Lynn Swann to Run for Pa. Governor

[NMDemDist2]

By PETER JACKSON, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 5 minutes ago

PITTSBURGH - Former Steelers star Lynn Swann, who declared his candidacy for Pennsylvania governor, says he is confident he will win the state GOP committee's endorsement.
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However, if the committee endorses one of his three competitors next month, Swann said Wednesday he may contest the party's candidate in the May 16 primary.

"If I need a primary to win, then I would have to take a serious look at being in the primary," he said.

Swann, 53, declared his candidacy in the city where he made his name in professional football. His announcement was no surprise: Swann's political committee has been raising money for his campaign for nearly a year.

He told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday afternoon that he made up his mind to run in the fall after spending months weighing support at events around the state.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060105/ap_on_el_gu/swann_governor;_ylt=AuDDHnrUUuu4eBdaEKuZD4as0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

[punpirate]

1. Another GOP Jack Kemp wannabe?

Good luck, Lynn. Professional football ain't in any related to real life.

[0007]

3. Tom Osborn is lacking like a box of empty rocks

He does football justice

[underpants]

16. Hey! He's a FINE Congressman

He won a National Championship you know :bounce:

[struggle4progress]

19. GOP likes candidates like that. A few years ago, they tried to push ..

.. a race car driver into the NC governor's mansion ...

[rpannier]

2. I still think his open letter of support for scrub will kill him

Plus I think he'll do poorly in Philly.

[saigon68]

17. I wonder if he and Clarence Thomas are friends

Sounds like they have a lot in common

[trogdor]

4. Lynn Swann's qualifications for Governor of Pennsylvania

Steelers’ first-round draft pick, 1974
Caught game-winning touchdown in AFC championship as rookie
Became starting receiver second season, led NFL with 11 touchdown receptions
MVP, Super Bowl X
Graceful moves, tremendous leaping ability led to superlative catches that highlighted career
Career record: 336 receptions, 5,462 yards, 51 touchdowns
All-Pro, 1975, 1977, 1978
Played in three Pro Bowls
Born March 7, 1952, in Alcoa, Tennessee.

Source: Pro Football Hall Of Fame http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=208

UPDATE: It just occured to me, Lynn Swann was indeed eligible for the Vietnam draft as of 1970. He probably would have made a fine infantryman. You may apply the chickenhawk label the moment he opens his mouth about Iraq. Oh, silly me, he DID. He DID sign that "support the President (and the troops) thing, didn't he? Well, there ya go.

[depakid]

5. Chicken- Colonel Sanders- JC Watts

I wonder what Swann's father would say about this....

[auburngrad82]

6. Another celbrity courted by the Repugs

They do like their celebrities. I think the devil could run as a repug and get wholehearted support from their "base"



Opposing Forces

[tanyev]

7. Funny, because when a celebrity espouses liberal ideas,

they are the first ones to dismiss it as irrelevant. "Who cares what _____ thinks? They're only a celebrity."

[trogdor]

8. Liberal ideas require brains.

Any moron can be a "conservative." I mean, what are "conservative" ideas, anyway? That the "little people" should be timid little sheep? That (Republican) elected officials are ordained by God? That rich people are that way because God likes them better? I mean, come on. What "conservative" ideas really require a brain larger than a peanut?

[bleedingheart]

9. in the republican strongholds there are already bumperstickers for Swann

and Santorum being sported about...

nothing more nauseating to look at....

[John_H]

10. I think this is mostly about Santorum

They think they can get more people who wouldn't ordinarily vote out to vote for Swann, which would bleed over to Santorum. Personally, i think it means both will lose.

[BlueCollar]

11. George Atkinson should run against him

:evilgrin:

[LetsGoMurphys]

12. Well this will turn into Eagles vs Steelers

I bet a lot of would be Rendell voters in Pittsburgh will vote for Swann because of football.

[hatrack]

13. Oh look! Another GOP jock-celebrity-candidate!

What a surprise!!

:eyes:

[devilgrrl]

14. If you try hard enough, you too can grow to 6'5"and catch a football for $

only if you try hard enough! :sarcasm:

[Sandpiper]

15. Saying nothing of his political skills Lynn Swann is without a doubt

The most overrated wide receiver that ever lived.

Sorry Steelers fans.

[onefortheroad]

18. Don't underestimate this guy...

[0rganism]

20. Whenever I see DUers raking on these GOP celeb candidates...

...I have to wonder if we've forgotten just how powerful these guys can be.

The most hilarious thing of all is when we start going off about their lack of policy experience and/or political know-how.

People, you have to credit ANY celebrity running on the GOP ticket with at least a 50% chance of winning, even without considering the possibility of tainted e-voting machines. I don't care who it is or what state s/he's running in for whatever office, if they're GOP you know damn well they're going to be funded out the wazoo. And this guy is going to get plenty of extra attention because he's a black republican bushite, which would put him in a minority among minorities. He may drive away some white redneck racists, but he does double the damage whenever he swings a black voter by giving the GOP representative credibility among blacks.

If you can't think of at least three ways to script a "Swann for Governor" campaign ad, you aren't really thinking. If you think a lack of policy wonkiness is going to hurt him among voters who mainly choose according to name recognition and symbolism, you aren't really thinking. Unless he has some serious skeletons in his closet, Swann poses a genuine threat to Dems winning the PA governorship in 2006.

We underestimate him at our own peril.

[lolly]

21. Which is why they run celebrities

When you're utterly bankrupt on ideas for fixing the mess we're in, and you know if you publicize your real agenda the people will run you out of town on a rail . . .

Get a macho celebrity to run. You don't have to talk policy, just cool, macho soundbites.

People will vote for you cuz it's, like, totally the cool thing to do, dude.

Yeah, I'm from California . . .

I guess Minnesotans could tell you a thing or two about this, as well.

[The_Casual_Observer]

22. It's no wonder the US is the toilet. Go ahead and elect some

football asshole to "lead" the state. How much more fucked up could things get, anyway?

[bumblebee1]

23. In honor of the DUer who said that Lynn Swann sounded like

Elmer Fudd: Shhhh, be very, very, quiet. I'm hunting Ed Rendell. hahahaha