Month: September 2010

Obama Endorses Kanjorski, Shsss

President Obama gave a ringing endorsement, Thursday, to  Congressman Paul Kanjorski, the embattled long-term Democrat incumbent who represents Pennsylvania’s 11th District.


And of course, Kanjorski is keeping mum about it.

“I need you to support Paul Kanjorski for Congress,” the President said in a email blast.“You can make calls to voters in your area, and make sure they get to the polls. And you can spread the word about the importance of voting for Paul Kanjorski to your family, friends, and neighbors,”


Kanjorski campaign spokesman Ed Mitchell told the Wilkes Barre based Times Leader that his boss was “aware of the endorsement” and “welcomes the endorsement of anyone who shares the same values and principles.”

The campaign, however, did not put out a press release nor have they mentioned it on their website.
But Kanjorski’s campaign never sent out a press release advertising the endorsement, nor can any mention of the endorsement be found on Kanjorski’s campaign website .Mitchell later told Politco.Com that they have no intention of promoting it.

But thanks anyway, Mr. President, he added, albeit not in those words exactly.

Kanjorski is being challenged by popular and personable Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta.

Tea Party Commemorates Constitution Today

Actress Janine Turner will be the featured guest at ceremony to recommit to the Constitution on the 223rd Anniversary of its signing, 7 p.m., to 7:30 p.m., today at Independence Mall, 5th and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia.

The event is sponsored by the Independence Hall Tea Party Association.

So, will the Inquirer cover it?

Karl Rove Gay Rumors And Christine O’Donnell

Karl Rove Gay Rumors and Christine O’Donnell — Republican political consultant Karl Rove on consecutive nights on Fox News Channel disparaged the character of his party’s nominee in the Delaware senate race.

After the primary polls closed two days ago and it became clear that Tea Party favorite Christine O’Donnell had beaten establishment choice Congressman Mike Castle for the nomination, a visibly upset Rove told Sean Hannity that she had “checkered background” and said “nutty things”.  He called her a liar and, most damningly if true, accused her of spreading false rumors about Castle’s sexuality.

The outrage from conservatives was thunderous and Rove felt obliged to appear last night on Greta van Susteren’s On The Record to clear things up.

Which he did by repeating his claim that O’Donnell had bad character, couldn’t win, et cetera, et cetera.

When Rove cited her financial difficulties with banks and the IRS as examples of this alleged bad character, Greta said those would be more likely to garner sympathy from the average Joe and Jane in these Obamanomic times.

Rove then again accused Christine of spreading false rumors of Castle’s sexuality. Greta agreed that this would be a sign of very bad character.

So, did she?

Apparently, Rove’s allegations are based on this video produced by sympathizers of O’Donnell, who had been former employees. Nobody has produced any smoking gun showing that Christine requested, approved or even knew about the production, and, in fact, she quickly denounced it calling it an insult to Castle and his wife.

“Former”, btw, Karl means “no longer”. You seem to be saying that  Christine letting go some consultants who were advocating questionable tactics is a sign of bad judgment and character.

Highly illogical, as Mr. Spock might say.

Christine would later accuse Castle of “unmanly” tactics and suggest that he get his “man-pants” on. Rove apparently equates this with making an accusation of having a homosexual affair.

Ibid. Mr. Spock

But lets turn the clock back to Y2K when then-Gov George Bush was having a toe-to-toe battle with Sen. John McCain for the GOP presidential nomination and supporters of Dubya distributed fliers alleging that McCain fathered a black child out-of-wedlock and committed treason by collaborating with his North Vietnamese captors.

Can’t get much lower than that, Karl.  You know anything about that? You aren’t projecting a little with Christine, here, are you?

Karl Rove Gay Rumors And Christine O’Donnell

GOP Cred Board Says Philly Needs New Election

“Numerous irregularities” in the elections conducted by the Philadelphia County Republican Committee have  led the state Republican Credentials Committee, in an unanimous vote, to declare the seat of Philadelphia County party chairman vacant until a new election is held.

The action was taken in response to a challenged filed by Kevin Kelly after the Philly Republicans picked Vito J. Canuso as party head in a bizarre June 9 proceeding in which the party establishment declared him the winner in a 42-12 vote. Kelly said the actual vote was 21-18 for Al Schmidt.

On June 17, he told the Delaware County Patriots , an area Tea Party organization, that  the irregularities included the old guard’s refusal to seat several newly recruited GOP leaders from black and Hispanic wards.

The Credentials Committee held a hearing Sept. 9 and largely accepted the case Kelly made albeit they did not seat Schmidt as chairman as per Kelly’s request.

While Canuso held the title of party chairman he was basically a figurehead for Michael Meehan.

Philadelphia County is coterminous with the city.

Hat tip to GrassrootsPa.com

GOP Cred Board Says Philly Needs New Election

GOP Cred Board Says Philly Needs New Election

Christine O’Donnell Will Win In Nov.

Tea Party-endorsed Christine O’Donnell clobbered heavily favored, establishment-endorsed Congressman Mike Castle 53-47 percent in yesterday’s primary to win the Republican Party’s nomination in the race to represent Delaware in the U.S. Senate.

She now faces heavily favored Democrat Chris Coons in the seat formerly held by Vice President Joe Biden.

National Republicans say she will not get their support. Former Bush 43 guru Karl Rove, visibly upset, told O’Donnell supporter Sean Hannity on his Fox News program, that he had met her and was “not impressed” and practically ruled out any hope for a GOP victory in the Diamond State on Nov. 2.

Frankly, that Rove was upset at the defeat of a man who once tried to get his former boss investigated with the intent to impeach is rather indicative of what is wrong with the Republican Party leaders. One wonders why they never attack Democrats with the zeal they attacked O’Donnell.

