The choice could not be clearer. My fellow Marylanders, if you want an empty suit politician who will tell you, Eddie Haskell style, what a great dress you’re wearing but never giving a straight answer to any question - then vote for Michael Steele. If you think governing with a progressive no-nonsense approach to the issues is what is demanded of our government in these trying times - you should proudly vote for Ben Cardin as I will.
Steele is as slippery as an eel, trying to cover up his lack of a position on the major issues with bland platitudes that might sell in other states but not here in Maryland where we have a tradition of voting for the politicians with substance and not who can put on the best dog-and-pony show. Look at our two current senators - Sarbanes and Mikulski. Neither one is a dapper don like Steele, but both strongly represent Maryland in the Senate with a strong and steady approach - and Ben Cardin will continue this legacy.
Tim Russert confronts Michael Steele with his flip-flopping positions on Iraq, and at the end of it all Steele says that the Iraq War is worth the ongoing death of American troops even with no WMD found and Iraq now in a civil war.
Ben Cardin expresses his strong position against the war since the start, and is amazed that Steele would still be a supporter
Ben Cardin makes the case for traditional congressional oversight of the executive branch, something this congress has been negligent on and a policy that would continue with another rubber-stamp Republican like Steele
Michael Steele whiffs on Roe vs. Wade, while Cardin shows that Steele just can’t be trusted to represent Maryland’s majority pro-choice position.
Michael Steele thinks a question on the Supreme Court is a “gotcha” even though the Senate is integral to the selection of Supreme Court justices! Then he gets confronted with his own words, again, on affirmative action - he’s in favor of it, no he isn’t. He can’t decide.
UPDATE: Maybe the markets saw that Steele lost this debate. His contract on Tradesports lost value during the debate, with it now showing him dropping from 28% likelihood to win down to 24%.
Steele was not as bad as I thought he would be, but Cardin seemed to be far superior.
I suppose it depends upon the voter and I cannot imagine what it would be like to be neutral, but I also cannot imagine the neutral or non-aligned voter who watched that and decided to vote for Steele.
NB - If one is a voter who jumps up for pro-life or other RW linchpins, then one is not a non-aligned voter.
You watched a debate between a Republican and a Democrat and you think the Democrat won.
I’m stunned.
Oh, do shut up and go away.
This is like the race between Ike Leggett and Steve “bought and paid for by developer’s money” Silverman. (Who was a Dem in name only). Leggett won by a landslide. Reaffirmed my faith in my adopted state (DC native by birth).
Leggett is in the great tradition of good Montgomery County and Maryland govenment (a lot like Neil Potter, Jim Gilcrist, Sens Sarbanes and Mikulski and even non-Marylander Al Gore). Not flashy, not Mr. press the flesh, but solid, ethical, hard-working, smart and knowledgeable–the complete antithesis of George Bush, Michael Steel or Bobby “the haircut” Erlich, who is the blue-collar version of George Bush (his legacy postings–aka affirmative action–in law school, et al coming from rich promotors instead of rich relatives).
Thank God Marylanders still go for substance and aren’t fooled by BS.
The only reason Erlich won here was because Lt. Gov Kennedy was also an empty suit who ran on family name and little else.