POLS ON THE STREET: Will We Remember The Libertarian Candidate?

DYNAMIC young team from LaSalle helped State Rep. Dwight Evans, right, recruit new voters at Barack Obama Block Party in Ogontz Plaza, W. Oak Lane. DJs and free food drew crowd to voter-information tables.

BY JOE SHAHEELI/ Joe DeLong, Philadelphia comedian and writer, asked a question in a column he wrote promoting presidential candidacy of Libertarian Gary Johnson. We didn’t try to answer it, but you might. He asks, “In the 2008 election year, there were three other presidential candidates besides Barack Obama and John McCain – each received over 100,000 votes. Name one!”

Nevertheless, he is promoting the former two-term Governor of New Mexico and the 2012 Libertarian Party nominee for President.

DeLong bemoans the fact few voters will know he’s on the ballot until they enter the polls. DeLong understands, “There is media bias. Look who’s buying up the ad times. It’s Democrats and Republicans. That’s just the reality.”

The present tightness of the race between the President and Milt Romney has cast both the Libertarian and Green Parties as the “spoilers”, should the race go down to the wire in key states. Both parties are now on the ballot in most states, despite Republican and Democrat challenges.

One wonders why Libertarians and Greenies keep climbing the slippery totem pole of presidential campaigns or field a national figure as their choice. Remember Ralph Nader?

TOOMEY SLAMS JOB NUMBER

US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) has blasted President Barack Obama’s job report and the growing national debt.

At a news conference held at the Independence Visitors Center, Toomey said Obama has burdened Americans with $5 trillion in new debt and 42 months of unemployment above 8%. “Pennsylvanians deserve a president with a real plan to get our economy on track and who realizes that government belongs to the people, not the other way around,” Toomey said, pointing to a large 13-digit display of the $16 trillion national debt. Toomey supplied the division, saying, “That’s over $50,000 for every American.”

COUNCILMAN David Oh, only veteran on City Council, welcomes to his fundraiser other elected Republicans City Commissioner Al Schmidt, left, and fellow Councilman Brian O’Neill.

ANOTHER HEAVY TURNOUT FOR MILITARY?

Retired Navy veteran Joe Eastman reports 1,300 military absentee ballots have been requested to date from the City Commissioners’ Office. In the 2008 presidential election, there were a total of 1,632 ballots requested.

With two months to go, that number will possibly surpass that presidential vote, a possible sign we can expect as heavy, if not heavier, turnout.

SEN. WASHINGTON OFFERS NEW CITY CODE

Interested in having a copy of Philadelphia’s new zoning code? Then reach out to State Sen. LeAnna Washington’s (D-Northwest) newsletter at www.senatorwashington.com. It’s the ideal tool for community-minded zoning enthusiasts.

TOO SHORT A SPEECH FOR SCHWARTZ

Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-Phila.) delivered about 90 seconds of remarks at the Democratic National Convention last week, stressing the importance of a strong safety net for seniors. Mayor Michael Nutter did well for himself, Philadelphia and education when he preceded President Obama by a couple of hours.

S.E. PENNA. Romney campaign office is busiest in state. Hundreds of volunteers based in South Street HQ last Saturday rang doorbells and placed phone calls in Saturday marathon.

LOCAL G.O.P. SEEKS BOARD WORKERS

Republicans seeking election-day poll jobs are invited to call Matt Wolfe at (215) 387-7300 or Annie Havey at (215) 416-8366.

There are spots in various polling places were a registered Republican is needed to fill an existing election-board vacancy. Slot pays $95 by the City.

SUPREMES HEAR VOTER PHOTO I.D. CASE

Pennsylvania’s voter photo-ID law may or may not become a permanent part of Pennsylvania election law. That fate is being decided by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which is hearing oral arguments today on its validity. Pennsylvania Cable Network carried them live.

What is interesting is no one can guess which way the coin will bounce, since partisanship can’t come into play. The six-member court, normally a size 7, is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.

PA. T.V. BUYS MAKE ONE WONDER

It has been reported “Priorities USA Action”, a super pact founded to support President Obama, has suspended its advertising in Pennsylvania.

The reason cited is major Republican PACS have announced they have done likewise earlier. Two of those were Crossroads and Americans for Prosperity.

Does this mean Pennsylvania is sure to be a Democrat presidential win? If so, the voter-ID controversy could be credited, since it riled up the Democrat voter base, alerting those who would have normally let this election slide by.

Yet there has been a discernible rise in Republican grass roots activity throughout the state and noticeably in Philadelphia, whose Democrat turnout will be crucial to an Obama victory. Obama has a seven-point lead in polling averages in the Commonwealth. We peg the super-PACs from both sides to jump in at the last minute to insure a win or an upset.

