The LuLac Edition #370, Dec. 14th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: SEATRAIN'S "13 QUESTIONS"



13 QUESTIONS Plus 1!!!!!



1. HEY, WHERE THE HECK WAS 13 QUESTIONS YESTERDAY?



IT KIND OF GOT AWAY FROM ME SO YOU ARE NOW PART OF 13 QUESTIONS PLUS ONE. AT WORK DURING THE STORM ON THURSDAY, I WAS TRYING TO GATHER THE QUESTIONS I WANTED TO INCLUDE IN THIS SECTION. THEN I WAS CALLED BY WYOU TV TO COME AND DO THEIR INTERACTIVE NEWS. I THEN HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO GET HOME, GET A SPORTCOAT (THANK GOD I WORE A TIE TO WORK, I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE LAST MONTH AS A KIND OF TRIBUTE TO THE CLOSING OF TARA MEN'S CLOTHING IN WILKES BARRE) AND GET TO THE STUDIO. THEN DURING THE BREAK FROM 6:30PM TO 10:30 WHEN I HAD TO HEAD BACK,I WORKED ON THE LOKUTA STORY. MY READERS LIKE THE FEATURE SO HERE IT IS.



2. LIMEADE OR LEMONADE?



LIMEMADE.



3. WHO WILL WIN THE IOWA CAUCUS MEETING?



MY GUT FEELING IS ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN EDWARDS SURGE. BOTH CLINTON AND OBAMA ARE REALLY BEATING EACH OTHER UP AND I CAN SEE HIM COMING ON STRONG. ON THE GOP SIDE, HUCKABEE BUT NOT A BLOWOUT BECAUSE THE NATIONAL MEDIA IS STARTING TO DING HIM.



4. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO STATE SENATOR FRANK O'CONNELL?



O'CONNELL, WHO WAS A POWERHOUSE POLITICALLY DIED A FEW YEARS BACK. HE HAD MOVED TO FLORIDA AND WAS IN RETIREMENT. O'CONNELL WAS FIRST ELECTED IN 1966 TO THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AFTER SERVING ON KINGSTON COUNCIL. IN 1978 HE SUCCEEDED T. NEWELL WOOD IN THE STATE SENATE BUT ONLY STAYED UNTIL 1985 WHEN HIS RESIGNATION CAUSED A HUGE PRIMARY FIGHT BETWEEN THEN FORMER JUDGE CHARLES LEMMOND AND POCONO DEVELOPER CHARLIE KIRKWOOD. LEMMOND WON AND SERVED UNTIL 2006. O'CONNELL WAS THE KING OF CONSTITUENT SERVICE AND MADE THAT PART OF HIS POLITICAL SUCCESS.



5. DOES CABLE NEWS HELP OR HURT PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS?



BOTH. YOU GET THE WALL TO WALL COVERAGE BUT YOU ALSO GET THE STORIES THAT ARE BEATEN TO DEATH. IT IS A MIXED BLESSING.



6. YOU ARE A BUSH BASHER, CAN YOU MOVE YOURSELF TO SAY ANYTHING GOOD ABOUT THE MAN?



SURE. HE HAS HOT DAUGHTERS, HIS FATHER (WHO I MET THROUGH THE GOOD GRACES OF MARC HOLTZMAN AND THE WILKES BARRE KIWANIS CLUB) WAS A GOOD GOVERNING PRESIDENT BUT A BAD POLITICAL ONE, HIS MOM SEEMS LIKE A NICE LADY AND EVERY CHRISTMAS HE STAYS AT THE WHITE HOUSE SO THAT THE SECRET SERVICE AGENTS CAN SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH THEIR FAMILIES.



7. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE STEROID SCANDAL?



AS A BIG BASEBALL FAN, I AM DISAPPOINTED BUT NOT SURPRISED. GUYS PAST THE AGE OF 36 JUST DON'T GET BIGGER WITHOUT HELP. LOOK AT CLEMENS FOR GOD'S SAKE. I THINK THIS ERA SHOULD BE CATAGORIZED AS "THE STEROID ERA" AND BE PUNCTUATED AS SUCH. STILL PUT THE GUYS IN THE HALL OF FAME BUT NOTATE HOW THEY GOT THERE.



