Dear Mr. Governor: Shut Up
Brendan Skwire wants the governor to butt out of the Senate race.
Ed Rendell can't even get a budget passed. Why should Joe Sestak be listening to him about next year's Senate campaign?
Am I the only one getting tired of Ed Rendell's "kingmaker" schtick? For the second time in almost as many months, our governor has gone to bat for Arlen Specter, the ancient geezer Republican who quit his own party because he can't win with his own base:
Joe, you're needed in the House. It's a difficult seat for the Democrats to hold without Joe Sestak running again. His chances of unseating Arlen Specter against the wishes of an extremely popular president, at least for the Democratic voters, a vice-president who has tremendous impact in the southeastern part of the state, a governor, Sen. Casey -- all those elected officials, the mayor of Philadelphia, Mike Nutter, the county executive of Allegheny County...
To battle those forces when you're not even -- Joe Sestak doesn't even have good name recognition in neighboring Philadelphia. Arlen Specter's been a household word for thirty years. I think it's a tremendous uphill fight and i think it could -- it will -- cost Joe his seat in the House and may cost the Democratic party what would be a safe seat.
Ed, you're the guy who backed Hillary Clinton in 2008 and thinks MSNBC is "the official network of the Obama campaign," right? "You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate": That was a good one, considering Obama beat McCain 3,276,363 to 2,655,885. Not exactly a great track record of backing winners there, Guv.
Of course, you're the same genius that cleared the field for Bob Casey. Sure, he's an improvement over Rick Santorum. Unless of course, you have Parkinson's Disease and see hope in embryonic stem-cell research. In that case, there was no difference:
The Senate is expected to pass legislation this week that would ease the Bush administration’s limits on federal financing of embryonic stem cell research. The measure, passed by the House, is identical to the bill that passed the Senate 63 to 37 last year before being vetoed by President Bush.
Senate Democrats now think they have 65 votes, one shy of what is needed to rebuff a veto....
Senator Bob Casey, left, a freshman Democrat from Pennsylvania who campaigned as a social conservative, has said he will vote against the bill.
Bush vetoed the bill, which passed the Senate with 63 votes, not enough to override. Take THAT, Pennsylvania diabetics.
Casey's also awesome if you like continuing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and passing the bill onto our kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, ad nauseum. He's voted in favor of almost every single war supplement.
Guv, your choice for PA's junior Senator also loves the idea of concealed weapons: He's voted in favor of carrying loaded weapons in our national parks, and just last week he voted to right of Arlen Specter to allow people from states with lax restrictions on gun ownership to carry them across state lines:
[T]hat's the gist of the Thune amendment, named for its chief sponsor, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, who apparently believes that the gun culture traditions of South Dakota should virtually become the law of the land. At the moment, more than 30 states bar alcohol abusers from getting concealed-carry permits, more than 30 won't give permits to those convicted of various misdemeanors, and more than 30 require that permit applicants first complete a gun-safety program. Under the Thune amendment, however, the pistol packers from the most lenient states would be able to cart their weaponry almost anywhere they want. In short, there would be one lax national standard, pegged to the lowest common denominator.
Thanks Senator Casey, and thank YOU too Governor Rendell. Your wise and prescient political instincts are just what we need to provide Arlen Specter with his greatest victory yet: Weaseling himself into another term where, unfettered by the need to run again, the senator will doubtless revert to his Republican values. That would be the Arlen Specter with the 34 percent approval rating and who's virtually tied with right-wing nutzoid Pat Toomey.
Say, here's a question for you, Guv: What do you think Pennsylvania Democrats, who overwhelmingly want a primary are going to think when they see THIS blast from the past?
And what about when Pat Toomey's new ad starts going around?
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Letters to the Editor
1. John said... on Jul 26, 2009 at 08:27PM
“I've always liked Arlen Specter, even when he was a Republican. Joe Sestak has yet to impress me.