No one can really take the big-city turnouts for granted.

CONGRESSMAN Chaka Fattah addresses groundbreaking ceremony at &and Dauphin Bus Loop restoration for which he helped SEPTA receive grant from Federal Transit Administration to overhaul facility used by an average of 2,115 riders daily in Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion community. In photo are, from left, SEPTA General Mgr. Joseph M. Casey; City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, Chairman, Transportation & Public Utilities Committee; Fattah; Curtis Wilkerson, representing Council President Darrell Clarke; Tonetta Graham, executive director, Strawberry Mansion CDC; State Rep. Gary Williams; and James Fitzpatrick, representing US Sen. Patrick Toomey.

SMITH MAKES STRONG EFFORT TO NET VOTES

Republican candidate Tom Smith has gotten some traction as he spun through six cities last weekend to push his plans should he succeed in toppling US Sen. Bob Casey.

He hopes to attract voters with his platform of a flat tax, cutting tax loopholes, fixing Social Security, etc.

But none seem to be hitting at the heart of the Democrat majority in this state. Casey has a comfortable 10-point lead in polling.

LABOR LIKES REPUBLICAN MEEHAN

Former South Philadelphian attorney and Mummers Parade point man George Badey is working hard to unseat Congressman Pat Meehan.

Kicking back his efforts last week was the endorsement of the incumbent by the normally Democrat-oriented Philadelphia Council of Building & Construction Trades. The group gave as its key reason Meehan’s efforts to help save the Trainer Oil Refinery.

Badey’s campaign spokes­man Patrick McGarrity does not consider that endorsement a home run, noting “several constituent unions of the Building Trades have endorsed Badey, including the Plumbers, Teamsters, Sheet Metal Workers, Ironworkers, Elevator Constructors and Bricklayers.”

Another reason, not mentioned but obvious, is labor understands pragmatic politics. This second go-around for Pat Meehan finds him in a more-comfortable congressional district, thanks to the redistricting handed down by the General Assembly. His 7th Dist. has been reshaped to give him an edge, even though figures in the 2008 election showed Obama taking that district by 4,000 votes. That is not likely to happen this time and Meehan fundraising will help deliver him a split vote.

JOINING DAVID Kralle were 55th Republican Ward Leader John Jenkins, 58th Republican Ward Leader Marc Collazzo, Elmer Money and Joe DeFelice, who is handling Romney campaign in Phila. Photo by Kate Clarke

SHAPIRO LOOMS AS CORBETT CHALLENGER

A look forward to the coming gubernatorial election poses a question for Democrats, but not Republicans. That is: Who will be the Democrat standard-bearer in that challenge to incumbent Republican Gov. Tom Corbett?

More and more it looks as if Eastern Pennsylvania will lay claim to that seat, pointing to Montgomery Co. Board Chairman Josh Shapiro. He’s growing a high-profile image, this Saturday cutting the ribbon for Speed Raceway, an indoor go-kart race track in Village Mall in Horsham. He’s getting to be more visible.

The 38-year-old was elected Montgomery Co. Commissioner in 2011 and was sworn in and elected unanimously to chair the three-member board. He was highest vote-getter for that office in history of Montgomery Co., which is third-largest county in the Commonwealth with a population of 890,000.

Corbett’s continued nominations and appointments to various positions show a dearth among those qualified from Southeastern Pennsylvania.

COUNCILMAN Bob Henon was pleased to share this photo at Eagles Game fundraiserat Curran’s Inn with his hard-working staff, from left, Michelle Forkin OHare, Courtney Voss, Paul Ragan and Chris Creelman. Photo by Harry Leech

PENNDOT ADDS THU. EVENING HOURS FOR I.D.S

In response to customer interest in obtaining photo IDs for voting, five PennDOT locations in Philadelphia Co. will offer extended hours on Thursday evenings, effective Sep. 27 through Nov. 8.

Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch said since the voter-ID law was enacted, the vast majority of PennDOT IDs for voting purposes have been issued in Philadelphia Co. Open on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. from Sep. 27 to Nov. 8 will be the Centers located at 801 Arch Street, 1530 South Columbus Boulevard, 2320 Island Avenue, 919-B Levick Street and 7121 Ogontz Avenue.

DEBATE SEASON OPENS UP

Republican challenger Mike Tomlinson is asking for three debates with 5th Dist. Senate incumbent Michael Stack. Like most challengers, Tomlinson understands an acceptance would give him the visibility he does not now have.

That’s why challenger requests for debates, regardless of office, often go unanswered. Polls show Stack with a double-digit lead.

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