The LuLac Edition #9 May 18th, 2006

NEWS OF THE DAY..............Governor Ed Rendell kicked off his campaign in Wilkes Barre yesterday. Representative Todd Eachus and Commissioner Todd Vonderheid warmed up the crowd with retiring Rep Tom Tigue offering remarks and newcomers Mike Carroll and Eddie Day Pashinski sharing the stage. Rendell lumbered on stage and gave a point by point dissertation of his accomplishments since coming into office. Afterwards, as he was heading to his bus for a trip to Scranton, Rendell was asked about the effect the payraise issue will have on his chances since he signed the bill. Rendell seemed to shrug off concern saying he said it was a bad bill and wasn't going to take the raise anyway.............It appears Art Bobbouine has prevailed by twenty votes in the 118th district race for the GOP nomination for State Representative. The Deputy Sherriff has been cautioning his supporters to wait until the final official count on Friday. But this result, if it stands, puts the 118th District in play for the Republicans. If Bobbouine pulls a couple of hundred votes out of the Greater Pittston Area, and the GOP in the Poconos gets behind him, this might make the race very interesting. Keep in mind Tigue's margin last time was not that overwhelming when he won his last term in 2004..............On the Statewide level, politicos are still reeling over the defeats of Robert Jubilier and Chip Brightbill, Senate Pro Tem ands Majority Leader respectively. It is interesting to note that both men outspent their foes 10 to 1. The last time a Majority Leader lost was in 1964, forty two years ago.

COMMENTARIES..............While Harvey's Lake resident Karen Boback showed great strength in the 117th District to grab the party nod for state rep, one has to wonder what the outcome would have been if Dallas politico Tim Carroll had been in the race the entire time. Carroll came up short by 200 votes and because of a court challenge by Edmund Sichler, also of Harvey's Lake, Carroll lost precious time being off the ballot........The sight of those election workers standing in line Tuesday night looked like confession on the day before Christmas Eve at St. Nick's in Wilkes Barre. Some were frustrated while others took it in stride. I think the county board of elections did a fine job considering the training, work and effort that needed to be put into it..............A local blogger wrote a very sad, insulting commentary on State Representative Fred Bellardi. Even though Bellardi took the payraise and made no apologies about it, you have to give the guy credit for speaking out and facing a tough crowd on WILK Radio. You may not have agreed with everything he said but you to respect him saying it. Also, Bellardi served the district for 28 years adopting key legislation and serving on a leadership committee in the House. To unleash a personmal attack and to refer to him as FreeLoader Freddie is just unfair, mean and childish.

MEDIA WATCH................PCN's Journalists Roundtable tonight features Michael Race from the Scranton Times tonight at 8PM....................Waiting to see what Dispatch Political writer and old newspaper hand Joe Valenti has to say about the political races in the Pittston area this Sunday.