I am/was a lifelong Pennsylvanian...

[CC27]

PCIntern (22,285 posts)


I am/was a lifelong Pennsylvanian...

By way of explanation I have recently moved to the New Jersey shore but continue to work in Pennsylvania, and after approximately 70 years think I have some feel for the Commonwealth.

See, I knew that Dr.Oz wasn’t going anywhere in this race because he isn’t from here and he’s a “furrinner”. People do not realize that you have to be a Pennsylvanian to have any hope of winning statewide office in Pennsylvania. We are a very parochial state, and I have an interesting story to prove that fact, at least anecdotally. When I was a young dentist starting out I opened in center city Philadelphia and when asked, told everyone that I was a Philadelphian and this was essentially the whole truth: my family was from here, I was born here, and although we moved to the suburbs we used Philadelphia for every resource including food shopping with few exceptions. The northeast suburbs in the 50s and early 60s were barren so you had no other choice. My mother drove me into town every Saturday for years for my music lessons and we ate at Horn and Hardart’s, Linton’s and Day’s Delicatessen. I am a diehard Eagles, Phillies, 76ers fan and have followed the teams since I was a tiny child. I love cheesesteaks, pretzels, and Tastykakes . Now my practice in the beginning was largely geriatric, but fairly well to do, and when these ladies and gentlemen would ask me where I was from and I would reply that I was from Philadelphia, they would start asking me questions to prove my bona fides. I cannot tell you the number of times I had to convince people that I was a true Philadelphian before they would accept me as a non-transplant. And by the way, this was not a trivial exercise. I actually lost a few people in the early going because they were not certain as to my credentials as a young practitioner even though I was on faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. There was an inherent distrust, especially of New Yorkers. This of course has changed over the decades, but let me tell you, it was not insignificant.

When Dick Thornburgh ran for senator against Harris Wofford the national media interpreted Thornburgh’s loss as a mandate for healthcare, which was a Wofford strong suit. The reason Thornburgh actually lost is that after he became Attorney General he preferred hanging out in the Duquesne club in Pittsburgh and with all the national hotshots rather than pay homage to the Pennsylvania republican crowd and quite frankly Democratic as well political parties and he was then seen as an outsider, whereas Wofford was a invested homegrown college president who seemed as though he had the best interests of the people of the state in mind.

So when Dr. Oz showed up I just burst out laughing and said that his candidacy was worthless here because the Republicans , and there are many very “aware” Republicans left over from the old days, had no interest in this carpet bagger lying fake phony doctor. But I will tell you one thing, when Fetterman was elected to lieutenant governor eight years ago I knew he had a tremendous future in Pennsylvania politics. This state is a combination as many have written of Appalachia and Philadelphia/Pittsburgh and their environs. Fetterman absolutely has the appeal to the rural folk: he’s a big guy, looks tough, reminds everyone of the guy you do not want to tangle with the bar, has a very pretty wife, speaks to the needs of the people as individuals (which is something the Democrats really need to learn how to do again), and is resolute in his determination to win. And I believe he is going to win and flip the seat and may well be a senator for a very long time if he so chooses to be. He will have tremendous national appeal and possibly for the first time since Senator Hugh Scott, Pennsylvania will have someone who is taken seriously on a national level by individuals of both parties whether out of fear or out of respect.

Underestimating him is a giant mistake and I think the race in the general election will not even be close. I would also add the Joshua Shapiro also has what it takes to win , he’s a different version of Adam Schiff with an authoritative and authoritarian aspect of speaking which is advantageous in running for the governor of this particular commonwealth. It worked for Rendell and I believe it will work for Shapiro. Pennsylvania on election night is going to be the “surprise“ of the night followed by all the other surprises of the night and possibly a big Democratic victory which will leave all the pundits gasping for air.

From my lips to…..

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216685009

Is there point to this BS?

[SVPete]

TL;DR, no

[franksolich]

TL;DR

Not to worry; I did, as I'm always interested in people with Pennsylvania ties.

His first two paragraphs, short ones, he's no longer living in Pennsylvania.

His third and fourth paragraphs, describing Pennsylvanian views about outsiders, is spot on.

<<<was once an outsider in Pennsylvania, remember.

His fifth and sixth paragraphs are delusional fantasy.

[SVPete]

Not to worry; I did, as I'm always interested in people with Pennsylvania ties.

His first two paragraphs, short ones, he's no longer living in Pennsylvania.

His third and fourth paragraphs, describing Pennsylvanian views about outsiders, is spot on.

<<<was once an outsider in Pennsylvania, remember.

His fifth and sixth paragraphs are delusional fantasy.

