PA-Gov: Dead Heat

[Jake]

Um, let's not inaugurate the guy until he wins the election.

[Keystone Phil]

Phil, we know you're here.  I don't know about the other hacks.

Tell us more, oh knowledgable one, about how Rendell will cruise into a second term. I'm able to admit when my hero is in trouble; you do the same with one of your's. For the first time we will see an incumbent Governor of PA facing problems in his bid for re-election. Face it - Eddie isn't loved anymore!

[RomneyGekko Situation Hairgel]

Phil, we know you're here.  I don't know about the other hacks.

Tell us more, oh knowledgable one, about how Rendell will cruise into a second term. I'm able to admit when my hero is in trouble; you do the same with one of your's. For the first time we will see an incumbent Governor of PA facing problems in his bid for re-election. Face it - Eddie isn't loved anymore!

In the Southeast, he's more than fine, hell he's still God.  People in the west are just jealous and I can't answer for that so they have to pick their sports hero to counter. 

[Speed of Sound]

Wow, this thread has developed a very serious case of Hackism.

[Smash255]

Phil, we know you're here.  I don't know about the other hacks.

Tell us more, oh knowledgable one, about how Rendell will cruise into a second term. I'm able to admit when my hero is in trouble; you do the same with one of your's. For the first time we will see an incumbent Governor of PA facing problems in his bid for re-election. Face it - Eddie isn't loved anymore!

I'll admit at this point this race is shaping up to be closer than I originally thought.  However, what will happen when Swann is seen to be more conservative than most people believe he is?   Not to mention even with this race shaping up at this point to be closer, Rendell still has ten times the chance to win than Swann does.  Not to mention the simple fact no one has won a statewide race in PA without covering the PPA suburbs.  And before you go off into your rant on how their is more to the state, quite simply no one has won the state without the Philly burbs & that is  something Rendell has locked down

[The Duke]

If Swann wins, it is by no means too early to talk about him at the bottom of the ticket in 2008.

I'd say something about this, but after thinking about and considering George W. Bush's fast-track to the presidency, I won't.

Exactly.  I'm not even saying its good or bad to fast-track the guy, but if he wins, he will be fast tracked and end up on any GOP shortlist for VP.

[J. J.]

If Swann wins, it is by no means too early to talk about him at the bottom of the ticket in 2008.

I'd say something about this, but after thinking about and considering George W. Bush's fast-track to the presidency, I won't.

Exactly.  I'm not even saying its good or bad to fast-track the guy, but if he wins, he will be fast tracked and end up on any GOP shortlist for VP.

I should point out that GW Bush was elected in Texas in 1994 and reelected in 1998.

[Smash255]

If Swann wins, it is by no means too early to talk about him at the bottom of the ticket in 2008.

I'd say something about this, but after thinking about and considering George W. Bush's fast-track to the presidency, I won't.

Exactly.  I'm not even saying its good or bad to fast-track the guy, but if he wins, he will be fast tracked and end up on any GOP shortlist for VP.

I should point out that GW Bush was elected in Texas in 1994 and reelected in 1998.

With Bush that was 6 yers, not two.  not to mention the edge he has because of his father being a VP for 8 years & Pres for four years, something Swann doesn't have. I don't think Swann will win, but even if he does, being Govenor for two years is not nearly enough to make him on the short list for 08

[Gabu]

If Swann wins, it is by no means too early to talk about him at the bottom of the ticket in 2008.

I'd say something about this, but after thinking about and considering George W. Bush's fast-track to the presidency, I won't.

Exactly.  I'm not even saying its good or bad to fast-track the guy, but if he wins, he will be fast tracked and end up on any GOP shortlist for VP.

I should point out that GW Bush was elected in Texas in 1994 and reelected in 1998.

Yeah, so he had basically five and a bit years of experience when he started his campaign.  That's one more year than Mark Warner has, and I've heard tons of people say that his lack of extensive elected experience is one of his biggest weaknesses.

It wasn't as little experience as Swann would have were he made the VP nominee in 2008, but you have to admit that it was still very little, comparatively speaking.  To my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong), the only person elected President of the United States with less elected experience than George W. Bush was Jimmy Carter, who had only four years as governor of Georgia (excluding the very early presidents, of course).

There is also the issue that this is the presidential slot we're talking about.  People would probably care less about the experience of the guy in the VP slot if the person in the presidential slot had a lot.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Why should this election be as close as it appears to be from early polls?  Rendell has not done spectacularly badly as Governor, has he?  Is it because Swann has a lot of positives; attracting black support, a celebrity non-political figure?

[Keystone Phil]

In the Southeast, he's more than fine, hell he's still God.  People in the west are just jealous and I can't answer for that so they have to pick their sports hero to counter. 

