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Posted on 10/02/2002 8:18:06 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
AND NOW for another Holly Kinser episode.
The statuesque blonde lobbyist known for attracting the spotlight because of her friendship with Democrat Ed Rendell and her divorce from state House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese had a little encounter of the Republican kind.
It was last week in a Harrisburg hotel, then in a nightclub. It was over the governor's race. And it wasn't pretty.
"It was about as confrontational a conversation as I've seen in this town in 10 years," said a witness to the nightclub scene.
There were two parts to the evening.
Kinser, a lobbyist for Wojdak & Associates, first went at Mike Fisher's TV guru, Pittsburgh-based John Brabender, and later, at Fisher's campaign manager, Kent Gates.
Brabender first.
In a hotel elevator and then at a dinner table in the Golden Sheaf in the Harrisburg Hilton, Kinser told Brabender she heard he was putting her in a negative TV ad about Rendell.
Brabender confirms the encounter last Wednesday night, says that Kinser asked about possible ads and that he told her, "I have no intention of airing anything relative to her in this campaign."
Holly Kinser represented the city of Philadelphia when Rendell was mayor. The two often were seen - and occasionally photographed - together socially. Kinser was married to DeWeese at the time. After they split, DeWeese blamed Rendell.
Earlier this year, DeWeese avidly supported Bob Casey Jr. for governor. Then he tried to prevent Kinser from lobbying in Harrisburg.
Insiders often buzz about possible TV ads attacking Rendell personally. The buzz was around during the primary against Casey. In some circles, it continues today. Kinser is said to be especially anxious about the prospect of such ads.
That could explain why later that night she got in the face of Gates.
At NOMA, a nightclub across the street from the Hilton, Kinser was introduced to Gates and, according to a witness, began the conversation with, "I hate your guts."
She then ran the same TV-ad number on Gates that she ran on Brabender, this time with much more gusto.
A witness said, "She towers over Kent to start with, and she's standing there jabbing a finger in his chest saying, 'Don't you f--- with me!'"
The scene was described by witnesses as boisterous, uncomfortable and antagonistic.
"Yeah, that's a fair characterization," Kinser told me yesterday.
She said it happened because "sometimes I'm a very candid person."
She denied using an obscenity: "I wouldn't say that...I didn't say that."
And she said her conversation with Brabender, whom she's known for years, was more cordial than with Gates.
As to Gates, she said, "I told him I didn't appreciate rumors I was hearing that he was spreading about me."
And how did she leave it?
"I didn't leave it, I just left."
Gates declined comment other than to say, "I'm sure I'm not her favorite person."
And word among GOP insiders now is that new Fisher ads offered for TV traffic might all be titled "Holly."
Send e-mail to baerj@phillynews.com
AND NOW for another Holly Kinser episode.
The statuesque blonde lobbyist known for attracting the spotlight because of her friendship with Democrat Ed Rendell and her divorce from state House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese had a little encounter of the Republican kind.
Thanks for reminding us of the date..........
I wish he would go nuclear, but Republicans are too polite.
Great idea, but that would violate Republican politeness. My own congressman, Pat Toomey, who is a good guy and deserves to be re-elected, is also extremely polite.
After Clinton and Torricelli, you can still compartmentalize? Character counts.
The local radio guy said "It's like Harvard (Toomey) debating Vo-Tech." O'Brien's campaign is about scaring seniors. If elected, (God forbid) he would follow Gephardt around like a lap dog and do as told.
"We will turn one against the other."
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