About two hundred people, including me, skipped both the Phillies and Eagles last night to schmooze with the Jews. That's right, we all - Gentile and Jew, conservative and liberal - crowded into Allentown's busy Jewish Community Center to watch a Congressional debate between Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan and incumbent Charlie Dent.Both candidates received plenty of applause. But the loudest cheers went to someone who's not running for anything, moderator Glenn Kranzley. Mark Goldstein, who introduced Kranzley, stated he had a marvelous relationship with Glenn, who was The Morning Call's Comment page editor.
Goldstein praised Kranzley's "journalistic integrity and intellectual honesty. Our community is grateful for all that you accomplished at The Morning Call."
I get compliments like that all the time, too. Of course, I have to pay for them.
Glenn told us that he's noticed that the campaigns, especially through their ads, "are talking past each other. They're not even speaking the same language sometimes."
"Tonight, that's not going to happen."
My admittedly biased impression is that Dent did try to speak substantively, while Callahan continued relying on a binder full of talking points from his DCCC Commissars. Perhaps most telling was when Kranzley asked them to say something nice about each other.
Callahan responded that he did praise Dent once. "I've said it in the past when I felt that Charlie was doing something well, its just so happens it hasn't been in a few years." He just couldn't bring himself to say something positive.
"Very nice. That's called a back-handed compliment where I come from," noted Dent, who then complimented Callahan's family. "Our families go through a lot when we run for office and I'm sure it's very stressful for them. I know that. Our families all know that."
Dent added that he believes the Mayor is "very earnest."
41 comments:
I'm sure Glenn Kranzley tried to do a good job. It's time the 3 cities moved onto new influences and ideas - 13% unemployment is outrageous.
i saw a democratic talking head on national news state that callahan created 5,000 jobs in bethlehem. I know the casino created some jobs, but callahan cannot take honest claim for that. honest claim?, silly me! at any rate, there certainly is no 5,000 jobs at the sands
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Why didn't local Ds publicize Pat Browne's wife lobby job before now? It might have made a big difference to many voters this fall.
According to you, she became a lobbyist last spring, surely enough time to use her new job as political ammunition. Maybe you could ask the local D chairman.
michael molovinsky said...
i saw a democratic talking head on national news state that callahan created 5,000 jobs in bethlehem. I know the casino created some jobs, but callahan cannot take honest claim for that. honest claim?, silly me! at any rate, there certainly is no 5,000 jobs at the sands
7:27 AM
Didn't the casino let hundreds of locals go this past summer when profits were down?
There is something very special
about events hosted by the Allentown Jewish Community Center, including how audiences seem to embrace the concept of public speaking and offer intelligent challenges without being rude to the guest speakers.
.
No politician creates jobs, except more bureaucrats.
Callahan's statement is an affront to those of us who take the risks, make the investments, and work our asses off.
How many people attended the debate?
Callahan never claimed that HE created any jobs. He made an statement about the fact that 5,000 new jobs were created in Bethlehem while he was Mayor. And yes, because of his leadership and improvements to the city, more companies want to locate to the cities. Funny how you can blast him when a company closes but not when ten open.
And yes, his strong support for table games brought another 700 jobs to the casino in addition to the 1,000 already there.
Dent has been a legislator all of his life, he is a career politician but somehow that name only applies to the democrats.
Callahan is a doer, he is a worker and he will be a fine congressman for us ---- the first since Fred Rooney.
Callahan never claimed that HE created any jobs. He made an statement about the fact that 5,000 new jobs were created in Bethlehem while he was Mayor. And yes, because of his leadership and improvements to the city, more companies want to locate to the cities. Funny how you can blast him when a company closes but not when ten open.
Dear Annonymous,
Please list the companies Callahan brought to town. It will help support his platform and may garner a few more votes.
Sorry 958am, Callahan's "Main Street" commercial, quoting:
"As Mayor I've created jobs on this Main Street."
He can take credit for continuing to make Bethlehem a place businesses want to locate, but he (and all politicians) need to stop with "I created..." stuff. They didn't.
Callahan is a career legislator. Your point is well taken, if your guy is guilty too don't point a finger.
"How many people attended the debate?"
I'd say 200 approximately.
"Why didn't local Ds publicize Pat Browne's wife lobby job before now?"
I wonder if they knew. Despite the obvious politics, it is a valid issue. It would be grat if someone had brought it up a few months ago.
Kranzley has taken his act to PSU-Lehigh Valley to teach a whole new generation of young and impressionable future journalists how to promote a left wing liberal agenda through the media. Its a sad cycle when one looks at today's Morning Call. $1 for a paper that didn't even mention the Parkland Allen football game in the Saturday sports. A paper that increases it's price and reduces its new coverage.
Callahan's exact words, in the ad that he also approved.
"I'm John Callahan. As Mayor, I created jobs on this Main Street."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqthEOaMqyo
"There is something very special about events hosted by the Allentown Jewish Community Center, including how audiences seem to embrace the concept of public speaking and offer intelligent challenges without being rude to the guest speakers."
Agreed. It was well organized, and the questions selected by the clerics were excellent. Plus the audience was very respectful to both candidates.
"Kranzley has taken his act to PSU-Lehigh Valley to teach a whole new generation of young and impressionable future journalists"
He also teaches at Lehigh.
Agreed. It was well organized, and the questions selected by the clerics were excellent. Plus the audience was very respectful to both candidates.
