The Buckley rule [Charles Krauthammer]

Washington Post ^ | September 17, 2010 | Charles Krauthammer

[ejdrapes]

The Buckley rule

By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, September 17, 2010

Tuesday in Delaware was a bad day not only for Republicans but also for conservatives. Tea Partyer Christine O'Donnell scored a stunning victory over establishment Republican Mike Castle. Stunning but pyrrhic. The very people who have most alerted the country to the perils of President Obama's social democratic agenda may have just made it impossible for Republicans to retake the Senate and definitively stop that agenda

Bill Buckley -- no Mike Castle he -- had a rule: Support the most conservative candidate who is electable.

A timeless rule of sober politics, and particularly timely now. This is no ordinary time. And this is no ordinary Democratic administration. It is highly ideological and ambitious. It is determined to use whatever historical window it is granted to change the country structurally, irreversibly. It has already done so with Obamacare and has equally lofty ambitions for energy, education, immigration, taxation, industrial policy and the composition of the Supreme Court.

That's what makes the eleventh-hour endorsements of O'Donnell by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Sarah Palin so reckless and irresponsible.

Of course Mike Castle is a liberal Republican. What do you expect from Delaware? A DeMint? Castle voted against Obamacare and the stimulus. Yes, he voted for cap-and-trade. That's batting .667. You'd rather have a Democrat who bats .000 and who might give the Democrats the 50th vote to control the Senate?

Castle wasn't only electable. He was unbeatable. Why do you think Beau Biden, long groomed to inherit his father's seat, flinched from running? Because Castle, who had already won statewide races a dozen times, scared him off. Democrats had already given up on the race.

[thethirddegree]

Charles, get over yourself.

[samtheman]

Support the most conservative candidate who is electable.

That's what happened, idiot. There was only ONE conservative in that election.

You can't stretch that "rule" to vote for Obama, can you? Or can you?

I never, ever thought I'd type these words:

Krauthammer is an idiot.

[dalebert]

I’m so sorry Harry Reid’s ped did not get the nomination..but what good would it have done to send another liberal to DC..how about eveyone getting behind the conservative nomination. What makes her un electable?

[Diogenesis]

Krauthammer, the faux psychiatrist, pushed Obama's "health"
and his fellow Harvardian's fraud upon America.

He is a proven phoney whose past duplicitous comments
prove he cannot be trusted since he is on Obama's short leash.

Krauthammer's batting average stinks.

[ejdrapes]

Yeah what’s up with him. And why are they still banging on about this? O’Donnell won. Get behind her and help her win. Quit sniping from the sidelines. Quit throwing temper tantrums because you’re candidate didn’t win.

[Ozone34]

The Neocons are unhappy.

[Daveinyork]

What good is 51 Republicans, if even one of them votes with the dems?

[muawiyah]

Castle was electable for many years. This year he was no longer electable.

Krauthammer and other Regular Republicans failed to notice that Castle and his running dog lackeys had LOST the support of the broad masses.

They were doomed.

The most electable, most Conservative person is O'Donnell. She was nominated.

[Diogenesis]

Krauthammer: "Castle voted against Obamacare and the stimulus. Yes, he voted for cap-and-trade."

Mike Castle voted FOR S-Chip.
Mike Castle voted FOR Cap-and-Trade.
Mike Castle voted FOR the $700 billion TARP bill.
Mike Castle voted AGAINST the surge in Iraq.
Mike Castle voted to ban incandescent light bulbs.
Mike Castle voted to commit Congressman Dennis Kucinich's impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee to investigate George W Bush for impeachment for “lying” about Iraq.
After ObamaCare was passed into law, Mike Castle refused to support its Repeal.

There is one conclusion:

Krauthammer should get a brain scan.
And run, don't walk, Chuck.

[shalom aleichem]

Kraut is usually brilliant but he has a problem with women. He has repeatedly denigrated Palin and now he has another lady in the cross hairs.

[normy]

Love Charles but he can't see what's happening in America clearly. He also doesn't understand that having a Dem lite in office with an R gives Obama and his allies in the Senate cover by passing “bi-partisan” bills like Cap and Trade.
I also would add that the Dems have 59 votes now, many Dems traded their career for a moments gratification and the reason things are changing is precisely because of that. Dems with 52 votes and staunch Conservatives in office they will do even less and be willing to do even less. Plus 2012 will be the year we certainly take the Senate anyway.

[cripplecreek]

Charles should try writing about Coons.

[Conservative9]

I have long admired the mind and integrity of Charles. He is just wrong here. I don’t know what is happening to these conservative “pundits” except they have been inside the DC beltway too long. Charles foundation began to show huge cracks when he came out for “compassionate” amnesty last month. O’Donnell can win and will win if the people stay behind her. It would sure help if the self appointed smartest guys on the street would begin pointing out what a Marxist whack job the DE democrat is. But I expect to much.

[Tax-chick]

I think it’s time to stop saying that a person isn’t “electable” when she’s won an election.

[normy]

Wish we had a “like” button. Good point. Time to hammer and expose Reid's pet Coon.

[dforest]

Dear Charles, Castle isn’t remotely conservative so the Buckley Rule does not apply.

Truth is Charles, I don’t think you ruling class republicans really want to repeal Obamacare or try to return the US to Constitutional principles. Most of you just want to replace Obama amd his power with your kind.

You, and those like you, have shown yourselves to be petty and classless. You have no shame.

Mark my words, we will remember the lot of you that look down on the American public. We will turn our backs to you and maybe we will throw our shoes at you.

[johncocktoasten]

We started with FUBO...

More lately we’ve been saying FUKR....

And this article makes be want to say FU.....well never mind.

[misterrob]

People are tired of establishment candidates and want to see something different. In this case they opted for the person that reflected their values and were not thinking about a political strategy.

I don’t see the Repubs picking up the seat due to the leanings of the people in the state where Dems outnumber Repubs. The Tea Party will be blamed but that’s a red herring.

[maggief]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2590507/posts?page=58#58

Castle has spent the past 36 hours fielding phone calls and pats on the back from well-wishing colleagues and other politicians, including President Obama, Vice President Biden, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and dozens of others.

http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/DelawareODonnellStormsCastle/2010/09/03/id/369145

The influential conservative website RedState.com in August cited sources in Ms. O’Donnell’s campaign for a report predicting that Mr. Castle would follow the example of Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter and switch parties after the election.

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2010/08/02/why-is-mike-castle-running-from-christine-odonnell/

Posted by Erick Erickson

Monday, August 2nd at 8:00AM EDT
192 Comments

If Mike Castle becomes the next United States Senator from Delaware he is going to get sworn in, serve a bit, then become a Democrat, resign, and let Beau Biden get an appointment.

It’s a done deal. The deal has been made already. I’m hearing this not just from Christine O’Donnell people, but party regulars in Delaware, some of whom support Castle. It is insane.

Maybe that is why Mike Castle is running from Christine O’Donnell. He is afraid to have to answer questions about this. The man will not debate her to save his life.

(snip)