The LuLac Edition #6-May 16th, 2006

NEWS OF THE DAY………Election Day is here and time will tell whether the new voting machines will be a blessing or a curse. There are reports that in some precincts there is smooth sailing. However, a polling place in Dallas had to resort to paper ballots.

In the Citizen’s Voice yesterday, there was an ad that attacked Brian O’Donnell and his family association. The ad touted the candidacies of Kristine Katsock and Eddie Day Pashinski saying that those two were the candidates who wanted the job while the others like O’Donnell and Reilly had a political agenda. Turns out the ad was illegal since there was no name or committee on the bottom as a “paid for by” disclaimer.

The candidates for Governor were in high gear right before Voting day. Lynn Swann appeared on the Sue Henry Show on WILK and outlined various issues he’d like to adopt. Ed Rendell made a series of announcements telling voters he’d be in Wilkes Barre’s Public Square on Wednesday afternoon. Rain site will be the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts.

The League of Women Voters put out their voting guide in the local papers. The bios were pretty informative and the response rate was good. Those not responding were Jim Wancacz and Kathy Hardaway who are facing off in the 114th, Fred Nichols (Dem in the 117th), Karen Boback (in the 117th who said she never got the info in the mail) and Congressman Don Sherwood.

Eyes will be on Harrisburg for the Lt. Governor’s race. Katherine Baker Knoll, the incumbent is opposed by Valerie McDonald Roberts( who proved to be very formidable in the one debate for this race,) Gene Stilip (a former King's grad) founder of Pa. Clean Sweep and William Hall. Knoll, a proven winner in past races has been criticized for being a somewhat erratic personality on both on and off the floor of the Senate along with being prone to gaffes that momentarily embarrass the Rendell administration.

COMMENTARIES……….As soon as I saw that ad in the Citizen’s Voice, I thought, “hmmmmmmmmmmm, who paid for this”. As I indicated in an earlier edition, no one has taken on the O’Donnell family history of political reaching and spending. The attack against Reilly was a surprise too. But at the bottom of the ad there was no clear disclaimer as to who paid for it. Clearly illegal and most likely the result of sloppy work by rookies at the Citizen’s Voice/Times Shamrock publication. The old pros at the Voice would never have let this happen………Lynn Swann finally got his appearance on the Sue Henry show. He had stood her up earlier in the year when he announced his candidacy…………….
Got a phone message last night slamming Brian O’Donnell as a school board tax and spender. I live in the 121rst and the ad was paid by a Republican backed anti tax organization.....It seems like every candidate has a website. To give you an indication of how fast moving technology is, in the last Legislative cycle (2004) there were very few websites.

BEST AND THE WORST AWARDS

BEST POLITICAL SIGN…………Mike Carroll’s license plate sign in the 118th. Runner up…….Karen Boback’s red/white and blue star. (117th district).
WORST SIGN…………tie, Russ Bigus (20th Senatorial) and Brian O’Donnell.(121rst Legiaslative.) Too dark, pedestrian design.

BEST TV AD……….Ken Smith’s Escalade ad. (112th District).
WORST…………… Karen Boback, (117th district). not much action, in person she's articulate, should have used her speaking more, sound at end was garbled.

BEST DIRECT MAIL PIECE….Eddie Day Plashinski (121rst). .
WORST DIRECT MAIL PIECE…Bob Reilly. (121rst).



BEST BILLBOARD….James “Red” Obrien, (118th district).
WORST BILLBOARD…None, they were all good.

BEST RADIO AD: Jim Haggerty’s Blue Cross attack on Lisa Baker’s record. (20th Senatorial). Concise, smart, informative, did everything his TV spot did not).
WORST RADIO AD: They were all good.

BEST CAMPAIGN PHRASE: Terry Best, (118th District). Used his name as a play on words.
WORST: Any commercial that says the candidate has a good family. Really, is anyone going to say they have a bad, dysfunctional family????

HOT RACES TO WATCH: The Republican primary in the 120th district has gotten little notice. The winner will face off with Represetive Phyllis Mundy in the fall. Candidates are John Cordara, Republican State Committee member, West Pittston resident Paul Stebbins and Forty Fort Council member Joe Chacke. As a state committeeman Cordara should have the edge but Chacke is mounting a visible campaign while surprisingly to date Cordara has not.

OF PRIMARY PAST: 40 years ago, the Pennsylvania primary election reshaped how politics was done in the keystone state. The Democratic endorsed candidate, 34 year old Robert P. Casey, a State Senator from Lackawanna County was roundly defeated by cable TV magnate, Milton Shapp of Montgomery County. Shapp ran a multi media campaign which cost millions utilizing direct mail, billboards, TV and Radio. Dubbed “The Man Against the Machine”, Shapp ran against organized politics saying he would treat government like a business.
’66 was the year of the millionaire in United States politics. In addition to Shapp, Charles Percy in Illinois embarked on a Senate career as well as Jay Rockefeller in West Virginia. Shapp, after winning the nomination lost to William Scranton’s Ltn. Governor Raymond Shafer. Shapp’s Ltn. Governor candidate was Leonard Staisey, an Alleghany County politico, (the endorsed Dem ticket was
Casey/Staisey). Shafer’s Ltn. Governor was Raymond Broderick, a late replacement picked by party leaders after the death of Commonwealth Secretary Walter Allesandroni in a plane crash earlier in the primary campaign. Raymond Shafer, a former PT Boat commander in WWII became the last Pennsylvania Governor unable to succeed himself due to changes in the Pa. Constitution. The chairman of that bipartisan Constitutional Convention in 1968? Democratic primary loser, Robert P. Casey who would be heard from again in state politics.

PREDICTIONS ON ALL RACES POSTED BY 4PM TODAY!!!!
KEEP WATCHING THE BLOG TO SEE IF WE’RE RIGHT OR WRONG.