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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, October 05, 2017

The Trump Factor

Jeanne McNeill draws huge crowd at announcement
In my 11 years as a fairly active political blogger, I've covered numerous announcements and rallies. For most races, getting people to come to these events is like pulling teeth. So I was pleasantly surprised to see a large crowd of about 70 people on hand for Jeanne McNeill's announcement that she would be running to succeed her husband Dan in the 133d legislative district.

Jeanne was introduced by Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez, who at one time was Danny McNeill's chief of staff. She is a job skills teacher for young adults with disabilities at the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate, helping them to become independent. If elected, "I will work every day to make sure educational programs are in place and protect our senior citizens. She added that would "continue Danny's opioid crisis fight."

Short and sweet.

I noticed two things at this event. First, Democrats are energized. Second, though everyone is running for everything, they are strangely united. They know there's a bigger enemy out there, one who is recklessly endangering this country and our very form of government.

Authoritarian Donald Trump.

His base is so far in the tank for him that, as he himself once bragged, "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters." But the rest of us are disgusted by him and what he has done to this country during his short time in office.

Some of those who voted for him are getting weary of his tweetstorms, bullying and his appeal to our darker sides.

I could feel that as Jeanne McNeill made her announcement.

Though the November election is a municipal race, the national mood always plays a big role in the NorCo races and in the Lehigh County Exec race.

While Northampton County voters elected Donald Trump, was it because they liked Trump or detested Hillary? I think it is the latter. Locally, she turned a lot of people off.

According to McClatchy, Trump is fueling victories in municipal races.

Larry Krasner, who won the Democratic primary for DA in Philly, has said that any sane person must realize that Trump is a potential dictator. “That’s the kind of thing that can wake you up in the morning, make you lace up your shoes, and go vote."

In Northampton County, Brown won four years ago by keeping it close in Bethlehem. Not gonna' happen this year.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pols love to curry favor with unions. This was a done deal.

Anonymous said...

6:09 The only voters that feel insulted by President Trump, are ones that don't support him anyway. Better see a psychologist about your Trump Derangement Syndrome.

Unknown said...

Jeanne will bring the same energy and passion as Dan did, she is a wonderful person and she deserves your vote

Anonymous said...

your hate is showing and becoming quite funny thus making a fool out of you

Anonymous said...

Your obsession with your theory of Trumps tendency to be a dictator is getting old. This must be one of the democratic talking points. So, now it seems if a president enforces the law as is his sworn duty to do, He is now a potential dictator. Yet Obama's tendency to not enforce the law showed his love and compassion.

Anonymous said...

Lets see, Dan was big supporter of "Fed Ed" will his wife? If she is, she'll never get my vote or verbal support. This is nothing but a sympathy vote and to bring Trump supporters into this is a disgusting, deranged authoritarian blogger's attempt to sway votes her way. Sick!

Anonymous said...

Still freaking out because Monica Lewinsky's ex-boyfriend's wife LOST, eh?

Anonymous said...

donnie two scoops is doing a heck of a job getting folks to despise his actions.

he has managed to fracture the republican party.

the Democrats just have to sit back with the popcorn and watch him screw it up.

are people gearing up to go after donnie for his sins-- as palin would say "you betcha".

donnie deserves all the grief he has earned.

Anonymous said...

I know someone who has a popcorn machine... an $800.00 one. Maybe she will share!

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Still freaking out because Monica Lewinsky's ex-boyfriend's wife LOST, eh?"

No. I get the hatred for Hillary and say so. I understand why some Ds and Rs voted for Trump, though I've never cared for him. I always thought he was boorish, but never expected him to be such a disaster as President. He has lost a lot of his so-called charm among those who voted for him. This is going to have an impact on the NorCo races. I believe it will impact the LC Exedc race, but not the District Comm'r races bc those are small enough that they are unaffected by national races. The national scene has had an impact on the last few NorCo races.

Anonymous said...

I don't really understand the Republican swagger.

I understand their happiness and outright glee in defeating their boogey-woman of many years and retaking the White House after 8 years.

I don't like it, but even also semi understand the human nature/schadenfreude-ish pleasure they seem to enjoy of seeing their "opposition" suffer - even though many of them may be their their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, fellow church members, etc., you know people they share the country with...

Clinton was a bad candidate, fighting a headwind that was a country tired of 8 years of Democratic rule and wanted a change of course - very similar to Obama's election following 8 years of Bush/Republican rule. Trump won based on various promises to different groups, but ultimately represented "something new and different" as the primary appeal. Now, nobody will argue that we got "new and different", but how much appeal does it hold outside of his base?

Complain all you want about polling and mainstream media bias, but while Trump support has most likely hardened among his core base, does anyone feel confident that any new groups or demographics have shifted towards the Republicans that were previously Democratic? What about moderates or 50/50 voters out there that had grown weary of Obama and saw all the flaws in Hillary and went with Trump? What % of that group do you think are saying, yeah this is much better than I thought it would be?

I think some Republicans are making a dangerous assumption that 100% of their 2016 voters are sticking around for the long haul.



Anonymous said...

This insider nonsense is ridiculous. I wonder if Hozza will run. Even with all the union support, I think with his record he can win.

RoverDog2017 said...

Bernie, keep your eyes on that bully, Zeke Bellis in Palmer Township. Although he pretends to be a Democrat, he won (by only 3 votes) as a write-in on the Republican side. Now, this bully and his cronies are trying to bully his opponent with a lot of negative stuff. Everyone knows that Zeke always picks on women, never men. Word is out that he has cut a deal with Brown and telling his Democratic friends to pull the Republican lever to help Brown and himself. A real creep.

Anonymous said...

"Trump is an authoritarian fascist and you're a hateful misogynistic bigot and nazi. But please vote for me!"

There's a winning strategy. Good luck with that.

Anonymous said...

4:36 I'd vote for the opposing candidate just for spite after hearing that.

Anonymous said...

Yup. Still freaking out over Hillary's tragic loss. Next spin cycle, please.

Anonymous said...

Is Panto posting again?