnant. He couldn't even "deliver" his taxes for local schools in Pennsylvania because of his "cyberschool" scam. The man doesn't even live in Pennsylvania anymore and has focused like a laser beam on gays, working women, and man-on-dog. He has literally done nothing for his state. And Rendell says he delivers. Give me a break. And Rendell tops it off with the mother of all lame excuses:
"He's going to be senator for the next six months," Rendell said. "That's an important time in the life span of a state."
Yes, because if Rendell criticized him, Santorum's Republican colleagues would cut off all pork projects for Pennsylvania and furthermore, if Pennsylvania couldn't get a couple more post offices, bridges, and potholes filled in the next six months, it could quite possibly sink into the ocean, Atlantis style (and no, being landlocked is not an obstacle to that). In fact, that sounds a lot like something Joe Lieberman said:
"It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be the commander in chief for three more critical years and that in matters of war we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril."
Yes, we undermine Rick Santorum's credibility at Pennsylvania's peril. Rendell might as well have planted a big fat kiss on Santorum's cheek.
But seriously now, we don't have time for any of Ed Rendell's kindergarten games. Everything we care about is on the line in this next election: the future of the Constitution, the war in Iraq, the minimum wage, universal health care, you name it. And the last thing we need are petty politicians playing their stupid little games when everything is on the line.
So if Ed Rendell is going to go Benedict Arnold on us, it should not be without consequence. We ought to decline to support any bid he makes for higher office and do our best to undermine any attempts by him to do so (within all ethical limits of course). Our goal is to elect more Democrats to office and if Ed Rendell is against that, then we are against him. Now I am not suggesting in any way that anyone support Lynn Swan. Ed Rendell is the Democratic nominee, and we should support him as such. But if he ever runs for the nomination for any other office (which I'm sure he will) we ought to work to make sure that he is not nominated.
Update: Part of the problem with politicians like Rendell is they fail to remember that politics is about "us" not "me." Rendell couldn't care less what happens to Bob Casey or the Democratic party in 2006, 2008 or beyond. He only is concerned about himself. Contrast that with a politician like Mark Warner. Warner had a 70-80 percent approval rating and could have easily ignored the race to succeed him and George Allen's re-election bid because if his candidates failed, it would hurt him politically. Instead, he strongly backed Tim Kaine, who is now governor. He worked hard to get a strong opponent for George Allen, who he is actively supporting. You won't hear Mark Warner talking about how Allen "delivers" for Virginia. But with Ed Rendell, it's all about him. Santorum wins? So what. A Republican succeeds him? So what, as long as he got his two terms. Rendell thinks he can act like a king, bestowing his favor or displeasure upon anyone without having any good reason. The Democratic party is a team, not the Ed Rendell Show. When a Democrat loses, the team loses. And when one Democrat undermines a fellow team member just because he can, it is sickening. Because of what Ed Rendell did today, he has complicated the task of retaking the Senate. And for what? His ego. Shame on you Mr. Rendell.