Anyway, I’m going to disagree with Rove and predict a win for Christine.

During the next six weeks, Coons will portray O’Donnell as a flake. The GOP-establishment that backed Castle will hold Coons’ coat during these attacks and smile contentedly. The  News Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philly news broadcasts and the other dino media that infest the state will without relent print and broadcast stories reinforcing the Coons narrative. Most residents of Delaware will come to accept that she is a flake.

And then on Election Day these residents will look at their drastically higher health insurance premiums that the Democrats said would never rise, wonder why they can’t find a job and  vote for the flake who has been unyielding in her promises that she will stop the policies — policies in part backed by national Republicans —  that caused the mess this country is in.

Godspeed, Christine.

Inky Sale Sinks On Teamster Reef

Teamsters Local 628, which represents the drivers of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, rejected  by 191-4 vote Sunday the  Philadelphia Media Network Inc.’s (PMN) final contract offer.

PMN is seeking to take over the company, which also includes the website Philly.Com, from Philadelphia Newspapers LLC, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 21, 2009.

Philadelphia Newspapers is a subsidiary of Philadelphia Media Holdings LLC.

Local 628 is the only one of the company’s unions not to have a agreed with a contract with PMN, a group of 16 financial institutions
that bought the properties at auction in April for $139
million. Philadelphia Newspapers, however, maintains control until things are finalized.

The sticking point with the Teamsters is the pension plan.

So, is the sale sunk? Well, a deadline imposed by Bankruptcy Judge Stephen Raslavich was noon, today,  and the drivers didn’t budge.

What is likley now is another auction, and if that should happen PMN will bid again according to PMN CEO Gregory Osberg, and if PMN should win he says contract terms would then be imposed on the drivers or the company would be closed until a contract was reached.

Surprise, Surprise. Rendell Bails Out Harrisburg

Think of it as the ant and the grasshopper in Bizzaro World .

Or Pennsylvania.

Either works.

Gov. Ed Rendell announced , Sunday,  that Pennsylvania taxpayers will give the City of Harrisburg a  $4.3 million aid package so it can meet bond obligation payments, pay bills, and hire a financial advisor.

Rendell said it was “not a bailout” — no! no! no! no! not a bailout — because more than $3.5 million of the money would be expedited payments already budgeted to the city this year.

The beleaguered Democrat-controlled state capital was scheduled to miss a
$3.29 million bond payment on Sept. 15 to bond holders of Series 1997D
and Series 1997F capital appreciation bonds.

This borrowing is
not related to $288 million in renovations of the Harrisburg
incinerator plant for which Harrisburg
City is on the hook for $68.7 million.


Regarding  austerity measures, the city is closing fire stations and selling equipment.

The Rendell not-a-bailout-plan-no-no-no also includes $850,000 in taxpayer funds from discretionary grant and loan programs to allow Harrisburg to hire Scott Balice Strategies, a financial management company to create a comprehensive plan for the city.

Rendell To Bail Out Harrisburg City?

A press conference by Gov. Ed Rendell and Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson has been scheduled for tomorrow at which is expected to be announced a state-taxpayer backed plan to keep Pennsylvania’s capital from bankruptcy.

The beleaguered Democrat-controlled city has announced it will skip a $3.29 million bond payment scheduled for Sept. 15 to bond holders of Series 1997D and Series 1997F capital appreciation bonds.

This borrowing is not related to $288 million in renovations of the Harrisburg incinerator plant for which Harrisburg City is on the hook for $68.7 million.


The city, population  47,000, has been unwilling to take steps such as laying off city employees to deal with the fiscal crisis.

Ambac Assurance Corp., insurer of the 1997 general obligation bonds, has announced that it will meet payments to investors. Its parent company,however, Ambac Financial Group of Wisconsin, has warned that it may seek bankruptcy protection as early as next year.

Moody’s Investors Service no longer rates Harrisburg.

Have You Forgotten?


Darryl Worley’s perceptive song was released in 2003. Click here or on the pix for it. The lyrics are below. Yes, America misses you President Bush.

I hear people sayin’. We Don’t need this war.
I say there’s some things worth fightin’ for.
What about our freedom, and this piece of ground?
We didn’t get to keep ’em by backin’ down.
They say we don’t realize the mess we’re gettin’ in
Before you start preachin’ let me ask you this my friend.

Chorus
Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten, when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside goin through a livin hell
And you say we shouldn’t worry bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

You took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it’s too disturbin for you and me
It’ll just breed anger is what the experts say
If it was up to me I’d show it everyday
Some say this country just out lookin’ for a fight
Well after 9/11 man I’d have to say right.

Chorus
Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside goin’ through a livin’ hell
And we vow to get the ones behind Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I’ve been there with the soldiers
Who’ve gone away to war
you can bet they remember just what they’re fightin’ for

Have you forgotten
All the people killed
Yes some went down like heroes
In that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten
About our Pentagon
All the loved ones that we lost
And those left to carry on
Don’t you tell me not to worry ’bout Bin Laden

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?

Wittgenstein, Hitler And Rush

Ludwig Wittgenstein is considered one of history’s great philosophers. He was born in Austria on April 26,1889, six days after another influential Austrian, who is right now ranked third on the list of history’s top murderers behind Mao and Stalin.

Well, Wittgenstein went to school at Realschule in Linz which had a student population of 300 pupils, and one of his classmates was Adolph Hitler.

It has now been reveled that talk-show giant Rush Limbaugh and Pastor Terry Jones of maybe-I-will-maybe-I-won’t burn the Koran fame were classmates at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Some appear to want to make an issue of this. Rush says he barely remembers the guy and wonders why people can’t accept that. He noted these same people easily accepted claims by one prominent person that he  spent 20 years in a church without being able to recall what his own minister had been preaching.