US Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) is rumored to be considering a run for governor, the position once held by his late father. He has the fundraising network, gratitude from progressives for taking on Rick Santorum and union support. He realizes the western Pa. vote will be split between Allehgheny County exec Dan Onorato and Auditor General Jack Wagner. You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Definitely bad news for Cunningham - Casey is an increasingly visible force in politics, and very recognizable state-wide. I don't think anyone outside the Lehigh Valley knows Cunningham.
ReplyDeleteQuestion though - isn't Senator a better political gig than Governor?
This is strictly rumor. I don't know for sure it is true. But I could see casey preferring the governor's office. That's the position his dad has hald and the position he sought unsuccessfully.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be interesting...I've met Casey a few times, he's a decent person (too often we can't say that about politicians).
ReplyDeleteSeparate issue, Ed Rendell was in town today to pitch his Energy legislation package, part of a town meeting Penn Future held at Great Bear Bank. Anyone hear anything about it?
Will he be permitted to use his slipping dentures at the Denver convention? The tent was too small for his dad.
ReplyDeleteIf this gets him out of the US Senate then it is good news indeed. He looked like a real space cadet during a nationally televised interview last week, and really, could he be any worse than Rendell?
ReplyDeleteScott Armstrong
he's unhappy in washington
ReplyDeleteIt would make sense to me since he's barely ever finished a term in any office. I think he just likes running. Apparently, he must be easily bored. Better have a really good Lt. Governor to run with him.
ReplyDeleteHe's not qualified, and he is not a particularly hard worker. It seems everytime he gets into an office he leaves it to run for something else and leaves the job 1/2 done. He has never spent enough time to learn anything from the experience. He is just a prefessional politician, with no real record or accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteI can't see him down-grading...
ReplyDeleteI agree with "not so casual observer." Even still, the nation is so much better off without Rick Santorum in the United States Senate.
ReplyDeleteI think Casey is a classic example of someone who whould be nowhere except for the fact that he ran on his old mans name. I have seen him on the PCN channel several times. He had a "deer in the headlights" look and when he spoke he made me thind that he did not have a clue as to what he was doing. I don't think he is qualified for any important job as an elected official. I feel if it wasn't for his fathers link he NEVER would have been elected in the first place. Casey has very little to offer the citizens of Pennsylvania. thanks Henry
ReplyDeleteLady Rep said...
ReplyDelete"It would make sense to me since he's barely ever finished a term in any office. I think he just likes running."
Wow...I thought you were talking about Don Cunningham...check his record.
Lady Rep, You don't like any Casey's do you? Bob Sr is still dead, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't bash him. It's not too late to complain about his transplant some more. They didn't have blogs yet then, so you can make up for it now.
ReplyDeletecasey isn't running for Governor, he isn't Jon Corzine, and the Dem Leadership went through too much hell to get him in there. Who they have in the pipeline to take his seat, Onorato or Cunningham? Wait, Sam Bennett will run!
Casey burned many Pennsylvanian's with his premature endorsement. He vowed to endorse the will of his constituents. Lehigh Valley went to CLinton by 10 pts. Lackawanna went by 20 pts. If this is true, I suspect Cunningham should make a few trips to Scranton and Wilkes Barre this summer.
ReplyDeleteYou're bitter about his "premature endorsement"? If anything, he was ahead of the trend in endorsing Barack Obama. Have you been watching the news? Clinton is mathmatically out. She's still in it under the hopes of recooping her money she "lent" her campaign. When she says she's a "fighter" it means she's fighting to bring her bank account back up to snuff. Time to take on McCain!
ReplyDeleteunderstatement of the decade. the senate seat was obviously a consolation prize from fast eddie after the '02 primary.
ReplyDeleteinteresting to see casey alongside Mayor Nutter at Sgt. Luczbinski's funeral today in Philly. despite a relatively pedestrian 2 years in Washington, Casey has definitely upped his gravitas as a politician in the state.
" Casey has definitely upped his gravitas as a politician in the state." Once again, its just living of his fathers name, nothing less nothing more. The prodical son.
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:22
ReplyDeleteI am not "bitter", I'm just "clinging to religion" and praying that if Obama becomes the nominee, he does not have other skeletons in his closet (Rezco and others).
The real question is what was Casey promised for the endorsement.
IMO, if Florida and Michigan had a revote, things would look remarkedly different.
I still can't figure out how Casey beat Santorum. Anyone who watched the debates knows what I mean. Casey was clueless on the issues and really did have a 'deer in the headlights' look when asked tough questions.
ReplyDeleteI am ashamed to know that so many fellow Pennsylvanians simply voted for Casey because of his dad's name and that he wasn't Santorum. They obviously have no desire to learn anything about the candidates they elect. 'Santorum is bad' therefore 'Casey must be good' is poor logic that would make any classical philosopher spin in his grave.
I know a lot of people didn't like Santorum but at least he answered the debate questions and actually created an aura of believability that he has an IQ of at least 115. Casey appeared dull and slow like a 7 year old who's was asked college-level questions from PhD's at MIT and Yale.
Santorum had ideas and beliefs, even if you didn't like them, at least he proved he was capable of thinking on his own and communicating them. Casey is just a figurehead who's just riding daddy's name to a salary and benefits paid for by us. He's a like like Ted Kennedy in some regards except that Casey is probably a better driver, even if he isn't able to think on his own.
Well, people, you deserve who you elect. Good luck. Keep voting for the liberal democrats and maybe someday we'll be taxed in oblivion and yet have a $20 billion budget shortfall just like California.
"hayshaker said...
ReplyDeleteI agree with "not so casual observer." Even still, the nation is so much better off without Rick Santorum in the United States Senate.
"
Yeah, Heaven forbid we have a Senator in the Senate who has the b*lls to stand up and speak his mind and have ideas and goals. Instead, we elect mindless automatons like Casey and then wonder why things seem to get worse. Remove Casey from Congress that alone should put their approval up over 20%. Then again, maybe not. We certainly elected a lot of losers in '06.
And how are we better off? You like paying $4 for a gallon of gas? How about that slowing economy that the media is trying to draw out until November? How about the out of control spending that, even if it was out of control before, the current Congress is doing nothing about it? What is Sen. Casey doing do address these problems? Oh, he's endorsing Obama. Ok. Gee. That's about the only thing we've heard out of him in two years. La-di-da.
Yeah, the last thing we need in Congress is someone with morals and strong convictions like Santorum. Heaven forbid if someone in Congress ever has a pair.
Santorum is a right-wing ideologue. Extremists, left or right, don't do too well in Pa. As far as having strong moral character is concerned, he was both too close to lobbyists and played games with school districts. He made himself controversial with his brand of social conservatism, which smacks of intolerance. Casey, who strikes a more moderate tone, crushed him. That election is over, dude. Unless you want to replace democracy with some other form of government, it's time to move on.
ReplyDelete