Democracy Has Prevailed.

May 19, 2006

A slightly different take...

While bloggers (here and here for example) as well as the MSM are jumping all over the fact that Lil Ricky getting 22,000 less votes than Lynn Swann got shows how much deep doo-doo Santorum is in, I want to relay something completely anecdotal to suggest another take on this.

As I was poll watching for myself and some other candidates, a young man came rushing to the polls late in the day. He brushed pass the lit that I and my Sis were handing out saying the following:
No thanks, I'm a Republican. I'm just here to vote for Swann!
The guy was obviously jazzed about his vote -- all animated and smiling. The Patriot-News article that Atrios quotes says:
In the southeastern part of the state, Santorum received about as many GOP votes as Swann. But in the southwest, an area that analysts agreed is critical for the senator's re-election bid, Santorum received 6,000 fewer votes than Swann.

That has to be a concern because the southwest is Santorum's home base, Young said.

"I think his problems are greater in the southwest, where the anger is more palpable and more serious for him in that he needs the support out there if he's going to have a chance to beat Casey," Young said.
And Atrios draws the following conclusion from it:
Ricky really pissed people off in the Pittsburgh area over his spending the school district's money to educate his kids in Virginia where they live.
While Lil Ricky's favorable ratings are obviously troubling, I say never underestimate the love some folks have for the Steelers.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maria:
I get the strong impression that you are actually rooting for Santorum. You've been his biggest cheerleader for months. What gives?

Maria said...

I am not rooting for Lil Ricky "Satan" Santorum. I am not now, nor ever have been a cheerleader for him.

But this being a reality-based blog, we need to give the "Devil" his due -- that is as detestable as Santorum is, he is a strong campaigner.

My take on that is it's probably easier to be a strong campaigner if you have no scruples or morals or real beliefs in anything. I mean look at Karl Rove.

I was just saying that instead of Santorum's lower numbers being a bad sign for Tricky Ricky, it may have just been a "Steelers Bump" for Swann.

Never underestimate that Little Shit from Virginia.

Sean McDaniel said...

Maria,

Have you ever met Santorum? Along the way, I've managed to run into Barbara Bush, Melissa Hart and a few other lug-headed republican types. And amazingly, they can take on the appearance of reasonably likable human beings. Not so with Santorum. He's cold, self-absorbed and totally calculating. And yes, perfectly capable of doing anything and everything to keep his cushy senate seat. even if you think i whine about your sense of humor (or maybe my lack of it), you're right on with your assessment of RS.

he might not of started out imagining himself as president, but i think he sees himself on the power side of the desk in the oval office one day.

Maria said...

Sean,

I know what you mean. For example, I have met Fred Honsberger and he could not have been more gracious. I have not met Tricky Ricky but I know people who have. One person was in a Toast Masters type club with him before he ever held office. They said that he carried around a shoe box full of index cards with various issues and was always quizzing people on their views so that he could take the majority opinion. Always the little conniver...

Sean McDaniel said...

these days he's a big conniver. don't be fooled.

Anonymous said...

I see the BIG UGLY Democrap machine is still alive and well in PA, thanks to End Rendell (Boss Tweed).
And I thought PA was making progress in education, when instead, Rendell and his cronies are treating the population like mushrooms..
feed them s... and keep them in the dark. That's the only way they can maintain control of the masses.