This just proves that SE PA does not dictate what happens all the time. Your hero was never as popular as you believed and now people have someone to rally behind to end his time as Governor. We're talking about an incumbent Governor losing his bid for re-election in Pennsylvania...but keep thinking that everything is ok because SE PA loves him.

By the way, you love to mock westerners/Swann supporters because Swann is a sports hero yet a lot of people around here admire Rendell because he's an Eagles guy and can take a few pictures while eating a cheesesteak. This certainly doesn't go one way.

And before you go off into your rant on how their is more to the state, quite simply no one has won the state without the Philly burbs & that is  something Rendell has locked down

Before you spew your stupidity (too late, I guess) please inform me of the last time that western and central PA has gotten so excited over a challenger/disliked the incumbent so much. It's not as simple as your simple mind would like it to be.

[Jake]

Why should this election be as close as it appears to be from early polls?  Rendell has not done spectacularly badly as Governor, has he?

He hasn't done anything terribly bad or very good. All in all, he's been a mediocre governor and has mainly failed to deliver on the big PA issue, property tax reform.

Is it because Swann has a lot of positives; attracting black support, a celebrity non-political figure?

Right now, Swann's upsides are showing, mainly his charisma, name recognition, and newness to the political scene. Once the campaign gets going, I'd expect his negatives to become apparent, especially his lack of policy background.

[Grad Students are the Worst]

Folks, be fair.  Gubernatoral candidates being exceedingly open about issues is not exactly standard.  That's why Democrats win in Wyoming, and Republicans win in Massachusetts.  They run on a platform of economic improval and state issues, not on abortion and gay marriage.

[Sam Spade]

Folks, be fair.  Gubernatoral candidates being exceedingly open about issues is not exactly standard.  That's why Democrats win in Wyoming, and Republicans win in Massachusetts.  They run on a platform of economic approval and state issues, not on abortion and gay marriage.

^^^^^^^

Thank you.  That's one of the few really intelligent statements I've heard on this board in weeks.

[Smash255]

In the Southeast, he's more than fine, hell he's still God.  People in the west are just jealous and I can't answer for that so they have to pick their sports hero to counter. 

This just proves that SE PA does not dictate what happens all the time. Your hero was never as popular as you believed and now people have someone to rally behind to end his time as Governor. We're talking about an incumbent Governor losing his bid for re-election in Pennsylvania...but keep thinking that everything is ok because SE PA loves him.

By the way, you love to mock westerners/Swann supporters because Swann is a sports hero yet a lot of people around here admire Rendell because he's an Eagles guy and can take a few pictures while eating a cheesesteak. This certainly doesn't go one way.

And before you go off into your rant on how their is more to the state, quite simply no one has won the state without the Philly burbs & that is  something Rendell has locked down

Before you spew your stupidity (too late, I guess) please inform me of the last time that western and central PA has gotten so excited over a challenger/disliked the incumbent so much. It's not as simple as your simple mind would like it to be.

That makes a dent, but still does not make up for the fact that NO ONE has EVER won the state without the Philly burbs (when I say burbs I mean within the last 50 years or so, not when most of SEPA was rural).  Its not the only part of the state, but electionwise it is VERY VERY important.

[nini2287]

Does anyone have any idea where Swann stands on the issues? I looked on his website and there's nothing.

Bump this point.  That's why I'm still reluctant to endorse him.

[danwxman]

Folks, be fair.  Gubernatoral candidates being exceedingly open about issues is not exactly standard.  That's why Democrats win in Wyoming, and Republicans win in Massachusetts.  They run on a platform of economic improval and state issues, not on abortion and gay marriage.

Excellent post. And that may be Swann's problem. So far, it looks like his platform is basically going to be the Republican party platform. Because, as he said, "I don't have any ideas, I don't need any ideas"...I don't think that will win him the election.

[J. J.]

If Swann wins, it is by no means too early to talk about him at the bottom of the ticket in 2008.

I'd say something about this, but after thinking about and considering George W. Bush's fast-track to the presidency, I won't.

Exactly.  I'm not even saying its good or bad to fast-track the guy, but if he wins, he will be fast tracked and end up on any GOP shortlist for VP.

I should point out that GW Bush was elected in Texas in 1994 and reelected in 1998.

With Bush that was 6 yers, not two.  not to mention the edge he has because of his father being a VP for 8 years & Pres for four years, something Swann doesn't have. I don't think Swann will win, but even if he does, being Govenor for two years is not nearly enough to make him on the short list for 08

Smash, that's kinda my point.  Being Governor for two years is not the best position to be in on the national ticket.  If elected and re-elected, it is, but there is still a long way to go.

[Democratic Hawk]

The GOP needs more candidates like Swann, and more candidates like Brooke (who goes back a ways), Watts, Steele, Blackwell, and more officials like Powell, Rice.

And a few more Alan Keyes' wouldn't go a miss either

Dave