Below, in chronological order, I've listed links to stories over the last two years about Sam Bennett's LV Congressional campaign. She's a nice lady with "good hair," but her campaign has been a joke, from beginning to end. In a heavily Democratic district, how did this happen? When we allow party bosses to preselect candidates, we only have ourselves to blame.
Congressional Rumblings in the 15th District (2/22/07) - State senator Lisa Boscola's flamboyant chief of staff, Bernie "Gonzo" Kieklak, wants to get this message out about Sam Bennett. Never heard of her? Party boss Joe Long is "clearing the field" so she can run for congress.
Boscola's Congressional Hopes Fade, Thanks to Aide's Sexist Remarks (6/13/07) - If Lisa Boscola was ever really serious about running for congress, she isn't anymore. Her chief of staff, Bernie Kieklak, has single-handedly managed to "clear the field" for Sam Bennett.
Congressional Wannabe Sam Bennett: The Gift That Keeps on Giving (6/25/07) - Bennett screw up her first financial disclosure, claiming she has between $150 and $250 million set aside for retirement. "Take three zeros off all of it, and you've got the right answer," her campaign spokesman chuckles.
Sam Bennett's Nonprofit Helping Her Congressional Ambitions (7/11/07) - The Morning Call's Josh Drobnyk, told us a few days ago about congressional candidate Sam Bennett's outrageous $110,000 salary at Properties of Merit, a nonprofit whose annual budget is just $351,000. Most of us believe she simply conned Governor Rendell into a nice $100,000 grant so that she could run for Congress full-time without worrying about a job.
Congressional Wannabe Sam Bennett Takes a Stand ... and Bends Nonprofit Rules Again (8/28/07) - Bennett politicizes antiwar nonprofit.
FEC Thows Penalty Flag at Bennett's Former Employer (9/27/07) - Bennett's former employer, Americans Coming Together (ACT), hit with a massive fine by the Federal Election Commission for their activities during the 2003-2004 election cycle.
Sam Bennett in Congress? (4/24/08) - Bennett in Washington to speak with "special interests." What did she say?
Sam Bennett Interview: Iraq and Foreign Affairs (5/9/08) - Bennett unable to name President of China, France's Prime Minister, Germany's Chancellor, India's Prime Minister, Afghanistan's President, Syria's President or Sudan's President. "I've got to work on that. I'll research it today."
Justice Delayed & Denied to Allentown News Carrier (5/27/08) - Bennett refuses to call police after her own 78 year-old news carrier, is mugged and assaulted outside her home. She gives conflicting accounts about what happened.
The Sam Bennett Meltdown: You Want This in Congress? (7/19/08) - Bennett's bizarre 2001 concesssion speech. "Wuh, wuh, wuh, wuh, wub, wub, wuh nyuk, nyuk, nyuk."
Stop the Presses! Dent Attends Great Allentown Fair! Has Good Time! (8/27/08) - After Bennett falsely accuses Dent of skipping out on Musikfest, Congressman Dent issues preemptive press release to announce that he's attending the Great Allentown Fair.
Bennett Misses Yet Another Candidates' Night (9/5/08) - After continually claiming that Charlie Dent is ducking her, Bennett misses her second opportunity to mix it up.
Sam Bennett Needs Revolving Door for Campaign Managers (9/16/08) - Bennett picks up her fourth campaign manager.
Is Bennett's Nonprofit, POM, Playing Politics? (10/8/08) - The answer to that question is Yes. POM's Board President was forced to resign over that nonprofit's political activity.
BLEEP! Bennett's Fact Free Debate (10/14/08) - In a televised debate between LV Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger Sam Bennett on Business Matters, Channel 69 has to insert a disclaimer before the show ever airs. The station even has to blur her lips and blank her audio. BLEEP!
The Sam Bennett Primal Scream (10/29/08). It used to be "Wuh, wuh, wuh, wuh, wub, wub, wuh nyuk, nyuk, nyuk." Now it's "Ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, ni, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk."
Let's not forget the memorable foreign policy gaff at the JCC debate, where Ms. Bennett falsely claimed that
ReplyDeleteIran's president is "is building up nuclear armaments as we speak".
Biggest mistake she made was thinking she could run a credible campaign for Congress after losing two Democratic primary elections for Mayor of Allentown.
ReplyDeleteThat kind of ego trip is really something else!
...or her false JCC debate statement that
ReplyDelete"I wrote 'A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq' and now, fifty-three other challengers have joined me."
