Pennsylvania Avenue reports that Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan raised no cash in the last quarter, and this his federal campaign till is down to just $4,284. He recognizes what's obvious - Charlie Dent is unbeatable in the 15th Congressional District. He may be a nice guy, but his philosophy in an election is to run hard or unopposed. Every candidate who has gone up against him, from Driscoll to Dertinger to Bennett to Callahan, has been destroyed. It's a fool's errand.
Does this mean Callahan intends to run for Northampton County Council? I've heard some names, and his is not among them.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Thursday, October 13, 2011
24 comments:
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.
You claim to know politics. No one, absolutely no one is "unbeatable".
ReplyDeleteA young guy once said, "Until Charlie decides to retire, no one will beat him."
ReplyDeleteGuess he's right.
While 1:45 AM has a point, here's one example of why Charlie continues to do well.
ReplyDeleteThis week the Allentown Fire Department honored its own during a moving ceremony that highlighted bravery beyond the call.
Charlie was due in Washington at 3 p.m., yet at 11 a.m., he was on an Allentown center stage praising local heroes.
charlie is beatable. just not by someone with callahan's profile.
ReplyDeleteAnyone is beatable. However, not by someone who put the city $14,000,000 in the red, runs around, and makes Bill White stew!
ReplyDeleteCharlie isn't beatable for the same reason many of his crazy right wing tea party friends arent beatable..They have unlimited funds thanks to citizens united, many have carved out( gerrymandered) super Republican districts for themselves ( although Charlies isn't as bad as most)and they ( for all intents and purposes) own a cable news station that is almost entirely devoted to right wing propaganda. How can they lose?
ReplyDeleteIt has nothing to do with Citizens United. He was three of the races I mention before that case. You might not like the admit this, but the siple truth is that Charlie wins because he works hard, runs hard and in the end, his views are closer to the electors than the certifiable kooks who've gone up against him.
ReplyDeleteWell I take umbrage to his votes matching his constituency, it’s simply not true. I will agree he works hard and does a great job remaining in touch with the district. Callahan can beat him, no one is unbeatable there are just too many variables unanswered right now with redistricting and such.
ReplyDeleteSeamus
And Callahan is mayor of the best city in the state. How about just being that for two more years. Life does not always have to be about your next political move.
ReplyDeleteSeamaus
Seamus it does if you next move also keeps you one step ahead of the law.
ReplyDeleteWell Anon 10:13 that is not the case so no worries
ReplyDeleteCallahan stopped short and Seamus is all brown.
ReplyDeleteI've heard Callahan will run for king of Chapman as a proud carpetbagger. Let's see him try to hide relatives crashing police cars there!
ReplyDeleteCharlie wins because he's more Democrat than most Democrats in a Democrat district. This is not nuclear physics. Most voters get that Charlie is a pretty solid D.
ReplyDeleteseamus - great city but that is no excuse for the unauthorized loans, using fed money to pay bills, diverting other communities eit monies. best city - most corrupt administration. jc won't run. he's scared dent will bury him in his own public filth
ReplyDeleteCallahan ran a horrible campaign and should have waited for the presidential year. many supporters told him that. he is a well-liked individual with smarts and would do well in congress -- but timing is everything.
ReplyDeleteNo one mentions that Charlie is out front solely because of money. It is a disgrace that to run for Congress in the Lehigh Valley you need to commit to raising more than $3 million. Campaign reform is needed - the edge always goes to the incumbents, especially on the federal level. It is not a level playing field. There are many Dems that could win, they just don't want to be a fulltime fundraiser.
10';00pm
ReplyDeleteyet another whinnie pants dem lever puller. hasn't had an original thought since the indoctrination
Callahan insiders are on a full court press in their usual bar room haunts. Callahan is running for Northampton County Executive in. That's is a shame for the county. He knows nothing about county government and we need some knowledge now more than ever. He apparently needs a place to sit and get headlines until the congressional seat opens. At least that is the beer talk his crew engages in.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the problems the county has endured, it is a shame that it will now get another clueless career politician who is just looking for a platform to run for something else.
Here we go again. Maybe there will be another swaption for the County. Expect the shady pols to come with this package.
Absolutely correct that on one is unbeatable. Evidence of that can be seen nationally over the last few years in Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York-9. Charlie Dent is an honorable, hard working man and that is why he wins. Seamus will keep lying about Callahan and doing his dirty work behind the scenes using his typical thug tactics. More and more people are seeing the truth...Callahan is corrupt, he is attempting to manipulate the City Council election and the fiscal situation in the city is a disaster. Just like last year, shortly after the election the details will come out again..it's getting worse and Rubber Stamp Council members will once again work to craft a budget to save him.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how Callahan and his gang can be stopped if he runs for the county. He has the cash and the Long dem machine.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I don't want to see Callahan as County Executive but I doubt he can be stopped. Any Dem with the balls to run against him will be torn apart by his crew.
ReplyDeleteIt should be interesting.
the only Dem that has a chance against Callahan is Panto. Panto has huge cross party support becasue he runs the city as a fiscal conservative. And his base is wide becasue he is well-likes in the region, not just Easton.
ReplyDeleteIt would be an interesting race but I don't see it happening. Panto is committed to Easton.
I disagree with the comment about knowing how to run the county. there again I think Panto or Callahan would do well becasue I particularly want the county to continue as is. They waste millions of dollars on low priority items and have no vision. They turned down the bi-county data center, the regional health department and they continue to operate like its 1964.
Either Dem would be better that someone onthe inside
Only city politicans would push for the Health Department when the county can't even afford to fix the prison.
ReplyDeleteThat is why the last person we need is an out of touch, slick city pol like Callahan or Panto.
These guys ooze slick and it will not sell outside of the cities.
Callahan would be a disaster as County Executive. He doesn't even know what a county is or does.
ReplyDelete