The Deal that Wouldn't Die

Today it's the turn of News Journal columnist Ron Williams to play up the story of a supposed deal in which Jack Markell would agree to step aside and clear the way for John Carney to get the Democratic nomination for governor next year. According to Williams, it's Wilmington City Council President Ted Blunt who's gumming up the works:

But it was Blunt's stealthy campaign for lieutenant governor -- begun months ago -- that has aborted a chance to stave off a gubernatorial primary election between John Carney and Jack Markell. At least for now.

Celia Cohen first published a story about the deal with the caveat that it "is not finalized," a droll bit of understatement on her part, given Jack Markell's comment way down in paragraph 18 of her story:

"I have no intention of running for lieutenant governor."

News Journal reporter Patrick Jackson elicited a similarly precise response from Markell on the subject:

"But I am still looking seriously at running for governor and there is no agreement, period, end of statement."

WDEL's Alan Loudell has a somewhat more sceptical take on the talk of an agreement in his blog, writing "I cannot imagine Markell settling for Number Two."
Given the fairly definitive statements from Jack Markell, who's working the story? I don't think it's Jack Markell. Ron Williams offers a clue:

"We're not done. I don't give up easily," said U.S. Sen. Tom Carper.

Celia is clear about who's driving the process:

Much of the brokering is credited to U.S. Sen. Thomas R. Carper.

Celia quotes Carper waxing metaphoric on the subject:

"What did Yogi Berra say? It ain't over 'til it's over. We haven't succeeded yet, but we haven't even gotten to the seventh inning stretch yet. In fact, the 'Star Spangled Banner' has just been sung and the umpire said, 'Play ball.'"

Last night, Markell, Matt Denn, Chris Coons and Paul Clark spoke at the inaugural gathering of the Young Democrats Movement. None mentioned a possible deal, although Coons did say that primaries aren't necessarily bad things, while recounting his early days as a political activist. In 1988 he worked on the Senate campaign of S. B. Woo, who won a tightly contested primary over Sam Beard. His eventual wife Annie worked for Beard. Evidently Chris and Annie got past it.