THIS IS NOT ->Delawareliberal

Rudy was the pint-sized underdog who wanted to play for Notre Dame. Rudy had something more important than size, he had heart.

Castle, on the other hand, is all size and no heart. Castle is a member of the most powerful congressional majority since reconstruction. Castle chaired George Bush's re-election campaigns in Delaware. Castle is a "go along to get along" lacky who voted for billions of dollars of waste and fraud associated with the debacle of a war. He is no underdog. So how does he do it? How does he run this race and not come off as a war mongering, out of touch incumbent? How does Castle get some of that "Rudy" spirit?

Simple. He does it by turning failure into a virtue and by riding on the backs of children like Allie Dietz.

Allie Deitz, the 12-year-old daughter of Newark restauranteur David Deitz. Allie, who has juvenile diabetes, spoke at the press conference.

"I have gone to visit Congressman Castle in Washington, D.C. I showed him how much it hurts to prick my fingers and to test my blood, and how much it hurts to give myself shots of insulin," she said. "I would like to have a cure for juvenile diabetes."

Allie was teary and brave, and people were wiping their eyes.

Pitiful. It is all about retaining power for this shameless political hack. If he goes back to Congress for another futile term of minting new collectible quarters and bending over for President Bush, the people of Delaware will have bought a bill of goods. They will have chosen someone to represent them who constantly puts his party over his country and tear-jerking PR stunts above actual results.