The LuLac Edition #464 April 19th, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: SENATORS CLINTON AND OBAMA.

PRIMARY DAY '08

The weekend before the Pennsylvania primary of '08 is a busy one in the Northeastern section of the state. A Clinton supporter holds a sign outside campaign headquarters on South Main Street saying "Honk If You're Voting For Hillary". Wilkes College students are seen carring Obama signs down South Franklin Street and those erstwhile, never say die Ron Paul backers are across from TGI Fridays waving signs. I was tempted to ask them, "what's the point?" but didn't want to stop driving the convertible on such a glorious day. The former President Clinton was in town urging people to vote for another family member to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The C-Span bus was asking public opinion. And as they say in those info-mercials, "Wait, there's more!" Senator Obama is slated to visit Scranton tomorrow night at the Riverside Athletic complex and Senator Clinton visits the Scranton Cultural Center on Monday morning. Our area is getting much attention from both campaigns. Hillary is here to gin up her big lead, hoping it will help her increase her percentage points as other areas of the state erode for her. Barak is here to make a dent into the Clinton lead, hoping to make the primary closer than anyone thought or win the whole thing outright. A guy named Tim Ryan has a website, he's running for Mayor of Scranton and is an uncommitted super delegate. On his site he asked people who saw the site to help him out and direct him, as a super delegate to vote for Clinton or Obama. Last I looked Obama had 60% of the vote. Who will win Pennsylvania? Percenting it out, there's a 85% chance Clinton will win. But then there's that 15% that tells me the race is not impossible for Senator Obama. One thing for sure, with apologies to his sign wavers, it won't be Ron Paul.

STATE REP RACES

Here's a rundown of primary opposition in races in LuLac Land:
112th: Kevin Murphy is along on the ballot after knocking off Frank Andrews Shimkus. Shimkus has mounted an aggressive write in campaign but those are always tricky. Shimkus can run on the GOP side if he makes the write in quota there. This will be one to watch.
117th: Incumbent Karen Boback is trying to swat away James May but is havoing difficulty doing so. Teachers strikes as well as home schooling has come up as issues plus Boback's reluctance to debate. A veteran educator vs. a verteran, we'll see how this plays out.
118th: Mike Carroll has opposition from young P.J. Best. So far this pair was the only set to debate. Both acquitted themselves well. And there's not been much negative campaigning which is a good thing.
115th: Representative Ed Staback will face his first Democratic primary challenge — versus Paul Dudrich — since he first won the seat in 1984. Staback, a long time politico from Archbald is running ahead. The only thing that might trip him up might be his age. At 70, it is acknowledged he is in the twilight of his career. If that's all Dudrich has to go on, it isn't much.

STATE TREASURER

I watched the State Treasurer debate on PCN the other night. Yeah, I was the one! One thing that struck me about this race is that they all seemed to like each other and get along. Each candidate talked about financial issues that went way over my head. The candidates are: John Cordisco, Jennifer Mann, Rob McCord, and Dennis Morrison-Wesley. Cordisco and McCord have been running ads against each other's financial acumen. Mann has touted her experience as a State Rep while all three male candidates have attacked her on the payraise and perks issues. Not to sound sexist here, but since 1960, the State Treasurer's office has been occupied by a female. Known politically as a "chick job" the only breaks came in 1976 when Robert E. Casey, the ice cream man from Johnstown won in a fluke election when people thought he was Bob Casey, Senior from Scranton. After running for Ltn. Governor in 1978, Robert E. Casey was defeated by R. Budd Dwyer who served 6 years, (he was re-elected in 1984) who later killed himself on live TV after being convicted for a crime some say was not really a crime. When Bob Casey Junior ran in 2004 to keep himself in a holding pattern (although I don't think he realized it then) to run against Rick Santorum. So I have to go with Jennifer Mann who will join the ranks of Grace Sloan, Catherine Baker Knoll and Barbara Hafer who held that office for a majority of time over the last 48 years.