Altoona Geek Bowl

One of the funniest newsclips of the weekend shows Obama bowling in working-class Altoona, Pennsylvania with his new pal Bob Casey.

Obama's the only guy I know who bowls with a dress shirt and tie (not to mention the perfectly pressed dress pants). And Casey was right alongside him (equally stuff-shirted) cheering him on. They looked like a couple of certified geeks. Yo, O: Loosen your tie. Lighten up a bit.

It's clear that Obama is using Casey. And it's equally clear that Casey is allowing himself to be used.

Figuring out why Casey is such a willing and nerdy looking participant may be as easy as figuring out how long it takes to climb on a bandwagon. Casey wants to ride the wave. Trouble is, nobody's going to mistake him for some kewl surfer anytime soon.

Casey To The Left

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey's endorsement today of Obama represents Casey's swing to the extreme left as he embraces the nation's most liberal senator.
One can't help but wonder if Casey's late father, Governor Bob Casey, would have followed this course. Governor Casey was, after all, the man who attempted to challenge the Democrat party from the right and nudge the party toward more reasonable positions on a whole range of issues. Casey The Elder was an old-line labor Democrat who seemed more attuned to the more centrist views of the Clintons.
The son's movement away from the more centrist views of his father also represents a movement away from those all-important "Casey Democrats" who one would figure would be more kindly disposed toward Hillary Clinton. These old-line, labor-oriented working class Dems are not always quick to endorse the social reconstructionist view of Obamaniacs.
But Casey The Younger has cast his lot. He's placed his bet.
Now, let the chips fall where they may.