"In his apparent runaway race for re-election," Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) leads challenger Lynn Swann (R), 55% to 39% among likely voters, with 6% still undecided, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.
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PA: Black Republican Momentum
September 27th, 2006
9 Comments
Wow, so the same guy who thought it was racist when some conservative blogger called Michael Steele “articulate” has no problem calling grown black men “boys”.
And I’ll point out yet again that Tom Ridge, Bob Casey Sr, and Dick Thornburgh (PA’s last three governors) all won by large margins when they were up for re-election.
You’d know that if you did a little research, but I guess you’re too busy worrying that those intelligent Maryland voters don’t know the party of the guys running for Senate.
Yes, but this was supposed to be the tidal wave year for black republicans, at least according to the msm. Swann was supposed to smile his NFL smile and waltz into the Governor’s job. Yet, it’s not happening.
Wow, so the same guy who thought it was racist when some conservative blogger called Michael Steele “articulate” has no problem calling grown black men “boys”.
Oh, for God’s sakes.
I’d just like to interject here that unlike you folks I live in PA, and frankly I don’t know a single person that would actually vote for Swann. It has less to do with whether he’s black or a Republican than with the fact that few people here see playing professional football as a credible fore-runner to a political career. It’s very hard for an old coal-minimg community to take anyone seriously whose arse you’ve seen in spandex. Most of us prefer a little more substance from our candidates. Republicans across the board are on a losing trend here, though. It would appear that no one believes the crap they’re shovelling, from the top of the administration on down, and Swann is viewed as just another piece of it. And Oliver, it is bad form to call him a “boy”, even if in the most ‘Roots’ sense of the word he’s allowing himself to be treated as one.
Oh, please. If you think “keep it up, boys” is somehow racist, you are illiterate.
I don’t think it’s racism. The Roots reference was sarcastic. If ignorant people are going to cry racism, let’s put it in that context and batter them over the head with it. If they don’t want him to be treated like a “boy” then he should stop acting like a GOP version of Fiddler, regurgitating their crap on a daily basis. Lest we forget what happens when you are a black Republican? Has anyone seen Colin Powell lately? Moreover, has anyone noticed the way he is now treated by the GOP? Any black man who calls himself a Republican is asking to be used, abused, and hung out to dry – plain and simple.
Hey LMM, on what do you base your theory that you’re the only person here who lives in PA? I’ve voted twice for Rendell for mayor of Philly (which happens to be in PA, even though most of you coal crackers wish it wasn’t) and I voted for him in 2002 for Governor.
Also, for someone that lives in PA, you should know that Swann hasn’t played football since 1982, and despite being most well-known for his football broadcasting after that, he also has served on numerous corporate boards, and done tremendous amounts of work for Boys and Girls club in the Pittsburgh area.
And as far as substance, there is a Harrisburg columnist for the Philly Daily News named John Baer who basically once a week writes a column saying what a lightweight Swann is, yet even he just wrote a column saying Swann won the debate with Rendell, even though Ed Rendell is probably the smoothest, smartest politician in the country not named Bill Clinton.
And the problem with the condescending attitude of people like you and Oliver of any black man that runs as a Republican is the fact that you’re willing to give a pass to incompetant and mediocre black officials just because they’re Democrats. John Street is a racist, corrupt, horrible mayor, yet he managed to play the race card and win two elections as Philly mayor.
So, I guess who cares that we’re gonna clock 400 murders in Philly this year, as long as we have a “real” black man running the city.
(T)he fact that you’re willing to give a pass to incompetant and mediocre black officials just because they’re Democrats.
What, you mean like Cynthia McKinney?
Pardon me, Cyrus. I didn’t realize you actually live here too.
I’m well aware of Swann’s football career – my father-in-law (who is from Pittsburgh, BTW) finds it to be his only redeeming quality. I metion it because although I love football I hardly think it automatically qualifies one for public office.
Being a braodcaster/commentator frankly isn’t grounds for running for office either – if that were the case we could run Madden for President and get outstanding chalk drawings of our war efforts. Actually, I’m surprised we don’t get that already from the Kindergardener-in-Chief.
Community service is a good start, but it also isn’t enough.
Serving on several corporate boards doesn’t make him anymore a businessman than it makes him a polotician – I know people who have served on boards that couldn’t balance their own checkbook, let alone a budget.
I skipped the debate – my decision has already been made.
I never professed that I thought Street was acceptable – Dem or not. He’s just as much of a louse. However, I also didn’t vote for him, did I?
I don’t live in Philly and I don’t like visiting much either. What it has in immense political and cultural value it loses in its crime rate – I’ve had two family members assaulted and robbed there. If I were you no offense but I’d move.
BTW – you might want to skip your little “coal cracker” comments. My great grandpa (a life-long Dem) died of black lung from working in those mines from the age of 9. He worked ridiculously long hours in dangerous conditions to do for his family because that’s what we believe in – you do whatever it takes and you sacrifice to make it right and make it better for you, yours, and your neighbors. He was followed in death by my great grandma, who raised three boys, was active in the community, and worked two seamstress factory jobs at the same time while keeping a spotless house and spending every spare moment in a church.
(Maybe that’s why I can’t identify with Swann – I find it hard to wrap my “coal cracker” noggin around the idea of getting kudos for wearing a suit, flashing a smile, and reiterating talking points for a living.)
Perhaps if your town had a few more “coal crackers” and a harder-working, closer-knit community that actually cared about its people it wouldn’t be such a feces repository.
And I am not condescending.