Scranton Drops Out: It’s Swann v. Rendell
Scranton has dropped out in Pennsylvania – this basically means that the general election in Pennsylvania is now set up as a match-up between Rendell and Swann for Governor and Casey and Santorum for the Senate.
Okay, this being Pennsylvania, the liberal Rendell harpies and shrills will soon be out there spinning this one in favor of their boy, Fast Eddie.
Here are some of the arguments they will make:
1. Swann would have benefitted from the primary because no one knows who he is. Everyone now knows who Lynn Swann is, thanks to the Super Bowl when he emerged on the field, arms raised like the victor he was and will be again in November. Try again Terry and Larry.
2. This is not going to be about charisma. It is going to be about competence. Well, that isn’t what you were saying four years ago when it was the extremely capable Harrisburg insider Mike Fisher v. Philadelphia Mayor Edward Rendell. Back then, it was leadership skill people were looking for, but of course, people are looking for something different now. Try again Terry and Larry.
3. Governors in Pennsylvania have never been defeated for re-election. That might be a strong argument, except for the fact that it was not until the late 20th century that Pennsylvania Governors were able to run for re-election. Let’s look at those who have run for re-election. The first was Democrat Milton Schapp. He was elected in 1970 by a 55%-42% margin, and was re-elected in 1974 by a 54%-45% margin. What would it have been if it were not 1974, perhaps the nadir of the GOP? Next up was Republican Richard Thornburgh. He won in 1978 by a 52%-46% margin. When he ran for re-election in 1982, he only won re-election by a 51%-48% margin. Dropped again, eh Terry and Larry? Then we move to Governors Casey and Ridge, both of whom, as Terry and Larry will point out, won dramatic landslides in their re-election campaigns. Only one problem: neither Casey nor Ridge trailed at a comparable point in their bids for second terms like Rendell is presently.
(Terry and Larry refer to Terry Madonna and Larry Ceisler, the extremely liberal, washed-up Democratic politicos that the media in Pennsylvania runs to for political analysis.)
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