LEFTOVERS: More F&M numbers, CQ forecasts, Onorato on revenue

The Franklin & Marshall College poll released Thursday didn’t just show Republicans leading in both of Pennsylvania’s statewide races. The survey also contained a litany of troubling data points for Democrats a couple months before Election Day.

Among the troublesome signs for Democrats:

•Almost 60 percent of Pennsylvanians say the state is heading in the wrong direction, while the 30 percent of residents who say things are moving in the right…

August 26, 2010 at 4:56 pm | Comments (4)

A Toomey-Sestak call-and-response game

There was some video back-and-forth in the competitive Senate race over the weekend, when Republican Pat Toomey delivered his party’s response to President Obama’s weekly address—which was promptly followed by a response to the response from Democrat Joe Sestak’s campaign.

Toomey started off by saying he is “deeply concerned about the direction we’re heading,” which he said is “being driven by extreme policies that are coming from one-party domination of government in Washington.”

“And this…

August 15, 2010 at 1:22 pm | Comments (4)

LEFTOVERS: Rendell on Obama, Gerlach gives to NRCC, vulnerable seats

President Obama is about to go on “The View”—but Gov. Ed Rendell thinks that’s not such a good idea because the president should only do “serious shows.”

“I think the president should be accessible, should answer questions that aren’t pre-screened, but I think there should be a little bit of dignity to the presidency,” Rendell said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

We’re assuming Rendell’s rule doesn’t apply to governors, considering that the former Philadelphia mayor is…

July 27, 2010 at 3:44 pm | Comments (7)

New Mideast policy group aims opening salvo at Sestak

A new conservative pro-Israel group formed to oppose President Obama’s Middle East policies has decided to aim its first shot at Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7).

Politico reports that the group, the Emergency Committee for Israel, is taking to the airwaves this week with the first of many ads to come. And its initial 30-second spot, which will run during a Phillies game, hits the Democratic Senate nominee over his Israel policies.…

July 13, 2010 at 8:42 am | Comments (7)

Murphy agrees with prez on McChrystal firing

The first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress says he agrees with President Obama’s decision to fire his top general in Afghanistan.

That was the message from Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) on Monday morning, when he told Fox29 that it was the “right move” for Obama to fire General Stanley McChrystal in the wake of disparaging comments McChrystal and his staff made to Rolling Stone.

“You can’t have a general criticizing our allies,” Murphy said.…

June 28, 2010 at 10:39 am | Comments (2)

OFA e-mails for Sestak

After going pedal to the metal for his Senate primary opponent, Organizing for America is embracing Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7).

President Obama’s grassroots arm of the Democratic National Committee utilized its massive e-mail list for the first time on Sestak’s behalf Wednesday. “In the fall election, voters will face a decision between a Democrat who represents a progressive vision for the future of Pennsylvania, and a Republican who made his fortune trading the derivatives that…

June 24, 2010 at 8:13 am | Comments (17)

Issa not letting up on ‘Jobgate’ anytime soon

HERSHEY—Asked how much longer he’ll keep pushing the White House for answers on its attempts to coax Democrats out of primaries by dangling job offers, Darrell Issa had a simple reply.

“Until I get them,” Issa said.

The Republican congressman from California was speaking to reporters here Friday evening before he was set to deliver the keynote speech at the state GOP’s summer dinner. Issa has become something of a hero to Pennsylvania Republicans after…

June 12, 2010 at 6:17 pm | Comments (19)

Sestak still hitting party leaders

Democrat Joe Sestak’s victory in the Senate primary last month doesn’t mean he’s done criticizing his party’s establishment for backing Arlen Specter instead.

Sestak, in an interview on PBS, said it was “wrong” for President Obama and others to back Specter.

“There’s no more kings, there’s no more king makers in America,” Sestak said the “Travis Smiley” show. “And if the Democratic Party should stand for anything when they are trying to get me out…

June 8, 2010 at 2:42 pm | Comments (36)

LEFTOVERS: Obama & Sestak, Halliburton & Toomey, generals in Pa., Romney endorsements

There was apparently some intrigue on Wednesday when Joe Sestak wasn’t one of the elected officials who joined President Obama in Pittsburgh. Arlen Specter, the man Obama backed and Sestak beat, was there. It was noted earlier that other pols turned down the chance to hang with the president.

Sestak was on the other end of the state, but there were early conflicting accounts as to whether…

June 2, 2010 at 11:22 pm | Comments (3)

Obama blasts Republicans in Pa. visit, GOP fires back

PITTSBURGH—President Obama used a brief visit here Wednesday to challenge Republicans more directly than at anytime before in his presidency, accusing the GOP of cozying up to Big Business and obstructing any efforts to deal with the economic downturn he inherited.

As November approaches, leaders in the other party will campaign furiously on the same economic argument they’ve been making for decades,” Obama said at Carnegie Mellon University. “Fortunately, we don’t have to look back…

June 2, 2010 at 5:32 pm | Comments (13)