The LuLac Edition #356, Nov. 24th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: JAMES MAY, UNANNOUNCED CANDIDATE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE 117TH DISTRICT, THAT ELUSIVE THING IN POLITICS NO ONE TAKES SERIOUSLY, TIME AND FORMER WEATHERCASTER VINCE SWEENEY WHO HAS BEEN MENTIONED BY ALMOST EVERYBODY AS A POSSIBLE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE.

TIMING

Success in politics depends on many thing but one of them is timing. Take the hub bub recently about Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak moving to Plains. The political tea leaf readers are saying that Skrep is moving to the district to succeed Paul Kanjorski, if and when Kanjo decides to let go. (Fact is a Congressional candidate does not have to reside in the district but in this area, it helps). If Skrep decides to go after the seat in 2010, he will be finishing up his second term as Commissioner. The timing would be good for him unlike a former County Commissioner, Tom Makowski who always had an ambition to go to Congress. (Makowski was a Congressional aide to the late Dan Flood in the late 70s). Timing in politics is just as crucial as it is on a moon landing. An issue unexplained, a road not taken, a decision here or there can mean everything. Just ask Frank Harrison who in the middle of his term decided to go on an excusion with Speaker Tip O'Neill while his district had some water difficulties. Timing is crucial. And the person succeeding Kanjorski will have to have perfect timing.

IN THE 11TH

The Democrats seem to be lining up with Congressman Kanjorski for another term in Washington. The Congressman has been touting his position on illegal immigration which seems to be pretty close to what Mayor Barletta is proposing without the ordinances. There has been little or no talk recently from Representative John Yudichak's backers about a possible challenge so it looks like Paul Kanjorski is skipping the political rope getting in shape for another run. The GOP meanwhile seem to be waiting at the alter for Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta but after him, there's not any real viable candidates. And a Barletta run is no sure thing since he's being pursued by the statewide GOP.

IN THE 10TH

Washington pundits are calling the 10th a "holdable" race for the Democrats and a "potential win" for the GOP. Incumbent Chris Carney might encounter more problems from the left than the right in his fight and on the GOP side the only guy that might've had a cakewalk against Carney, Joe Peters inexplicably dropped out of the race.

WHERE'S VINCE?

The good news is that the long running Scranton Times column by "Roderick Random", "Random Thoughts" now has a byline on it. For years the column was written by former staffer Joe Flaherty and a combine of others that brought up news and political hot topics. Now we have someone identifying themselves as the source. The bad news is that they continue to get it "almost right". Take today's column where they talk about the GOP side in the 10th Congressional race. Here are the names they mentioned, Chris Hackett and Dan Meuser, touted as the two front big runners. Three other candidates — Dr. Davis Haire, Paul Swiderski and Donald Ely — have said they will run or are seriously thinking about it. There could be a few others. John P. Scott, the former New Jersey state legislator who lives in Milford, dropped out recently. So here we go, we have Hackett and Meuser already running, Haire, Swiderski and Ely thinking about it and John Scott already gone. No one seems to be mentioning a candidate that has 90% name recognition in the district and need not introduce himself to the voters of the 10th. My question was why was Vince Sweeney's name eliminated from this news story? Sweeney's name keeps bubbling up all over but apparently not in the newspaper that is part of this Northeastern News Alliance. How can they ignore a guy they worked with for over 15 years? Line up the 2 guys running, the three guys thinking about it and the one guy who dropped out and ask any voters to identify them. It ain't happening! For Sweeney, the most identifiable candidate to be excluded and ignored is either bad reporting, classic Times "the fix is already in so let's not rock the boat" or just too much turkey at Boris' house on Thanksgiving. If Sweeney runs, and that is certainly not a given, but if he does, it will be hysterical to see these political "gurus" slapping their foreheads in surprise and treating it as breaking news. As far as the GOP is concerned, they might do well with a candidate that most people trust and like, rather than introducing an empty suit that Carney and his special interest money (that sounds funny talking about a Democratic candidate doesn't it?) people will bury in a decidedly Democratic year.

MAY DAY!!

James May is a diehard Republican. And like most Republicans, his symbol of the elephant (the animal that never forgets) he is gearing up for another run for public office. As you may recall, May was forced off the ballot the last time but he's coming back for another go against State Rep Karen Boback. But running a write in campaign helped gain him recognition and his own organization and lest we forget, he came within about 125 votes of beating Boback. Issues he cares about are foster care and he also that he supports the School-Property Tax Elimination Act and the Open Records Law. May's website is still operational, you can check it out at http://www.votemaythismay.com/. If it gets updated shortly, he's in for certain.