Pennsylvania lucks into leading role
THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE
Sunday, February 10, 2008
By James O'Toole, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08041/856368-176.stm
With Pennsylvania's newfound, lucky, position for the upcoming Democrat and Republican presidential Primaries, it seems the state's chief top executive, elected Governor, Ed Rendell, is stopping at nothing to gain his Democrat candidate for President more notoriety, and more votes in PA's Primary, and possibly more committed delegates for Clinton.
There is a lawsuit regarding the electronic voting machines known as paper-less direct recording electronic which remains pending.
The state decertified the WinVote in three counties. In those three counties, Lackawanna, Northampton, and Wayne, other systems will be employed in the crucial PA Primary Election.
According to the Morning Call report here's what was at stake
Judge nixes stop on voting machine funds
Northampton County one of three seeking new equipment.
By Joe Nixon | Of The Morning Call
February 9, 2008
A group of voters from across the state, already plaintiffs in a 2006 suit against the Pennsylvania Department of State over the reliability and accuracy of direct recording electronic voting machines, sought the injunction late last month. The injunction request, essentially an extension of the original pending suit, sought to prevent Northampton, Lackawanna and Wayne counties from spending state money on new machines already being questioned.
The plaintiffs had argued that if they won in court in the original suit, the machines would have to be scrapped. The injunction request didn't seek to prevent the use of machines already certified and purchased. Senior Judge Keith B. Quigley Friday granted a motion from the state to quash the injunction petition.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b4_3vote-2.6266214feb09%2C0%2C7450291.story
You'd think the fact many counties continue to purchase the paperless DREs even after noted problems with touchscreens "flipping votes" in the crucial past U.S. Senate race (Santorum/Casey) would prompt Governor Rendell to issue his own injunction on use of all paperless voting machines.
Meanwhile, while taking no action or having any input on the potential for fallibility of the paperless voting systems overwhelmingly used in the Commonwealth, Governor Rendell put his thinking cap on and basically declared a bitty of a snowstorm across the state as an emergency to issue an executive order which extended the deadline for candidates to file nomination petitions.
Candidates catch a break from snow closings
Posted by BRETT LIEBERMAN, Of The Patriot-News February 13, 2008
http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky/2008/02/candidates_catch_a_break_from.html
The action may be illegal as there was no statewide emergency as uhm we normally get snow this time of year. It's not like we're Texas when a mere snow dusting and there's an emergency declaration.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Governor Rendell Illegally Extends Petition Deadline
Yesterday, Governor Edward G. Rendell illegally extended the nomination petition deadline for the April 22 primary from Tuesday, February 12 at 5PM EST to Thursday, Febrary 14 at 12 Noon EST.
The Governor completely lacks any authority to extend this deadline...
http://kurtspeak.blogspot.com/2008/02/governor-rendell-illegally-extends.html
Kurt Speak: Rendell's Stated Precedent Shaky As Hell
The Pennsylvania Department of State is citing Tom Ridge's decision to extend the nominating petition deadline on January 25, 2000 to January 26 as justification for Rendell's illegal decision to extend this year's deadline.
There is no comparison. The storm of January 24-26, 2000 was truly a major weather event. This week's precipitation is a big wet kiss by comparison. The January 2000 storm caused government shutdowns all over the northeast.
http://kurtspeak.blogspot.com/2008/02/rendells-stated-precedent-shaky-as-hell.html
Why can't these be filed electronically anyway by now is beyond comprehension. There's always the original paper backup to review in case of any irregularities.
Snows uh shows where the Governor's priorities are, doesn't it?
Worse, the Governor of Pennsylvania put the state's voters in a bad light regarding racial matters. Where does the Governor get the idea his Republican challenger for the Governorship, Lynn Swann, would have come closer in final vote tallies, if he were a white man?
No, had Lynn Swann run against Rendell as a Democrat, he might have come closer in final tallies, and may have even won. As a Republican, he had no chance, no matter the color of skin.
A Republican who is also African American lost the PA Governorship. Statistics across the state bear this out.
In fact, if one thinks further, the state's so-called "elite" Republicans in their own committee action backed Lynn Swann, over and above other candidates who then pulled out of the Primary. Swann was then clear to challenge incumbent Rendell.
So white conservatives backed Swann.
Now why wouldn't white liberals vote for Barack Obama in Pennsylvania's Primary?
(Net the Truth Online)
Excellent opinion
Gov. 'Blunt Talk' Rendell (and other topics)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
By Tony Norman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
So many topics, so little space:
Gov. Ed "Don't Call Me 'Fast Eddie' " Rendell met with the editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week to talk about his latest budget. But before turning the meeting over to his number-crunchers, our voluble governor weighed in on the primary fight between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and what the Illinois senator could expect from the good people of Pennsylvania at the polls:
"You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate," he said bluntly. Our eyes only met briefly, perhaps because the governor wanted to spare the only black guy in the room
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08043/856727-153.stm?cmpid=MOSTEMAILEDBOX
Another well-put opinion
Ed Rendell proves a little too colorful
Posted by BRETT LIEBERMAN, Of The Patriot-News February 13, 2008 07:02AM
Categories: Election 2008, Federal government, Government, President, Rendell, State government, White House
Posted by boxertwin on 02/13/08 at 12:23PM
Just a minute, Eddie.....just to get it right...you are actually calling WHITE CONSERVATIVES racist...is that right? And the corollary to that is that LIBERAL WHITEs are NOT racist.
