Need Ed Rendell Fret Over 2nd Term?

The Philadelphia Public Record | 11/11/2004 | Joe Shaheeli

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Does Governor Ed Rendeel need to worry about winning a second term?

You would think he doesn't, given the fact that he trounced Mike Fisher with a majority of 332,951 votes just a scant two years ago. ...

So if you were Governor Rendell woudl you worry?

Yes! The Governor looks at figures a little closer than most Pols do. And the figures that are striking is just how close President George W. Bush came to taking the Commonwealth from Sen. John Kerry.

The governor early on election eve congratulated Congressman and Democratic Party Chairman Bob Brady on a record turnout for the City of Philadelphia that brought out 517,054 votes for Kerry against 124,710 for Bush, a majority of 392,344. This was higher than what Philadelphia gave Al Gore in the last presidential election. Philadelphia voted 441,834 for Gore to Bush's 99,234.

But by evening's end, when Pennsylvania was declared a Kerry win, that margin of victory had shrunk down to 119,927.

Now presidential election turnouts are by far the heaviest in this Commonwealth. They usually portend well for the Democrats. By the same tradition, all other election years show a marked decrease.

That's what worries a good thinking politician like Governor Rendell.

Four years ago, Al Gore easily beat the president by 204,860. This time, Bush had almost cut that maring in half.

Could that be foretelling of what may happen in the next gubernatorial race in this Commonwealth?

In his electrifying campaign to win the governor's seat, Rendell rolled up a majority of 332,951 over Attorney General Mike Fisher. Much of that came from Philadelphia which gave him 339,697 votes to Mike Fisher's 59,223.

What could be causing him second thoughts and the need to reaffirm his reelection strategies are the following questions:

Would the National Republican Committee follow up on its gains in Pennsylvania? Though outregistered in Philadelphia, they did hold close to Democrats in the total registration race for the Commonwealth. It also saw marked gains for the GOP in both the State Senate and State House seats it now holds in the General Assembly.

Is the Republican National Committee, with a small shove from President Bush, moving to fund more registration drives and party candidates in this state than it has in the past?

With the fact that the Republican City Committee fully realizes its strengths and limitations, will its leadership allow the "younder Turks" in the organization, to undertake a major recruitment drive in heavily dominated African American wards?

Also giving Rendeel more reason to begin assessing his campaign strategy was a color map of counties shoing which went to Kerry and which to Bush. To quote one Democratic County leader in the Northeast,

"Breaking down the blue and red counties was a bit frightening. The only blue counties were in the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Erie areas, and in Luzeren and Lackawanna counties. And the county maps indicate that Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Hazleton are surrounded by a sea of red ... not good! We need to begin influencing people now!"

[Hermann the Cherusker]

A counterpoint to the Nervous Nelly view of many PA freepers.

This is insider thinking among the Democrats of the state concerning their position after the last election just past.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Ping!

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

He need not worry. With his Philadelphia contacts, he'll have the voting machines stuffed with a built-in edge even before they are plegged in and turned on come election day.

[Tribune7]

Rendell is vulnerable.

BTW, Herm you hear about the Bulletin coming back?

[elizabetty]

I decided I was going to give money to Rendell's next opponent when I heard he wanted to block the Military ballots and was trolling prisons for the vote of felons.

[mombrown1]

Is it really? The Bulletin? Loved that paper.

It's up to the Repubs to find a strong candidate to oppose Fast Eddie and us to get out the vote.

[donnab]

if the repubs can put out a decent candidate , Eddie better worry. Lots of us are ready to go door to door to defeat him.

[mom-7]

Fast eddie had better worry. He is a do nothing gov. Promised property tax relief to get elected. ha, ha, ha, ha, what a joke. when he is finished he will be putting a pittance in one pocket and robbing the other. All this joker does is follow the Eagles. Maybe they should check the new 100,000 registered voters in Philly. Who knows maybe President Bush won Pennsylvania.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

"BTW, Herm you hear about the Bulletin coming back?"

Yes!

It will be a Republican paper! Dare we hope? I will subscribe! I can hardly wait!

This is another great sign and wonder, right along with the death of Ron White and the Corbett reporting fiasco. The equilibrium is upset. The gods of elections and politics are pondering something weighty!

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http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/columnists/dan_gross/9914047.htm

Posted on Thu, Oct. 14, 2004

Dan Gross | Bulletin being revived?

A FEW GUYS are trying to launch a new paper in town. They're calling it the Evening Bulletin.

That name worked for a century and a half for a Philly broadsheet published from 1847 to 1982.

Kevin Williamson, who recently stepped down as editor of the Main Line Times, appeared on Michael Smerconish's Big Talker 1210-AM show yesterday morning to announce he would be the editor of the Evening Bulletin, which he said would be on the streets before Thanksgiving.

Williamson declined comment yesterday, but e-mailed us a statement:

"The Evening Bulletin, a general interest daily newspaper serving Philadelphia and its suburbs, will begin publishing in November.

"The Evening Bulletin will be published afternoons, Monday through Friday.

