Wolf stumbles in debate, Kane get embarrassed and Ferlo comes out. See who made this week’s list!
Tom Wolf. When Wolf tells people he’s not a politician, he’s being sincere. Any politician could tell you that “I don’t know” is not an acceptable debate answer in any context. As a Revenue Secretary (and even perhaps as a Governor), Wolf’s deliberativeness and his refusal to commit to action without all the numbers available would be admirable. As a debater, though, it makes you look out of your league. The silver lining is that he has two more cracks at it.
Tom Corbett. You could make the case that Gov. Corbett deserves a down arrow as well considering the results of the latest F&M poll and the debt downgrade from Fitch’s. The only story the political world was talking about this week though was the Hershey debate and if our preliminary reader poll results are any indication, Corbett won the debate handily. Whether this represents a true turning point for the campaign or a last glimmer of hope remains to be seen but at least the the Corbett-Cawley team will always have the PA Chamber Dinner.
Kathleen Kane. The Attorney General had quite the unwelcome problem land on her desk when Judge Norman Krumenacker lifted his order on the sexually explicit emails that were found on the office’s computers. Ultimately, Kane decided not to release them although she did allow reporters to view but not copy them (we like to imagine it went like this). To top it all off, an incomprehensible decision by her staff is sparking negative national headlines.
Jim Ferlo. State Senator Jim Ferlo made his own nation-wide news, though this was a much happier story. While speaking out in favor of hate-crime legislation, Ferlo publicly came out. “I’m gay. Get over it,” he told the assembled crowd. Ferlo is now the first openly gay State Senator in PA history and he brought ample attention to his hate-crime bill S.B. 42.
PA GOP. The Pennsylvania Republican Party released mail pieces this week connecting Tom Wolf to the notorious Kermit Gosnell. The problem of course, is that the two men have nothing whatsoever to do with each other. It’s almost as if the PA GOP ordered nonrefundable Gosnell lit in January back when they thought Allyson Schwartz was going to be the nominee and figured it might as well not go to waste. Whatever the reason, it was a sad and desperate move.
President Obama. The latest F&M poll saw the President’s approval rating drop to 31% and a record high 43% now believe he is doing a “poor” job. Nonetheless, we found out the President does intend to campaign in the Keystone State this fall. It will be very interesting to see which Democratic candidates, Tom Wolf chief among them, will be brave enough to appear with the Commander-in-Chief.
The tweet of the week goes to Steve Esack of the Morning Call who sent out this gem during the Capitol All-Stars Softball Game.
PA Legislature should HS sessions at City Island stadium. More lawmakers here then in chambers on voting days.
— Steve Esack (@sesack) September 23, 2014
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7 Responses
The impact of debates in the race for Governor is questionable. Who watches them? Does anyone know the viewing numbers? Plus, if the polls are accurate, Wolf is going to have to say something worse than “I don’t know” for anything to change dramatically. I know the media will do anything to dredge a story out of this race; but the story continues to be Corbett has been such an abysmal failure, he might blow re-election even with the power of incumbency.
Paindy…..thought Sally’s comments might interest you….“I wonder if UPMC President Jeffrey Romoff would like to come down from his penthouse and inhabit my world for the next few months,” wrote Ms. Kalson, of Squirrel Hill, in describing her dilemma at the time……
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituaries/2014/09/27/Obituary-Sally-Kalson-Incisive-dogged-Post-Gazette-journalist/stories/201409230182
David D… Thought you might enjoy this.
http://triblive.com/opinion/ericheyl/6827667-74/wolf-corbett-tom#axzz3EhcHcWP0
Politicspa, this is crazy, and makes you seem hyper partisan. There is no way this was an “up” week for Corbett. A minor debate out performance does not overcome the pornography scandal involving key players of his current administration and many more of his past team. Give us all a break, and don’t become blinded by wishful thinking. It remains to be seen just how badly this scandal will haunt TC, but it’s plain to see it won’t help…
Basile..you must be a teacher. Public education is important but only one part of the State budget. Corbett like he indicated in the debate was elected to balance our state budget and change the culture in Harrisburg. He balanced four budgets on time . Nuf said. He is not Mr Congeniality but damn it he did what he was elected to do. Tom Wolf was as unimpressive a poltical candidate as I have ever seen. Elusive when asked every single question he clearly is hiding the fact that he is a tax and spend liberal. The Obama factor has not been factored into ANY of the polls. The pollsters conveniently forgot that many constiuents are furious with Democrats over the failed Obama administration . The race will be close.Corbett established himself in the last debate as the right man for the job.
So how does he get an up arrow? On a survey on this website about who won the debate? On a Republican slanted poll that shows little movement if any?
What about this……
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Corbett on Friday asked Attorney General Kathleen Kane to provide him with facts about inter-office emails containing pornography, saying she should release to him the emails and attachments to prove her contention that two of his Cabinet members were among staff members sharing them on office computers when he was attorney general.
In Pittsburgh, Corbett said neither Col. Frank Noonan, the state police commissioner, nor Department of Environmental Protection Secretary E. Christopher Abruzzo had offered to step aside since Kane named them as recipients of emails. He said he would not seek their resignations without having facts.
“I’ve got to give everyone a fair playing field,” Corbett said. “I need all the facts.”
Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/6866285-74/office-kane-emails#ixzz3ERr8facW
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DOES POLITICSPA.COM ENDORSE THE SKIN-COLORING OF CANDIDATES AND THE BLATANT RACISM OF PAGOP MAILERS? IT IS TIME FOR GLEASON TO GO. CORBETT, BRABENDER, AND GLEASON ARE IN A BURNING HOUSE, BUT THEY WANT THE WHOLE PARTY TO GO UP IN SMOKE WITH THEM! TRAGIC!
” As a debater, though, it makes you look out of your league. “-PPA
Maybe Wolf doesn’t want to be a liar,maybe he doesn’t want to sink to Corbett’s level.
I was going to vote for Tom Wolf because of ALL the hurt Corbett put on Pennsylvania. The more I get to know this Wolf the more I like him.
Me? I would have brought up about the Penn State lagging and lack of investigating. I would ask about the lack of work of a state worker making twice more than than I. I would have asked about the political meetings on state time. I would have asked about his friendship with Trombetta, and other Charter schools /Cyber schools.Also why there is a total lack of over site with Charters and Cybers. I would ask why cyber and charters were held to a low standard than public school until the Feds stepped in. I would ask why Charters and Cyber schools take so much public money to advertise. I would ask (in in just about all cases)why are failing, and why cyber schools send students back to public schools over a year behind grade level.!I would ask his thinking on the lottery being farmed out to another country. I would ask him about his ultra-sound comments. About the total lack of over site on drilling. What about those emails Mr.Corbett? And this would have been the tip of the iceberg for the first debate. All relevant questions.