In a fundraising letter sent to a gazillion Democrats yesterday, during the Holidays, Bethlehem Mayor and Congressional wannabe John Callahan makes some interesting claims.First, when President Barack Obama came to town to listen to all the little people, Hizzoner insists he had a private meeting with the One. Immediately after that little tete-a-tete, the Prez told everyone to vote for Allentown Mayor Ed Pawloski.
Second, he claims Congressman Charlie Dent has "ignored the real issues facing this country." Dent regularly issues news releases to inform his constituents, leading from the front. This year alone, he conducted nineteen town halls all over the Lehigh valley. In contrast, Callahan has consistently ducked questions about health care reform, or anything else. Asked about health care reform, Callahan fearlessly told The Morning Call's Scott Krauss, "That is a difficult question to answer because it is a hypothetical question. I don’t really accept the premise." Huh?
Third, the Bethlehem Mayor charges that "Charlie doesn't want to talk about his dismal record on job creation, out of control deficit spending, and Big Business special interest money." I see. Out of control deficit spending? Bethlehem has more debt than any of the Lehigh Valley's three cities. Even more than Allentown. He has increased spending 34%, has endorsed four tax increases in seven years and even wants to increase sales tax by 16%.
27 comments:
Hahaha Man! I love this post.
You sound so terrified of John.
I better go donate!
https://services.myngp.com/ngponlineservices/contribution.aspx?X=9A3CgZpeGnzU6KWiZCOQoVRA4hLxehDDSbopgAnSmcY=
God Bless Mayor Callahan. Dispite your inaccurate, twisted and mean commentary he will wage an impressive campaign.
Mr. Dent voted for palates of money to go to Iraq but not for Americans health.
You sound terrified of the guy. I guess you are officially an inkind contributor to the Dent campaign.
Who the hell is John Callahan?
And I want the tax dollars I paid to publicly educate the drunken, 3:15 AM poster who clearly refused to learn to spelling and construction.
The numbers will tell the tale of who thinks Charlie "Two Faced" Dent is meeting his obligations.
Callahan has little chance of winning an off presidential year election. Not that Dent or any "vote no" Republican like him deserves reelection. However, my point is please stop wasting space being Dent's toady. At least make him pay for all the free advertising you give him then go on to more important and salient issues please..
No, Dent never ignores the big issues. THe day after 911 he was introducing a bill to add handrails to the Capitol steps.
Lots of attacks on this post, but not one attempt to refute any of the facts offered.
Gotta love the lockstep, low IQ liberal gimmecrats.
Stick it to the man, Stick it to the man!
It's a nonsense blog, why defend any of it's baseless statements. Bernie has some good ones and gets the traffic to prove it. This was not one of them....
Ah, fine, Anon 2:28!
I'll debate Bernie's claims, but I'll have to do it when I get back.
I didn't do it initially, because these Dent talking points have been rehashed by Bernie over-and-over again -- and we've debated them on those threads individually.
So, until I get back, just click on the label "Charlie Dent" or "John Callahan" and read the comments.
the Irish do no wrong.
Bernie, let's face it it takes a lot of money to unseat an incumbent member of congress. These guys have it all and they are well connected to the lobbyist that control them.
Why not tell your friend Dent to place a mandatory limit of let's say $500,000 on this election and see if he agrees. Then all things will be equal and all of the money can come from the Lehigh Valley instead of his big corporate supporters and the lobbyists.
Callahan is a smart individual and knows that at this point in the campaign the only thing that should be on his mind is to raise the money needed to defeat Dent. So give him credit rather than blast him. He is in the campaign to win, not to lose. And when he wins our district will finally be well-represented.
Callahan is a smart guy, and that's why he should consider whether he really wants to be the next sacrificial lamb. As things stand now, he is on his way to certain defeat. The mood of the country has swung back and I do not think Callahan will be able to count on help from the DCCC for much longer bc they'll be too busy playing defense.
I'd agree with a cap on spending.
Good for him. I hope he gets money. Dent doesn't need to ask for money, he's funded by the insurance companies now.
The Republicans may have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The extreme hatred and disrespect hinging on racism of the President and the ovbvious closed rank obstructionism of the "just say no" Party of the Republicans may backfire.
The Party of Glenn Beck and Sara Palin may be just a bit to crazy and mean spirited for many independents and moderates. While right now the Presidents numbers have dropped, there is no Republican that those polled prefered over him. People just aren't happy, period!
By next Novemeber the Republicans' just stall and say no to all and constantly attack the President straegy, may not work for the teabagging, birther, communist fighting Republicans.