She didn't write "A Responsible Plan to End the War", as the Huffington Post points out, it was spearheaded and written by Darcy Burner with the help of national security experts and retired military generals. Ms. Bennett is just one of several Democratic candidates seeking office who endorsed it by signing on as a presenter of the finished body of work.
It might also be noted that "A Responsible Plan to End the War" specifically references seven recommendations from the final report of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which Rep. Dent has already activity sought to impliment the recommendations of while in office.
Pete, Your points are well-taken.
ReplyDeleteI personally find that false claim of authorship to be a little disturbing.
"In a heavily Democratic district,"
ReplyDeleteWhat are you talking about? Performance has always been split. Kerry barely won the district in 2004. Gore barely won in 2000. the last D to hold the congressional seat was McHale in 1998 and I'm not sure he would have held it today with high R performing areas of Montco.
That said, this district was ripe for the picking. It might be the last of the true swing districts to have an R after this election.
REALLY hard to watch this video. It physically hurts to watch her and listen to the crap that comes out of her mouth! Just horrible and probably could be used by the gov't to torture prisoners with! I'm a Dem and I can't stand this shrew!
ReplyDeleteWhat did Dent pay you to carry his stagnant water BOH? I have not heard anything about Dent's record anywhere (TV, radio and this blog). He voted with Bush against equal pay for women. (He hates women). He voted against our troops (I guess he doesn't like them either). He voted against our children (I guess he hates kids, too). Can you deny that he voted this way?
ReplyDeleteNice try, Anon 1:46.
ReplyDeleteThat tactic didn't work before and it's certainly not going to work now.
Tell Sam that we don't send our love.
"Can you deny that he voted this way?"
ReplyDeleteYes, and this blog has covered Dent on the issues, extensively.
Anon 1:46,
ReplyDeleteTry reading several of Mr. O'Hare's posts where the candidate answered specific questions from readers here about his platform:
**How the candidates are different.
**Foreign policy/Russia-Georgia conflict
**Is he afraid to debate Ms. Bennett? (in retrospect, that's hilarious)
**Answers accusations that he is a tool of big oil & abuses franking privileges
**Answers Ms. Bennett's charge the he became rich off of his election to office
**Congressman Dent's Written Views Concerning Iraq
**Position on Iraq based on reader questions
**Positions on energy
And before you complain that the same blog space was not given to Ms. Bennett, you can find links to a similar series of posts Mr. O'Hare did based on an interview with her here. She was asked specific questions from readers as well.
Your unsubstantiated complaints about the blogger and Ms. Bennett's opponent indicate that you have not researched them.
Also, Anon 1:46, as for Rep. Dent's voting record, Ms. Bennett's charges have been disproved in the news:
ReplyDeleteExpress Times
The Morning Call
Instead of relying on Ms. Bennett's talking points for your information, I suggest you try more credible sources, such as Rep. Dent's Project Vote Smart profile, where you can check out his voting history in depth. It also links out to Ms. Bennett's Vote Smart profile for comparison.
pete, your mcall and express times links are to editorials that neither prove nor disprove the assertions made by the dem hack. They are simply the opinions of a bunch of media elite.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that Dent is more attuned to Bush than voters would like while Bennett is further than voters would like. Stop trying to claim any kind of high ground with regard to either of these two.
Anon 4:54,
ReplyDeleteBoth newspaper pieces accurately cite proof of analysis of Rep. voting record by Congressional Quarterly (Vol. 66, page 2050). The voting record information is not opinion, it factual and substantiated. Since CQ is a subscription service online, I will take advantage of one of Mr. O'Hare's previous posts for a citation:
"If you look at the very first statement, for example, in which Bennett complains that Dent supports Bush 80% of the time, the reality is much different. Congressional Quarterly (Vol. 66, page 2050) analyzed 2,646 roll call votes. Its determination is that Dent is actually the 11th most independent Republican in the House. His votes have supported Bush just 60% of the time."
Burne - why do you hate Sam. Why are your posts filled with such vitriol ?
ReplyDeleteDude, if you want to argue on behalf of Bennett, do so. But when you just snark people, you actually hurt her. People will associate her with mindless fools like you.
ReplyDeleteit's easy to conceptualize:
ReplyDeletesarah palin equals siobhan bennett in Alaska.
Burne- you know I'm not mindless. And, I didn't snark you. You hate her. Why ?
ReplyDelete