8. THAT "KOMOTION DATE FROM DURYEA" REALLY GIVES IT TO YOU? ANY THOUGHTS?



LOVE HER POSTS, LOVE THE FIGHT STILL IN HER. I HATE IT WHEN I SEE FORMER CLASSMATES WHO TELL ME HOW MUCH LIFE HAS BEATEN THEM DOWN. SHE'S NOT ONE OF THEM. AND AS FAR AS THE NASTINESS GOES, WELL I STARTED IT BY SAYING SHE HAD A GREAT BODY BUT A FACE LIKE LYNDON JOHNSON'S. I MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXAGERATING BUT IT GETS HER RILED AND MAKES THE POSTS ENTERTAINING.



9. YOUR FAVORITE VICE PRESIDENTS OF ALL TIME?



GREAT QUESTION. IN ORDER (1) JOHN TYLER BECAUSE HE SET THE PRECENDENT FOR SUCCESSION. AFTER THE DEATH OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, SOME PEOPLE TRIED TO INTIMIDATE HIM INTO STEPPING ASIDE BUT HE FORCED THEM TO FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION. (2). HUBERT HUMPHREY, LOVED THE MAN, FELT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT, MET HIM TWICE AND IT WAS A HIGHLIIGHT OF MY YOUNG LIFE. (3) AL GORE, WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE COURSE OF THIS COUNTRY FOR THE BETTER. (4) WALTER MONDALE, GREAT MAN, MET HIM TWICE, WORKED FOR HIS DOOMED CAMPAIGN IN 1984. SOME DAY I'LL SHARE MY MARY TRAVERS STORY WITH MY READERS WHEN MONDALE CAME TO TOWN IN '84. (5) CHARLES DAWES, COOLIDGE'S VEEP, WROTE ONE HELL OF A SONG, "IT'S ALL IN THE GAME". (6) TEDDY ROOSEVELT, THEY PUT HIM ON THE SHELF TO HIDE HIM BUT WHEN MCKINLEY WAS SHOT, TEDDY STORMED D.C. IT WAS NEVER THE SAME AFTER THAT.



10. DO MIKE GRAVEL AND DENNIS KUCINICH HAVE A PLACE IN PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS?



IN THE EARLY STAGES WHEN THEY CAN FRAME THEDEBATE, YES. BUT WHEN IT'S COMING DOWN TO BRASS TACKS, THEY JUST MUDDY THE MESSAGE AND KEEP THE REAL CANDIDATES WHO HAVE A SHOT FROM EXPLAINING THEMSELVES MORE CLEARLY.



11. JOE TIRPAK, WAS HE REALLY THAT MUCH OF A CHARACTER?



YES. HE WAS VERY SMART, VERY POLITICAL AND KNEW ENOUGH TO DELEGATE THE STUFF HE DIDN'T ENJOY TO COMPETENT PEOPLE.



12. DO YOU LIKE SEEING YOURSELF ON TV?



GOD NO. I MEAN I ENJOY BEING THERE FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK OUT ON THE ISSUES AND PROMOTE MY BOOKS. BUT WHEN I WATCH MYSELF ON PLAYBACK, I GET THIS VERY ODD FEELING, LIKE AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE. WHEN I WAS IN MY 20S, I DID A WEEKLY PUBLIC AFFAIRS SHOW ON WVIA TV AND I THANK MY LUCKY STARS THERE ARE NO TAPES OF ME LEFT BECAUSE I WAS HORENDOUS. I INTERVIEW ROBERT CASEY SENIOR AND YEARS LATER IT CAME TO ME HOW GENEROUS AND KIND HE WAS TO ME BECAUSE I WAS WAY OVER MY HEAD. HE KNEW IT, OF COURSE BEING IN MY TWENTIES, I SURE AS HELL DIDN'T BUT HE JUST SAT THERE AND ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED HIMSELF. A CLASS GUY.



13. CHRISTMAS PIROGIES? CHEESE OR CABBAGE?



ARE YOU KIDDING ME? BOTH.



PLUS 1. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG?



BRENDA LEE'S "ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE". I WAS A SMALL BOY COMING OF AGE WHEN THAT SONG HIT AND IT BRINGS BACK WONDERFUL HOLIDAY MEMORIES. CAN'T JUST STAY AT ONE, LOVE WILSON PHILLIPS "HEY SANTA" LOUIE PRIMA'S "SHAKE HANDS WITH SANTA CLAUS" AND YOU GOTTA GO WITH "SILENT NIGHT" BY JUST ABOUT ANYONE.