The LuLac Edition #1793, October 13th, 2011

13 Questions logo.

13 QUESTIONS

1. Do the parties in Luzerne County have any power in this County Council race?

Not sure. The Democrats are running a slate of 11 and have a card printed out. I understand there was a bit of drama in that with one Council candidate proclaiming that she shouldn’t give the party any money for her candidacy but they in fact should be funding her because of her electoral power. Then you have the Working Families Team of four, Licata, Walsh Waitkus, Linda Macloiskey Hauck and M. Theresa Morcavage held a news conference on Monday. But this was without other Labor endorsed candidates. So the question is who exactly is endorsed by Labor? If anyone on this committee can clarify I’d appreciate it. Then you have candidates essentially staking their own claims like Tim McGinley who has signage and TV advertising, Edd Brominski who is utilizing all of his contacts from his days under the dome and Elaine Sorokus who is having free events, signage, TV advertising and is seen at virtually every event. Transition head Jim Bobeck has teamed up with Elaine Maddon Curry on signage and handouts. Steve Urban has characteristically been frugal in his campaign spending allowing for name recognition only. So the Democrats even if they wanted to I don’t think could keep these guys together. The best thing Kathy Kane and Lee Namey can do is when confronted with the enormity of the ballot, they should urge voters to pull the straight ticket. That might work for the GOP but there are so many divisions in that party regarding Council candidates that party members might just for spite not vote straight Republican. The GOP candidates making the most noise are Rick Morelli, Blythe Evans, Gina Nevenglosky, Kathy Dobash, Harry Haas and George Ruckno. All are writing letters to the newspapers, most of them are on TV or radio, paid or unpaid and seem to be everywhere. So to me, unless I am off base the parties are pretty much powerless to control anything. This can help candidates who are conducting high visibility races and Independents who are trying to make their mark. But an apt description of both mainstream parties reactions to the Council races are “disorganized chaos”.

2. What is your biggest hope and fear about this coming election?

My biggest hope is that people will vote for the person. I hope that the people they vote for will toss aside political considerations and do what is right for the County. My biggest fear is the experience factor on the Courts. While all the Judicial candidates running are clearly qualified, there are 3 sitting Judges with less than 5 years experience on the Bench. President Judge Tom Burke is going to have his hands full with these new members. My hope is that the new Judges will not be lead by the Courtroom employee holdovers from previous administrations into paths that are not desirable.

3. Any opinions on the fall TV schedule?

I was disappointed they canceled “The Playboy Club” because believe it or not there was a good story line developing. I like that new “Suburbatory” show on ABC. “The Office” is holding up well without Steve Carell. “Prime Suspect” is looking pretty good but that funky policewoman’s hat is kind of strange. I detest and abhor the show “Whitney”. She is a prime example of why every married man should get on his knees and thank God for his spouse, unless of course she’s a self absorbed airhead like this “Whitney” character.

4. Is it true that Bob Cordaro is socializing in the waning days before his sentence acting as if he hasn’t a care in the world?

I’ve heard that Cordaro is out on the town glad handing and putting his things in order. But there is no hang dog look on his ever optimistic persona. Hearing a prison sentence might wipe that smile off his face but my sources tell me he is soldiering on.

5. There is no more PHOTO INDEX on LuLac, does that mean you finally figured out how to add photos and then captions underneath them?

Yes.

6. Will you make any endorsements in the upcoming races? And will your cohort Gort do so?

I can’t speak for Gort but I’m thinking of it. I’ll have to have a meeting with him about it.

7. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of TV commercials on the air for politicians this election cycle. Why?

Money. The parties are pretty much trying to stay viable because other candidates who have fundraisers have cut into their territory. Plus donations are down because after the scandal, no one who contributes anything over $250.00 wants to be labeled as the new Robert Mericle or Mike Pasonick. With 5 candidates winning dual nominations, there doesn’t seem to be a big need. The County Council races are interesting because every council candidate is using their own money for a part time job that pays 8 grand with no benefits. The media buys are going to be there but small. It’s all about the timing and the availability of money in the aftermath of the political scandals.

8. Speaking of commercials, do you buy something based on what you see on TV or do you not buy something based on whether you like the commercial or not?

Yes I do. If there is an ad for a special at a restaurant, or a new pizza product, TV most likely drove me to buy it. If I hate a commercial, I will not buy the product. If you gave me Progressive or Geico Insurance for free for life, I’d turn it down because I think the commercials with the pasty chick in white and the green slimy reptile are stupid. I just got back to eating at Burger King because the King freaked me out. I hate the stupid ad for Dish Network with the idiots with the big cowboy hats and big mustaches) as well as that AT&T ad with the god awful wife whose husband just finished telling her he saved the family money and she said she should’ve married someone else. I mean who the hell is that ad aimed at? Wimp husbands and bitch wives? That said, yes I am very susceptible to TV advertising.

9. Your boys Fender and Corbett on WILK have their tribute to the pizza kings. I know you got this question before, but favorite pizza joints?

Victory Pig, Serpico, Grotto, and Petruzzi’s in Hazleton. Best bakery pizza: The Sanitary Bakery In Nanticoke. I’m down to going there every three weeks now because I don’t want to go overboard but that stuff is incredible.

10. Your Packers and Bills are doing very well. How did you become a Bills fan again?

Mrs. LuLac and I were on vacation in 2004 at Breeze’s in the Bahamas. She noticed a camera crew following these nubile young women around. In the meantime there was a pesky hotel photographer that kept on bothering us for a photo for a fee. On the final night we were at the hotel, the photographer said “Picture?” Mrs. LuLac said, “ I know what he looks like, he knows what I look like, we have pictures of us here together. You want to take a picture, get one of him with those cheerleaders over there!” A few minutes later, the guy comes striding across the ballroom yelling, “You wanted cheerleaders, I give you cheerleaders”. He was followed by about 10 of them and they were gracious and kind and yes we paid for the photo. That night I became a Bills fan. With Mrs. LuLac’s permission of course.

11. Is it true that there are actually people in the Tea Party movement trying to fund someone to run against Lou Barletta in the 2012 primary?

Absolutely. A friend of mine has been approached twice already and is resisting.

12. I hear that Kathy Donnelly is subbing for Steve Corbett this week. She said that she teaches? Do you know where?

Oral Communications and Radio Production at King’s.

13. Dave, it’s been awhile. Can we do the banana phone?

Sure. With the floods, the rain, the madness, we can always use a little b phone action.