"The Bulletin's mission is to present timely local news, commentary, cultural reporting and advertising in an accurate and comprehensive fashion."

On Smerconish's show, Williamson likened the paper to the Fox News Channel, which he called an alternative to mainstream media.

Williamson, 32, is a motorcycle-riding former Texan described by a former colleague as "scary"-looking, and also "Catholic, very conservative, very bright, very hard-hitting, with a shaved head, and leather pants."

On Smerconish's show, Williamson said Narberth-based investment banker Tom Rice would be the publisher and financier.

Rice is also said to be conservative. He could not be reached yesterday for comment.

Williamson hopes to put honor boxes on the street and use newsboys to hawk the paper, which for now has only a Center City office and a barebones Web site, theeveningbulletin.com.

---

http://www.theeveningbulletin.com/

The Evening Bulletin is a general interest daily newspaper serving Philadelphia and its suburbs. The Bulletin is published afternoons, Monday through Friday. The Bulletin sells for 25 cents.

The Bulletin’s mission is to present timely local news, commentary, cultural reporting, and advertising in an accurate and comprehensive fashion. The Bulletin is independently owned, nonpartisan, and maintains a rigorous separation between news and opinion.

The Bulletin endeavors to report on the issues that are important to the people who live and work in Philadelphia.

The Bulletin is more interested in real people than in celebrities, more interested in what our elected officials do than in what they say. The Bulletin works to shed light on how life is lived by real people in the neighborhoods of Philadelphia and its suburbs.

The Bulletin believes that powerful, honest journalism provides value both to readers and to our advertisers.

We believe that businesses will benefit by advertising in a newspaper that earns readers’ trust. The Bulletin, a newspaper with a sense of style informed by our home in the heritage-rich city of Philadelphia, provides businesses with a platform in which their advertisements can be presented with taste and impact, rather than getting lost in the shuffle of other media outlets.

The Bulletin believes that by telling the truth, free from partisan bias and hidden agendas, we will make our community a better place to live.

The Bulletin believes that Philadelphia is one of our nation’s greatest cities. Philadelphia is a city rich with history and culture, blessed with world-class educational institutions and entrepreneurial energy.

The Bulletin believes that in addition to general news, cultural commentary is a vital part of a city paper’s mission. The Bulletin will work to offer the city’s best reporting on the arts, literature, and entertainment.

The Bulletin believes in free and open debate and works actively to incorporate many different points of view.

The Bulletin believes that government and public institutions function best when they function most openly.

We will work to bring openness and accountability to all of the public institutions we cover.

The Bulletin believes that our readers’ time is their most valuable asset, and we will do our best every day to make our newspaper worth our readers’ time.

[26lemoncharlie]

Absolutly!!

His proposal to have 3year olds go to school really is nothing more than the socialist brainwahing of our children to the socialist way of thinking. They claim that starting the children at this age, is helpful to ensure they do not become problem citizens later in life. They claim that the parents prejudicial teachings at home are the main problem.
Make sure you read the whole article, it gets very interesting at the bottom.

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=954

[Tribune7]

Is it really? The Bulletin?

Yes. I honestly don't see how they are going to do it but I am wishing them the best.

[Tribune7]

It will be a Republican paper! Dare we hope?

Williamson is pretty conservative. I'm rooting for him.

[uncbob]

With all the fraud in Philly

He is a shoo in

[Hermann the Cherusker]

It sounds like the business model of the NY Sun.

The Inqy and Daily Snooze should supply ample material.

[hipaatwo]

I called the Bulletin yesterday. First edition November 22nd. Mostly in Center City. I told him I lived in the Northeast and he said they will be in WaWa's!!

[Kuksool]

Rendell would a dangerous Presidential candidate in 2008. He must be stopped or least damaged in 2006. I hope Pat Toomey is planning on challenging him.

[speedy]

Maybe this means reviving the old Bulletin comics like Dondi and Joe Palooka. Remember the slogan, "Nearly Everybody Reads The Bulletin." I left the Delaware Valley years ago -- is the old Bulletin building still standing out by 30th Street Station?

[Ciexyz]

The PA Republican Party will now start planning Rendell's defeat. It will be more of the same come election time: many dedicated and energized volunteers manning phone banks, ensuring that Republicans are registered and able to go to the polls, if not an absentee ballot request form will be offered. A 72-hour campaign leading up to election day. Everything we did for Nov. 2nd, we'll repeat in order to make the best shot possible in defeating Rendell.

Course, it all depends on getting a Republican candidate who clicks with the voters.

[elizabetty]

if the repubs can put out a decent candidate , Eddie better worry. Lots of us are ready to go door to door to defeat him

I live in Georgia (but lived in Mechanicsburg, Pa as a child) and am going to do what I can from here to help out!

[speedy]

Hope you can line up a good Pubbie against Rendell, because I think he will be tough to beat, and the last thing we need is for that guy to get traction nationally. It bothers me to see my old home turf of Chester County barely voting GOP these days -- it used to be better than two to one Republican on a consistent basis. Another Nittany Lion here, Ciexyz (and I'm still trying to figure out how to say your name.)