Today is Christine O’Donnell’s big day. It’s Chris Coons’ big day. More importantly, it’s Delaware’s big day. The people of Delaware will finally have THEIR say, now that all the pundits and so-called experts and professional pragmatists have finally been made to sit down, shut up, and watch as the will of the people unfolds.

In Part I of my commentary regarding a recent conservation I had with Christine O’Donnell, I suggested that…despite what so-called “experts” think…Christine O’Donnell could win. I stand by that observation today.

I have, admittedly, struggled with how best to present Part II of our conversation, in large part because there are so many contradictions within and between the GOP and the Conservative movement(s)…and so many unanswered questions about how much any of these people truly means it when they stand up and speak out and demand a fundamental change in America… and a fundamental change in politics as usual. Frankly, I’m not so sure I believe them.

This election is a referendum on Barack Obama and his liberal/progressive agenda. It is a referendum on the tactics employed by his cohorts in the Democrat Party to enact it, despite resistance or outright refusal on the part of “we, the People” to tolerate them. This is a reckoning between the American people and those that mean to lead us…and it is a time in our nation’s history like no other in recent memory.

Christine O’Donnell, along with a very long list of others, has volunteered to move up to the front lines in this fight, and take on the Democrats and the Obama agenda – come what may – and all she (and a host of others) has been given in return is the turned back of some members of her own party. Arrogance, mockery, impunity and self-ascribed elitism are poor qualities among those who would go about rebuilding our once-big big tent. And, they are unbecoming of the people fighting to take back our country from people that are exhibiting all of the very same traits we are fighting against in this election.

O’Donnell’s thoughts on her race with Coons, and how she hopes her candidacy will be remembered – win or lose – below the fold.

Ronald Reagan once said “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” Krauthammer, Castle, the Delaware GOP…and a lot of people that don’t even really have a dog in the Delaware fight save for helping to put a Republican in that seat as opposed to a Democrat for the sake of a majority in the next Senate…would do well to heed the Gipper’s words.

It is well-documented that Chris Coons has no qualms about running a budget into the ground; raise taxes, lavish his constituents with deficit spending, and destroy any budget he’s allowed to get his hands on. He’s made it clear that he plans to not only continue Obama’s agenda…but spend even more to help make it the success he’s been led to believe it could be if only we could tax a little more…spend a little more…and “entitle” a few more people to the Government teet. O’Donnell has consistently stood against these things.

My second question to Christine had to do with the recent CNN debate between her and Chris Coons. I wrote about that debate at Liberty.Com, and I pointed out to her (again admitting my bias in her favor) that it seemed pretty clear the moderators had frequently cut her off and reminded her opponent that he had time to rebut if he wanted to…almost as if they were helping him keep up. I’ve seen enough headlines to support that claim (and plenty to argue against it) but I offered her the opportunity to add whatever she felt she hadn’t had sufficient opportunity to say that night. The official question:

“Having been cut off so many times during the CNN debate, what do you want to say now that didn’t get said that night?”

Her response:

Look, the overall theme here about my opponent is that he says one thing on the campaign trail and does an entirely different thing when he’s in office. We can’t believe anything he says; he rails against spending, but votes for it whenever the issue comes up. His own record shows he has voted to increase taxes…he’s even on record as having accused low income families of taking advantage of the system somehow in these down times in our economy. He clearly doesn’t seem to care about what is happening to the people of Delaware and people all across America.

He said in the debate that his family business would NOT benefit from Cap & Trade, but clearly it will.

He can’t be trusted and he can’t be believed, and voters need to look at what he DOES…not what he SAYS.

As she said several times in our conversation, Coons has a horrible record and has openly suggested he will rubber stamp the Obama agenda. Reminding me that he is “Harry Reid’s pet” [cue chuckling and snickering] she went on to suggest that Government has overextended itself and become too burdensome…and that Coons is only going to vote to continue that trend. The choice between the two candidates here is perfectly clear.

My final question, suggested to me by my blogging brother in arms and dear friend and long-time colleague in this business, was intended to let Christine reflect a little and… as I told her in the lead up to the question… to give her a chance to pre-emptively speak on the matter before the pundits and the so-called experts would be given the opportunity (and camera/stage time) to put words in her mouth as has been done so often in this campaign. The question:

“We’re two weeks out now, and much has happened since last June. We’ll know soon enough what the will of Delawareans will be. Before then, and before anyone else can try to say it for you, how do you want your campaign remembered…REGARDLESS the final outcome.”

Look, we can win this race. The primary proved that. My opponent has a horrible record, he will rubber stamp the Reid/Obama agenda, and if my party would work as hard FOR this win as opposed to working so hard against it…we can get this done.

I want to put this country back in the hands of the people. There are people that have never voted before, and I think this candidacy has encouraged many of them to get out there and vote – to have their voices heard. My candidacy has helped inspire folks to do that, and to get more involved and be more active in their communities. I have engaged with people…connected with them…and I have helped to encourage them to believe their votes matter, and they can make a difference.

I have given a voice to the Constitution. My opponent once said that I was “limited” by the Constitution as if that was bad. I believe our Government has overextended itself and has become too burdensome and that was never what the founders had in mind. I believe in the Constitution, and I think during this campaign we have made that case to the people of Delaware. There are five freedoms guaranteed in the first amendment, and that my opponent can’t name any of them should send shivers up the voter’s spines.

I believe my campaign should be remembered as having been able to connect with the people of Delaware, to encourage them to engage in their own political process…and to get active and be involved within their communities. I think we have accomplished that, and I think we can win this race.

Christine O’Donnell should be the next US Senator from Delaware, specifically because she is not a politician, is not cynical and jaded like so much of the ruling class elites inside the Beltway, and most importantly because she is one of us. She just wants to get the country back on the right track. That she has endured such levels of bitterness and rancor, and kept smiling while staying focused on the people she means to lead, speaks volumes about her qualifications to be a US Senator. I, for one, have had enough of professional politicians…and so has a great many other every-day American citizens. O’Donnell (I pray) will be sticking a thumb in a lot of eyes come this time tomorrow…and I look forward to reveling in that…God willing.

[Crossposted]