Crabs + politicians + sweltering heat = Tawes
It's a Maryland thing.
Politicians -- including Gov. Martin O'Malley and former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr -- are among the hundreds of hot crab-pickers circling through tents and tables at the annual Tawes crab and clam festival in Crisfield on the Eastern Shore.
O'Malley called it a "must-attend event." Ehrlich, meanwhile, called it a "have-to."
"It's almost kind of a political rite of passage," O'Malley said. He arrived at 2 p.m. and, with a green-clad entourage, is still shaking hands and squinting in the sun.
Tawes is like a final exam for political aides, who do their best to tactfully and quietly steer competitive candidates away from each other. Ehrlich arrived essentially at the same time as O'Malley, but waited in the parking lot until "this stuff goes away," as Ehrlich spokesman Andy Barth put it.
When he did make his entrance, Ehrlich called the Tawes tradition "about as Maryland as you get... It's part of our political heritage." Ehrlich also continues to make the rounds this afternoon. The event ends at 4 p.m.
Organizers say they were expecting 6,000 people at this year's festival. Some other numbers: 41,000 clams, 300 bushels of crabs and a high of 94 degrees.
Comments
What are you guys going to do when Brian Murphy wins the Republican primary!?
Posted by: Jim | July 21, 2010 4:21 PM
O'Malley? Ha does he really think he has a chance this year? Can't wait to welcome the real governor back!
Posted by: Nick | July 21, 2010 4:30 PM
Govenor, that for letting the illeagals get drivers licsense in Maryland. they killed another one of your citizens last night. but i guess it would be to expensive to protect us. Or would you loose votes.
Posted by: Joe- Ball | July 21, 2010 4:58 PM
Can;t wait to Vote in Nov. this current Govenor needs to go. He needs to realize that he is no good for us. By his own words it is to expsensive to get rid of the illeagals. even though they kill innocent people.
Posted by: Joe- Ball | July 21, 2010 5:05 PM
With all the premature gloating on the Sun's comment sections alone, there's a pretty good chance 50% or so of the state is going to be in a state of mass depression come November when O'Malley likely will walk away with the win.
Save yourself the remorse and take it back about 20 notches now.
Posted by: Paul | July 21, 2010 5:39 PM
So let me get this straight. We have the current governor running against the last governor. And you call that change? Unbelieveable. How about we vote OUT whoever put IN those stupid Red Light Traffic Lights, and all the cameras spying on us AMERICANS in downtown Baltimore. Maryland has become a POLICE STATE.
County's tax your income here. Who was the Wack-Job that put that into place. State Taxes your property??
To solve this you need to look outside Maryland, as the people that are in this state must be from an Asylum the way they run the show.
Posted by: Schiff4Senate | July 21, 2010 5:42 PM
O'Malley look like a big tool in that main picture on the homepage and Brown looks like a mindless cheerleader of that tool.
I can understand people picking O'Malley under a lesser of two evils approach, same for Ehrlich, but how in God's name is anyone fired up enough over these two losers to actively support either one?
Remember, there is a primary and both have competition that is from outside the ruling class.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2010 7:43 PM
Gee what a surprise to see a nice BIG picture of O'Worthless heading up this article while Ehrlich gets a little "inset" picture. Could the Sun be anymore biased? What a friggin' rag!
Posted by: outtahere | July 21, 2010 7:44 PM
I thought Ehrlich held back because Brian Murphy was between Ehrlich and O'Malley. If Ehrlich had walked in further than the gate entrance, he would have had to acknowledge Murphy. Since you (Julie B.) were standing with the Murphy Team during this encounter, I am surprised you didn't mention this (?).
Posted by: Anonymous | July 22, 2010 8:08 AM
O'malley is out there spreading his BS while state workers prepare to suffer through another round of Furloughs. Annoying, that seems to be going unreported.
Posted by: State Worker | July 22, 2010 9:27 AM
Oh and there's little Andy Harris. Daddy Bob, Daddy Bob! I want to get in the picture too! Don't leave me out!
Posted by: Typical | July 22, 2010 11:31 AM