  How laconic of you!

[Tess Anderson]

he claims he moved to New Jersey?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/315+N+Harvard+Ave,+Ventnor+City,+NJ+08406/@39.3438957,-74.4844992,3a,75y,64.58h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPW0XSSMxKnyVz5-ARzQiMg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c0ec1d871226d1:0x4c671b3c951482b!8m2!3d39.3439695!4d-74.4843195

not nearly as upscale as I'd imagined.

[franksolich]

he claims he moved to New Jersey?

not nearly as upscale as I'd imagined.

It's okay though.

The guy's loaded, but maybe he's trying to conserve his funds so that he doesn't run out of money before he's dead.

<<<my concern too.

[SVPete]

A RINO with whom I was acquainted on several discussion sites moved from NJ to PA some 15 or 20 years ago due to NJ's high property taxes. I hope PCI enjoys that consequence of his move.

[SVPete]

he claims he moved to New Jersey?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/315+N+Harvard+Ave,+Ventnor+City,+NJ+08406/@39.3438957,-74.4844992,3a,75y,64.58h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPW0XSSMxKnyVz5-ARzQiMg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c0ec1d871226d1:0x4c671b3c951482b!8m2!3d39.3439695!4d-74.4843195

not nearly as upscale as I'd imagined.

Whoa! What's up with the neighboring house?! It looks like it's raised 6 feet above the ground! Foundation redo? PCI's house looks a bit, ummm, dilapidated. Very aging roof, second story eaves in need of paint, the (faux?) brick front of the porch needing washing or replacement (faux?) bricks .....

I see his home is on a barrier island ... not the best location should a hurricane come his way. Or even nearby.

[FlaGator]

Whoa! What's up with the neighboring house?! It looks like it's raised 6 feet above the ground! Foundation redo? PCI's house looks a bit, ummm, dilapidated. Very aging roof, second story eaves in need of paint, the (faux?) brick front of the porch needing washing or replacement (faux?) bricks .....

I see his home is on a barrier island ... not the best location should a hurricane come his way. Or even nearby.

Are those pallets holding the house up? I guess this is the aftermath of Sandy.

[franksolich]

Are those pallets holding the house up? I guess this is the aftermath of Sandy.

One of the most disgusting episodes to come out of Hurricane Sandy, which took place in the autumn of 2012, was that people were still living in tents and other temporary housing for several months afterwards.

Yet despite it was obvious he and Michelle were doing nothing for them, New Jersey and New York still voted overwhelmingly for Obama at the same time.

[franksolich]

I wonder if Chris realizes he's moved into the town of the renown football coach Sol Metzger, of Hebraic derivation.

Seriously, how many Jewish college football coaches have there been?

He could never get good press.

When he was coach at West Virginia, West Virginia defeated Marshall 92-6.

The next day's headlines read, MARSHALL SCORES.

[67 Rover]

Whoa! What's up with the neighboring house?! It looks like it's raised 6 feet above the ground! Foundation redo? PCI's house looks a bit, ummm, dilapidated. Very aging roof, second story eaves in need of paint, the (faux?) brick front of the porch needing washing or replacement (faux?) bricks .....

I see his home is on a barrier island ... not the best location should a hurricane come his way. Or even nearby.

Yep but don't YOU question climate change. 

[fatboy]

As a native New Jerseyite transplanted into PA in 2004 I hope and pray DUmmy PCIntern stays in NJ

[ADsOutburst]

Pennsylvania on election night is going to be the “surprise“ of the night followed by all the other surprises of the night and possibly a big Democratic victory which will leave all the pundits gasping for air.

After reading this and part of that WaPO op-ed by Milbank, it seems like some dems really have a strange sense of optimism about the upcoming elections. It's like they think they know something everyone else doesn't.

Then again, thinking you're smarter than everyone else seems to be a prerequisite for being on the left these days.

[franksolich]

After reading this and part of that WaPO op-ed by Milbank, it seems like some dems really have a strange sense of optimism about the upcoming elections. It's like they think they know something everyone else doesn't.

Then again, thinking you're smarter than everyone else seems to be a prerequisite for being on the left these days.

Their optimism, or nonchalance, about the upcoming elections indicates they've already got a plan and the means to steal elections again.

They know they're going to win because they're going to cheat.

[Rebel]

Their optimism, or nonchalance, about the upcoming elections indicates they've already got a plan and the means to steal elections again.

They know they're going to win because they're going to cheat.

Yep. I don't think they'll be able to get away with it in Georgia again. My old district, the 12th, mysteriously offline for a few hours. I think maybe the 10th as well. Those two districts are HEAVILY republican.