10:58 AM
That's how we see it too. Saw Gov. Ridge last winter when he introduced his latest book. More than 350 in audience. Very polite and excellent questions. Of course some must have disagreed with his position on war and spending, but no one was rude. Excellent forum.
Bernie
Might you know what courses Kranzley teaches in the Journalism Dept.
Thanks.
Maybe Callahan's handlers ordered him to say that about jobs. But if it's not true, he knows it and locals know it too.
We predict Dent will win, but not by a wide margin. Perhaps voters have tired of Dent and are looking for a fresh face. Not sure Dent ever worked in the private sector.Does anyone know?
"Might you know what courses Kranzley teaches in the Journalism Dept."
Sorry, don't know the exact courses.
"Not sure Dent ever worked in the private sector.Does anyone know?"
Charlie was a development officer at LU and an industrial electronics salesman.
"Maybe Callahan's handlers ordered him to say that about jobs."
You're probably right. Politicians from both parties do it, and they need to stop.
They do not create jobs. Period.
Look at the loafs getting fat on the bridge commission and then tell me government doesn't create jobs. Not only does it create jobs. It creates high paying jobs that require almost no work in exchange for compensation. Government creates the best jobs!
Wow! Isn't Glenn Kranzley part of the problem. I mean decades of poor journalism leaving the public anemic
of what should be it's real interest; hence our current standard of living as a whole.
..."Kranzley has taken his act to PSU-Lehigh Valley to teach a whole new generation of young and impressionable future journalists"
Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Those who can do neither, blog.
hmmm....get your spin going....lol
Callahan Statistically Tied with Dent in New PA-15 Poll
A new Grove Insight poll shows Democrat John Callahan statistically tied with Representative Charlie Dent. Callahan received 43 percent and Dent received 45 percent. Conducted September 27-29, the poll surveyed 400 likely voters and has a 4.9 percent margin of error.
http://dccc.org/blog/entry/more_district_by_district_polls_show_democrats_well-positioned_for_november/
Let's see Anon 356pm...you're citing a survey done by Grove Insight.
From their website - "Lisa Grove created Grove Insight because she was tired of seeing progressive candidates and causes stuck with outdated research methods, unintelligible reports and a one-size-fits-all approach to polling."
Sure sounds impartial to me.
It is common practice for a losing candidate to pay some pollster to claim he's in striking difference. And this company is rated pretty badly. Grove Insight is, by its own admission, a tool for "progressive" candidates. I don't even see the firm among the pollsters rated by 538. So this company, and your poll, is about as valuable as Callahan's debate performance last night. Maybe you should send out a few more flyers of soldiers with blood running down their face.
Not sure about this poll cited, but I was robo-polled by DCCC on 10/5 about this race. Where are those results?
They should call it the Wishful Thinking Polling Company
John Callahan neds a mininmum of 63% of all registered voters to come out, and he needs equal numbers of D's to R's. He needs D loyalty to exceed 85% and R loyalty under 90%
Jake Towne's percentage of vote actually goes DOWN, the higher the turnout.
As of now I see 57% turnout with Jake Towne getting a firm 5%, Dent 49.5%, and Callahan 44.5%
Callahan needs the base energized. He may get a benefit from a better mobilized Sestak campaign, and that race is only 4 points apart right now. But that spread is too wide for him to make up unless we get a phenomenal turnout.
If R's were smart, they'd step aside and let the D's have it. Give them unmitigated, unimpeded control. What they have had up until now was only enough to embolden a dysfunctional political movement. Give them two more years and let them destroy the nation with chaos and debt.
Then you will see a real, national call to arms, not some bullshit movement-of-the-day that would prop up goofs like Jake Towne and that bimbo in Delaware.
This was DCCC poll....it's great to see that dent is the most at risk republican incumbent....
Chris you have no clue on the modeling of this race...you might want to go back and look at your assertion in an off year election coupled with the registration advantage....
In other words, it is a slanted poll bt someone who specializes in "progressive" candidates and does not even make the ratings list at 538.
I'm sure Dent wll lose lots of sleep tonight.
As a Dent supporter, I thought Callahan held his own. He has evolved since the last time I heard him speak. Looking forward to WFMZ this week...
This was DCCC poll....it's great to see that dent is the most at risk republican incumbent....
Chris you have no clue on the modeling of this race...you might want to go back and look at your assertion in an off year election coupled with the registration advantage....
And I am amazed at the way some people will twist their necks and slant their eyes to see a race the way that makes them feel good.
I look at actual numbers of races that really took place in the Lehigh Valley. Those who ignore the past are condemned to repeat it. I did a piece a few weeks back where I referenced actual results and trends in the 15th CD over the last decade, and people told me I was wrong.
What happened over the last decade will happen again because certain people keep doing the same thing over and over. It hasn't worked yet, but hey, I still haven't played in a World Series game either.
Callahan needs 63% turnout and a boatload of other crazy variables. Reality is a bitch.
"I look at actual numbers of races that really took place in the Lehigh Valley."
This is WAY too much for the DCCC robots that Callahan has working for him to do. They just want to look at the voter registration edge and assume that everything is rosey. They keep using the same tactics and same playbook and keep getting trounced. The same will happen again this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXRgBqRH7f0
The political forum was hosted by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. The opening speaker, Mark Goldstein, is the Jewish Federation's excellent ceo. By the way, it was also the Federation that hosted the Tom Ridge program, held at the JCC.
It was the best of the five debates.
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