Rendell Has Eight-Point Edge in Pennsylvania

[Judi Lynn]

Angus Reid Global Scan : Polls & Research
Rendell Has Eight-Point Edge in Pennsylvania
May 11, 2006

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Ed Rendell has extended his lead in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race, according to a poll by Strategic Vision. 49 per cent of respondents in the Keystone State would vote for the incumbent in this year’s ballot, while 41 per cent would vote for Republican rival Lynn Swann.

Three per cent of respondents would back independent candidate Russ Diamond, and nine per cent are undecided.

Rendell—a Democrat—has acted as Pennsylvania’s governor since January 2003. The former Philadelphia mayor defeated Mike Fisher in the November 2002 election with 53 per cent of the vote, ending eight consecutive years of Republican administrations.

Swann, a former football player, seeks to become the second African American governor in U.S. history. Support for Rendell increased by five points since April, while backing for Swann fell by one point.
(snip/...)

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/11837

[Grateful for Hope]

1. Rendell has been running some pretty good commercials

Not surprised to hear this. Good news!

[Born Free]

2. needs more

he should be higher, it's sad to see tha so many Pa. residents are more interested in image than substance - hopefully logic will prevail - this isn't California.

[Divernan]

3. 9% undecided on such high profile candidates? Will these be non-voters?

Everyone's had a good look at Rendell during his 4 years as governor. And there's little else they can learn about Lynn Swann beyond his former Steeler/subsequent sportscaster history. So in this race, people pretty much have all the info they're going to get to form the basis of their choice.
At the state level, very few people watch televised debates, and the 30 second sound bite ads are pretty shallow. It's not like a race where two relative unknowns are competing to replace a retiring incumbent. I wonder if the undecided responders aren't just expressing their disgust with all politicians. I've run into that when I'm doing campaign work. You don't run into undecideds however when you contact those called the "super voters", i.e, Dems, Reps, Independents, Libertarians and "others"who ALWAYS get to the polls. And I'm wondering how being undecided at this stage will play out in decisions to get out and vote.

[stepnw1f]

4. WTF is Wrong with People

So goddamn niave to always go for popularity... just like adolescences in high school.

[bleedingheart]

6. Lemme give you some insight....

in Western PA some of the most heavily populated voting areas do not get any good news or any information on Rendell...because the newspapers are owned by Richard Mellon Scaife.

Mr. Scaife hates all democrats and will do his best to paint Rendell as satan and keep anything good about him from reaching the public.

Mr. Scaife's dream is to have dumb ole Swann be the puppet governor of the republican controlled legislature in Pennsylvania...

[stepnw1f]

7. Can We go AFter this Scaife Guy

to expose him and how he uses his money and influence to lie to the commons? This guy needs to be exposed...

[bleedingheart]

11. Scaife is the heir to the Mellon Banking fortune

He is a recovering alcoholic.
he is rumored to have had his brother-in-law (an assistance District Attorney) killed (was made to look like a suicide)
he is the man (with the money) behind the Paula Jones, Troopers allegations during Troopergate...all because he hated Clinton
he is the one who was paying Brock's salary before Brock got a conscience...

He is pyscho
he is vindictive
and he has the money to do it all

he can make anyone's life a living hell and he has...

I know people who have tangled with him locally and he basically went on a lifetime smear campaign against them...

He owns the Tribune Review..

To sum it up..he is a child of privilege born into a family that ignored him because they were too busy making money or drinking (his mother was an alcoholic)...he was bred to hate...and he hates the poor, the underprivileged...etc)

He and his third wife (she supposedly help cure him of his alcohol addiction) are in the midst of a nasty divorce and the police have been called at least twice to get her to stop bothering him..(he locked her out of his residences...)

[bleedingheart]

13. might I add...he supplies the cash for the big conservative foundations

like the Heritage Foundation...

meanwhile the rumor is that his own children don't like him...

[Divernan]

16. AND he funded a chair at Pepperdine U. for Ken Starr.

nt

[AX10]

20. This is why the Estate tax must exist.

The Richard Scaife's and Steve Forbes of the world would not be like this if they actually had to earn their money.

[skipos]

5. Swann seems genuinely dumb

This is good news.

[stepnw1f]

8. Dumb Enough to be a Puppet for the Mega Wealthy

the GOP way...

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. Rendell's already running ads

Whenever I see them, I'm like WTF? It's pretty early in the game to be spending money on ads, but I guess he just wants to build an early lead and keep it, and I guess he's got a mammoth war chest. I really don't see the RNC spending that much money on Swann in this increasingly blue state. If it was closer, maybe, but I think even the Central PA Republican-esque crowd is souring on the GOP, and they may have realized that making pretty damn good catches for fifteen years still won't win you Pittsburgh.

[Divernan]

18. As of several wks. ago, Rendell had $15 million; Swann had $1.5.

nt

[tabasco]

10. Swann is making lots of promises he would never keep.

Tax cuts, chicken in every pot, 6 rings for the Steelers.

I wonder how Swann became such a dupe for the corporate elite.

He is really over his head, but so was GW Bush.

[bleedingheart]

12. Swann is really dumb because if he gets elected he will ruin his image

he will literally find the state in chaos and find out that he will be to blame....and his image of the good player will be changed to that of dumb and bad governor..

[Efilroft Sul]

14. Here's why I think Swann won't win.

Skin color.

As much as I hate to say it, here's why I think the election will come down to a black-and-white issue. Swann was chosen by the Pennsylvania Republicans to be their J.C. Watts. It was as if they were saying, "We like black people, too." Well, black constituencies can spell tokenism from a mile away. And when they put the question to Swann, "What will you do for US, Mr. Touchdown?", Swann won't be able to give them the answers they want to hear because he'll alienate all the white Republicans who can't stand government doing anything for minorities and the poor. Swann would be disowned by hate-radio hosts such as Jim Quinn, who have made Swann out to be the Great Black Hope of the Pennsylvania Republicans.

I don't know if Swann is dumb, bleedingheart, as much as he is out of his league. Football and broadcasting, those are his areas of expertise. Governing? Eh, no.

[bleedingheart]

15. I think he is dumb for letting himself be used in this manner

also...it was really dumb to not pay taxes on your business and then run for governor and not think that someone would figure that out...even if it was "dirty politics" when you run for office your personal life and finances become very public..

[Efilroft Sul]

19. Okay, based on what you said, I agree Swann is stooopid.

[Divernan]

17. Swann would never give autographs to any kids, black or white.

He has this business of selling his own autographed memorabilia/sports items; and to further that he would not give an autograph to anyone for any reason, or as the locals put it, he wouldn't give you an autograph for your dying kid. Recently, his campaign staff laid down the law and told him he had to start signing when asked, while campaigning. Imagine, he would go to some fatcat fundraising party and refuse to give an autograph. The man is cold and arrogant. Whereas Franco Harris has always bent over backward to donate his time to all kinds of local charities, Swann hasn't done squat for his local community, or the black community.

[DiverDave]

21. I've seen some swann bumper stickers

and have yet to ask any of the folks driving the cars why they would vote for someone with ZERO experience in any sort of public service.

I just shake my head at how some people really hate to think for themselves.
Like it is soooo hard to try and from your own opinion about anything.