It isn’t often that Bob Casey Jr., — the would-be Democratic Senate candidate for Pennsylvania hand chosen by Chuck Schumer and the DSCC — takes a public stand on anything, a fact not lost on the Santorum campaign’s new website, Where’s Bob Casey?
As the web site of Casey’s principle opponent for the nomination, Chuck Pennacchio, points out, Casey’s views are usually closer to those of Rick Santorum (especially on social issues like abortion rights, gun control, an exit strategy from Iraq, stem cell research, congressional intervention in the Schiavo case, the Patriot Act, et al) than they are to rank-and-file Democrats.
But on the rare occasions when Casey does speak out, he almost seems intent upon alienating the progressive Democratic base, an odd strategy for a candidate who is going to desperately need those votes to defeat Santorum in the fall, should he win the nomination. Of course it is the voters who will determine just who the Democratic candidate will be, not Chuck Schumer or Governor Ed Rendell. There is, after all, a May 16th primary, much to the chagrin of the DSCC.
Casey did it when he endorsed Samuel Alito’s nomination to the Supreme Court back on January 24th.
He did it again when he strongly endorsed the Patriot Act back on February 6th. (That press release has since been scrubbed from his web site and replaced with one that says that he is for educating children).
And he did it yet again on February 21st when he told the Harrisburg Patriot-News that he opposed nearly all gun control legislation including a ban on assault weapons and mandatory background checks.
Last Friday he did it yet again.
According to a recent American Research Group poll 70% of Democrats want to see President Bush censured for unauthorized wiretapping (61% favor impeachment). But not Bob Casey Jr. As usual he supports George W. Bush, and he doesn’t even seem to care whether Bush’s wiretapping initiatives are legal or not:
…Ever since Sen. Russell Feingold (D., Wis.) floated a resolution censuring President Bush for his domestic spying program, news reports have chronicled the ways congressional Democrats tried avoiding questions about it.
…Democratic Senate candidate Bob Casey Jr. took on the question Friday after a child-care forum in Philadelphia.
“I don’t think I’d support it,” said Casey, who has campaigned with Feingold and received $3,500 from his political action committee. “I think we should be making sure we give law enforcement and federal agents the tools they need to fight terrorism.”
Asked whether he nonetheless agreed with Feingold’s overarching message that the wiretapping program is illegal, Casey punted the question.
“Well, that is a judgment that lawyers are going to make,” said Casey, a lawyer. “And that is an important answer.” – Carrie Budoff
So let’s get this straight. Casey doesn’t know if the wiretap program is legal or not. That is for lawyers, not he, to decide, even though he is a lawyer. Legal or not though, he opposes censure and wants to continue providing “law enforcement and federal agents the tools they need to fight terrorism.” Sounds like something Rick Santorum would say, doesn’t it?
This is why I support and am working to elect Chuck Pennacchio, a progressive Democrat and the only person I believe can defeat Rick Santorum this fall. You can’t beat Santorum by sounding like him every time you open your mouth.