Voters may be angry at Democrats but see them as at least trying and the more sane lesser of two evils.
But hey, you will always have Rush!
Bernie, Wow!
Yes Callahan is irresponsible and has budget deficits in Bethlehem. Charlie supports deficits MANY TIMES LARGER at the federal level.
Which is worse?
Yes Callahan is a Tax and Spend liberal. Dent is a Borrow and Spend liberal.
Which is worse?
What is happening is that many thousands of citizens are waking up to the hypocrisy of politics as usual. Both are the problem. That is whay people are sick of. We get the same thing with the same politicians of either party.
I don't agree with Joe Hilliard's writings much of the time (on another blog), but I think his comments here cut through the biases both camps have shown the past few weeks on LVR to make a salient point.
A related observation: I have noticed that since Callahan's entry, I have heard more from Charlie Dent the past six months than in the past six years...e-mails at both home and work about his constituent service, robocalls about town meetings, more noticeable coverage in the MSM, mailings, and don't take this wrong Bernie, but LVR is quickly becoming CDR (Charlie Dent Ramblings)for the near daily press releases. Somehow, it is becoming "too much" exposure "too early." He's trying too hard, and that can sometimes be counterproductive by the time it really counts in eleven months.
Lighthouse, Joe Hilliard is promoting Dent's opponent from the right. he hasn't had a nice thing to say about Dent for years. As for this post, I find it ironic that Dent get tagged for trying too hard when I react to a solicitation sent by Callahan. The simole truth is that BOTH of them are already out there. The only difference is that Dent is taking positions on issues, while Callahan just wants your money.
Are you gonna blame 2:28's statement on me today, O'Hare?
(Yes you can?)
:)
How are 12:37's comments acceptable?
No wonder you were disbarred, O'Hare.
Happy New Year.
Pig pen,
What a mess you have become. You embarrass other conservatives with your hatedful rants, and now do it anonymously, just like a troll. You are incapable of distinguishing between general attacks like that at 12:37, which are directed at no specific indicidual, and the very personal attacks at specific individuals in which you engage. You want me to point out it was you? OK. mow I have. I've asked you repeatedly to be more respectful to other people, but you're instead getting more bizarre.
While offering some critique, please don't take my comments as in anyway supporting Callahan, whom I do not hold in high regard. I think Dent does appeal to the moderate middle, which has allowed him to be generally representative of much of the LV (and thus, successful at the polls). That said, I agreed with Hilliard's commentary, which really points to the disconnect between GOP rhetoric vs their governance when it comes to fiscal responsibility...who ever has control of the cookie jar (D or R) always has their hands in it...look at the first six years of the Bush years of total GOP control, or now with total Dem control.
2010 is the year of Callahan. Too bad Ohare. Mr. Dent has nothing on John.
Lighthouse,
Just so you know, I consider Callahan an excellent choice and strong candidate, much better than Bennett or Dertinger. I have generally liked what he has done in Bethlehem, although I recieived a packet of information today (12/31) that makes me question some things. more about that next week.
But he plaes in comparrison to Dent. I consider Dent an exceptional public servant, the finest in the LV by far. He takes his job very seriously, and his views are consistent with what I call Pennsylvania Democrats. He is a centrist who leans to the right. I'd prefer that he lean to the left, but that's me.
Where he stuns me is in his knowledge and understanding of foreign affairs.
I hope he runs for the Senate in the near future.
It's humorous that Callahan is labeled "the sacrificial lamb" by this blog yet it is Charles Dent and his proxy web presence who are wildly flailing about attacking a mayor of the finest city in the region. Callahan has different ways to attack Dent - on his rubber stamping of Bush, on his obstructionist positions with Obama, on his non-factor milquetoast status in the House. Dent is running scared this time around. You can tell by these panicked "releases."
Central,
Keep telling yourself that. When those releases first started coming, I'll admit that even I thought they were a bit early. But I can see now that it makes sense from a political point of view because it gives Dent an opportunity to define Callahan. And if I've learned anything about Dent, it's that he takes no one lightly. Whether it is Sam Bennett or John Callahan, he will be coming at that person. Because he is in a blue district, that makes sense, but I think it is also his own style.
That must explain how Dent gained only 53% of the vote against super-candidate Charles Dertinger and his $70,000 war chest. Dent is only winning because his opposition have been buffoons. Now Callahan may be a buffoon too but he has a record and pretty good one if you ask around.
All politics are local. I will be waiting to see how each candidate stands on local issues.
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