Aren't Rendell and Specter friends and former coworkers from the Philly DA's office? Are you seriously criticizing the man for standing up for a friend?”
2. Jack said... on Jul 26, 2009 at 09:07PM
“That ad and this will bring down Specter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfvDcMzyAlY”
3. The Lord's Soldier said... on Jul 27, 2009 at 07:03AM
“To many convenient cozy, friendly passes, allowing builders/workers to continuously build on unstable foundations of organized/political corruption that is not beneficial to humanity and anti-constitutional, for the founding fathers were to builders/workers and believed that wisdom of builders in King Solomans days, were necessary, however, they paid attention to the the wisdom from above as opposed to worldly wisdom, and the divinely inspired U.S. Constitution was produced. Now "Ed" and his friends have failed to honor the founding fathers whom indicated that Godly wisdom is far better for humanity then the wisdom of the builders/workers. "Ed" must be brought low and humbled!”
4. brendancalling said... on Jul 27, 2009 at 07:33AM
“@John: You're darn right I'm criticizing ed for standing up for his friend.
That's because his friend isn't the right man for the job.
Specter's RECORD is what matters, the most recent years of which illustrate lockstep votes with the GOP: I don't understand where this ballyuhooed "independence" comes from, considering that on every matter of importance, from the war to wiretapping to judicial appointments to tax policy to bailouts, Specter has been Bush's man in PA.
It's only now that his political career is in jeopardy that he jumps ship.
”
5. Anonymous said... on Jul 27, 2009 at 11:37AM
“It's time for new thinking. Sestak takes the long view and would be very good in the Senate.”
6. Amy said... on Jul 28, 2009 at 02:17PM
“Specter is independent, if by independent you mean he says one thing and votes the opposite way. I guess that means he is independent of himself. I just call that lying. Specter could give a damn about health care reform and is no friend of organized labor. Ed Rendell has seriously disappointed as Governor. Just another lilly-livered pol who is terrifying of upsetting the right or the status quo. Yeah, you heard me, Eddie.”
7. Anonymous said... on Jul 28, 2009 at 07:04PM
“His opposition to EFCA may be reason enough alone to vote for him. Just cuz I'm a Democrat doesn't mean I want to usher in a new era of union thuggery. Ed and Arlen are coworkers, friends, and neighbors. I criticize Ed for a lot of things but this seems like sour grapes. Of course, if I were an unthinking pawn i'd be writing for this paper rather than commenting on its articles.”
8. Diana said... on Jul 29, 2009 at 12:01AM
“I think alot of people are missing the bigger issue of why Rendell has no business with anything having to do with politics.This man has run the state of Pennsylvania in to the ground with his lack of leadership and does not care anything about the citizens of this state.I mean the man took away the salaries of our State Troopers so they do not have the ability to take care of their families or their selves.How low and ignorant do you have to be to do such a thing as that?I won't speculate on that because Rendell would really not like my opinion on that subject.”
9. Peter said... on Jul 29, 2009 at 08:11AM
“Is that the Brendan Skwire from Utopia? Sorry, but on our world, there are bad guys out to get us just because we are. If you doubt that, you do need to get out and see the real world. I have spent, on and off, 12 years in the Middle East. I have talked to people there who hate us because we read Playboy,or because we allow our women too much freedom, or because we don't worship the way they do, or because we go swimming in bathing suits...etc. If you have a solution, please illuminate us mortals! I realize this has little do with your political situation but it does address some of your comments. By the way, I have been carrying a conceled weapon for almost 40 years. I do because, God forbid, if I need it I have it.If you think taking guns away is a good idea, do some research on the countries that have done that. In most of them, only the cops and bad guys have guns. In England, they are making knives illigal, cooks knives!!!!! Once the stupidity starts, it doesn't stop!”
10. brendancalling said... on Aug 5, 2009 at 11:44AM
“@peter: please read my clarification about where I stand on guns in this week's article.
also, not every problem has a solution. the only place that happens is in Utopia.”