Merit-bound Alley

Spongebob, Patrick and Squidward in “Opposite Day”

Beth Miller and Mike Chalmers wrote an article for Sunday’s The News Journal about the large number of voters who were switching the party affiliation to Democrat. Since more than 4,000 people have changed their party affiliation in the last two months, chances are you know someone who has.

There are two main reasons given for the switch to the Democratic Party: the Delaware gubernatorial primary and George Bush.

John Clatworthy, a Republican, says that “this is about as bad of an environment as I’ve seen our party in the last 15 years.” Though I’ll give Clathworthy the benefit of the doubt that he actually liked the Gingrich Revolution of ‘94, I’d actually go back to the Summer of 1973 during the Congressional hearings about Watergate. I believe things are that dismal.

Sidebar: The News Journal identified John Clatworthy as a member of the Republican Party’s executive committee, but according to the Delaware GOP site, Clatworthy is not a member of the 2006-2008 Republican Executive Committee.

I believe Andrew Roos, Jack Markell’s campaign manager hit the nail on the head. He “believes much of the switch is a ‘hangover’ from the February visit of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as well as the unpopularity of the Bush administration.” Though I wouldn’t describe the Obama Effect as a hangover, I do believe Obama is energizing a large number of people about the possibilities for the future of our county, something we haven’t seen since JFK and Reagan.
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Anyone who was looking for the upcoming 1st Senate District Debate between Tyler Nixon and Greg Chambers is going to be deeply disappointed. Apparently shaken by the barrage of common sense (the bane of the weak and banal) from Tyler Nixon at this weeks TNA Candidates night, Craven Greg has opted out of his WDEL debate with Tyler.

I suppose he made the right decision. Considering his bland and bewildered performance at the Candidates Night, it’s the right decision to put his tail between his legs and tremble in the corner until the 7th, quietly weeping. Maybe his confusion is communicable, because I can’t for the life of me figure out how this feeble gutless wonder was able to gain the support of the Republican Party even before the primaries.

I wonder if good ol’ Mike Castle will lend Greg his wheelchair*. I’m certain it’s rather difficult for the Republican hopeful to walk considering his recent spine-ectomy.

*Video courtesy of Down With Absolutes!, question courtesy of Delaware Liberal