Well, I am a White, Conservative, Pennsylvanian...and, first of all, why would a conservative vote for a liberal ANYWAY? White OR Black. I , for one, WOULD vote for a Black conservative for president, not because he was black, but because he WAS CONSERVATIVE.
I think what you are REALLY saying is that White LIBERALS may not vote for a black liberal candidate....isn't that right? You see, us conservatives can't be called racists, because we have no Black candidate....but...hmmmmm....you DO! So, why don't you really say what you mean, Fast Eddie?
http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky/2008/02/ed_rendells_color_problem.html#more
And the lead is priceless here open mouth insert foot...
Providing fresh evidence of why Ed Rendell may not be on anyone's shortlist for vice president or cabinet posts, the governor has opened his mouth and inserted his foot.
"You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate," Rendell told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's editorial board as he explained why Barack Obama may have trouble winning the white vote. "I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann [2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate] been the identical candidate that he was -- well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking -- but white instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so."..
http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky/2008/02/ed_rendells_color_problem.html#more
Rendell extends deadline for nominating petitions
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Because of yesterday's snowy weather in many parts of the state, Gov. Ed Rendell has extended the deadline for political candidates to turn in their nominating petitions until noon tomorrow.
The deadline for candidates to submit their petitions to get on the April 22 primary ballot had been 5 p.m. yesterday, but the snowstorms that hampered travel in many parts of the state could have made it difficult for some candidates to file, said Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo.
However, Mr. Ardo added an important point: The deadline for candidates to collect signatures on their petitions has not been extended. It remains at 5 p.m. yesterday, meaning candidates cannot collect additional petition signatures today or tomorrow.
The extension for submitting petitions will shift the last day for filing objections to a petition to Feb. 21, two days later than it had been. To view the current list of candidates go to www.dos.state.pa.us and look under What's Hot.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08044/856933-100.stm
Case Moves Forward Against Pennsylvania Voting Machines
Apr 16, 2007, News Report
Last August, the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was served with a legal action that seeks to prevent the use by 57 counties of direct recording electronic voting machines that allegedly do not create a permanent record of each vote. The action specifically asks the court to direct the secretary to decertify seven systems and to "declare that the use of various auditable and non-auditable voting systems in Pennsylvania violates the uniformity provisions of the Pennsylvania Constitution." The lawsuit claims the certification of the systems violates the Pennsylvania Election Code, as well as the Pennsylvania Constitution.
http://www.govtech.com/tt/articles/104978
Rendell: Race Factor Could Hurt Obama
15 hours ago
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Ed Rendell, one of Hillary Rodham Clinton's most visible supporters, said some white Pennsylvanians are likely to vote against her rival Barack Obama because he is black.
"You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate," Rendell told the editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in remarks that appeared in Tuesday's paper.
To buttress his point, Rendell cited his 2006 re-election campaign, in which he defeated Republican challenger Lynn Swann, the former Pittsburgh Steelers star, by a margin of more than 60 percent to less than 40 percent.
"I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann been the identical candidate that he was — well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking — but white instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so," he said. "And that (attitude) exists. But on the other hand, that is counterbalanced by Obama's ability to bring new voters into the electoral pool."
Rendell, chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2000 and previously Philadelphia's mayor, endorsed Clinton on Jan. 23.
Pennsylvania holds its primary April 22.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gIjYa42R0UUEGs0_AyNg506-z8FgD8UP1VUG0
More
Pa. Sued Over Electronic Voting Machines
By PATRICK WALTERS
The Associated Press
Tuesday, August 15, 2006; 10:04 PM
PHILADELPHIA -- Voter advocates filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to stop Pennsylvania counties from using "paperless" electronic voting machines, saying that such systems leave no paper record that could be used in the event of a recount, audit or other problem.
The suit asks the state's Commonwealth Court to decertify machines used in 58 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. The other counties use optical scanning systems, in which voters fill in bubbles on paper forms that are counted in scanning machines; the plaintiffs say such systems should be in use statewide.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/15/AR2006081501202.html
Candidates get more time to file petitions
By Kori Walter, For the Herald-Standard
02/13/2008
Candidates who want to get on the ballot for Pennsylvania's April 22 primary election will have until Thursday at noon to file their nominating petitions.
Gov. Ed Rendell announced late Tuesday afternoon that he was extending the deadline because of the winter storm that hit the capital and other sections of the state. The original deadline was 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Throughout the day, winter weather has caused accidents and forced the closure of interstates at various times," Rendell said in a prepared statement explaining his executive order. "I moved the date until Thursday because the weather forecast tomorrow (Wednesday) could also cause problems.
The governor stressed that the order does not extend the deadline for collecting signatures on the petitions.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19289188&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
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