SURPRISE!!!

I said last week when Mike Castle refused to endorse O’Donnell and Lisa Murkowski announced her write in candidacy that he would be next.

I predicted he would tell us for a couple of weeks he won’t do a write in bid.

Next would be a whisper campaign about people calling on him to give them an independent choice.

Of Course, this would be followed up by the inevitable announcement that Mike just HAS to represent the good people who feel they “don’t have a voice in Washington” aren’t “represented by the extremes of either party”.

So…here we are just one week later…and listen to the chatter.

From National Review Online 9/22/2010

In an impromptu chat with reporters on Wednesday, Rep. Mike Castle did not shut the door on a write-in campaign for U.S. Senate. Castle, who last week lost Delaware’s GOP Senate primary to Christine O’Donnell, says that he has given “some thought” to mounting a challenge to O’Donnell and Democrat Chris Coons, but “probably won’t do it.”

Of course…we can’t expect the “MODERATE” Castle to give a categorical answer as to whether he’d leave the party that has bent over backwards to appease him over the last decade or so….can we?

That’s how it starts….”Well, I’ve given it some thought…and it probably won’t happen.”

This is then followed up with, “Well, I’ve heard from a lot of good people that want an independent voice, someone to represent them because the two parties do not represent their views…

Ohhh…wait:

“I have had a lot of people approach me about it . . . my approval rating is still high.” Still, he says, “I don’t want to necessarily interfere with Republican chances.”

Of course, not only does Castle give the game away by pointing to his “high approval ratings”…the next couple of paragraphs tell the tale. When NRO asks the obvious follow up…

What can O’Donnell do to secure your support?

Well…what would you expect any self respecting “Republican” moderate to say?

“That’s a maze I couldn’t even get into at this point,”

Which brings me to the point of my story.

What does he make of Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who recently mounted a write-in bid after losing her GOP primary? Since then, she has lost her leadership post in the party.

Keep in mind, this is before the GOP decided to allow Lisa to keep her leadership status on several key committees AFTER she went rogue running against the party and her nominee in Alaska.

“I understand what the Republican party has to do,” he, (Castle) says. “I can’t thank the Republican party enough, the senatorial committee . . . I understand that when someone else is nominated, they have the responsibility to help that person.”

“I think there is still room for moderate Republicans,”

To bad the party apperently didn’t understand as well as Castle what they “HAD TO DO.”

This is why the votes on Murkowski concerning her leadership of important committees is/was such a big deal.

The reason to strip Murkowski of her leadership assignments on key committees wasn’t about “punishing” a rogue member of the caucus who is sticking her thumb in the eye of Republican voters in AK, (though a small measure of just deserts would be very sweet indeed).

It’s not even as important IMHO to keep her from using those leadership positions to make the case as to why she’d be a better Senator from AK than Miller would because of her power position, seniority and ability to bring home the bacon, (though that is an important reason as well).

For me…and anyone interested in advancing the movement against entrenched progressives within the Republican Party, the reason to remove her from her leadership assignments and strip her of her perks is to send a message to others within the Republican Party, that if you betray the voters of this party…you do so at the expense of any future you might have within the caucus should you ever achieve high office again.

There needed to be a message sent…LOUD AND CLEAR to any future party switchers…or sour grapes write in candidates that if you dare to thwart the will of voters in this party…you will NOT be welcomed back into leadership again without losing some serious skin in the climb back to the top.

So here we are a day later….From Politico:

Mike Castle will test waters with poll

Rep. Mike Castle is planning on polling a potential three-way Senate race to test his chances as a write-in candidate, a Delaware Republican tells POLITICO….

The GOP source did not have specifics on when Castle’s team would conduct the poll, but viewed it as a practical step even if the nine-term congressman was unlikely to re-enter the race.

A spokeswoman for Castle, who put the chances of him running as a write-in “under 5 percent,” said her boss likely wouldn’t settle on a final decision before next week.

Said Castle spokeswoman Kate Dickens: “A lot of encouragement has come in, nice calls from people in Delaware who want an independent voice.”

So…based on that…there is a “POSSIBILITY” of a write in campaign right? I mean…Though Castle “SOUNDS” like he doesn’t “want to necessarily interfere with Republican chances,” it sure looks like he does doesn’t he?

Try this on for size:

Delaware GOP National Committeewoman Priscilla Rakestraw said she has fielded dozens of calls over the last 48 hours, MOSTLY FROM DEMOCRATS, about a potential Castle write-in campaign.

“They want to organize a write-in campaign. I’m stunned. Obviously, they don’t like their option of voting for Chris Coons. I pass them along to Mike Castle’s organization. I think they are waiting for a nod from Castle,”

SO, CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY A GOP NATIONAL COMMITTEE WOMAN IS FORWARDING MESSAGES FROM DEMOCRATS TO MIKE CASTLE TO ENCOURAGE A WRITE IN CANDIDACY?

But that’s another blog for another time…file this away in your memory because this HAS to be addressed!

But of course…the NRSC and the Republican leadership has made it plain that it will back O’Donnell 100%. In fact the Politico says that “TOP GOP LEADERS IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE SENT A STRONG MESSAGE THURSDAY” that they back the nominee:

Stirs the soul doesn’t it…when you hear about how forceful the “Republican Leadership” is being as they send messages to would be party switchers and spoilers in our quest to take back the Senate from “Bearded Marxists”!

Till you look back just hours before…when they had the opportunity to send a REAL message by stripping Murkowski of all her perks.

Kind of rings hollow now doesn’t it?

And if any of you doubt Castle will make an announcement this time next week about a write in run for DE Senate…I have some ocean front property in the heart of down to San Antonio you simply HAVE to buy!