Why is the chief Senate crotch-sniffer from Pennsylvania?

[ibegurpard]

I really don't get it. I would expect it from someone from Oklahoma or Alabama but Pennsylvania? Even Hillbilly Burns (as my very conservative father likes to call the Republican Junior Senator from Montana) doesn't get out in front of issues like this. Is this guy too right-wing for Pennsylvania and people just don't realize it? Will this wake them up? Or is Pennsylvania more wing-nut than moderate (as I always thought it was)?
:shrug:

[displacedtexan]

1. I just bought a puppy in Pennsylvania...

Disclaimer: This is not a slam against the good people of Pennsylvania; it's just my recent, limited observation of one family.

Pennsylvania is 30 minutes from Baltimore.

The puppy is a West Highland Terrier... not exactly what I would have called a Redneck dog (I'm a Texan, and my dad owned Coon Hounds).

So... when I arrive at the seller's "horse farm," I'm surprised to see junk cars and pick up truck toppers scattered in the weed-infested yard (complete with dead chicken remains) and a house that hasn't been cleaned since God created Clorox.

The puppy, which I've named Hamish, was called "Cowboy" by the Country-Western looking family, and the 2 little girls didn't bat an eye when I headed for the car with the adorable white pup. I'm pretty sure they saw "new saddle" when they looked at each puppy in the litter.

So, my point is:

I think Pennsylvania is more "moderate" than you always thought it was.

[Divernan]

2. PA is a very rural conservative state except for Pittsburgh & Phillie

And even Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) elected a Republican as it's first county-wide executive (although he lost his re-election bid to a Dem). A major problem is that the Dem machine in Allegheny county is old, out-of-date and comparable to Daley's machine in Chicago. There are way too many old fart committee people in their 60's & 70's who have blocked two generations of potential Dems from getting involved at the committee level. And for a lot of these old men & women, party power has been about getting county jobs for their children and then grandchildren. If a non-machine supported Dem won a primary, these hacks would actively work against him or her in the general election. I have known some dem commmittee people who have handed out literature for Republicans at the polls. Plus there are feuds going back decades within the county organization. Would you believe there are still splits based on whether you're Italian, Irish or Slovak?

All that being said, I have hope that Kerry's presidential race will get these clowns excited enough to forget their differences and band together to get out ALL the dem vote and along the way defeat Arlen Specter. We can't get rid of Santorum this election but it would sure be sweet to knock him out of a majority role in the Senate.

[yolatengo]

3. Pennsy is just as retarded as every other state...

Seriously. If you told average Keystoners about Ricky's bringing home his
dead fetus for his kids to fondle before proper Christian burial, they'd stare
at you in disbelief (even conservatives in central PA). This is, of course, a
true story.

The state is just full of knuckleheads who don't pay much attention and
see a smiley-faced Penn State fratboy they'd be proud of as a son or to
take home to momma. I doubt most even know he's pretty much the most
right-wing Senator in Congress. Sure they dig his anti-choice and 'family
values' platitudes, but they're a mile wide and an inch deep.

The combination of electoral ignorance and image management is a
potent one. My mom lives near Philly and when I bring up Ricky's kookier
crusades she often thinks I'm making it up (and she reads 2 papers,
including The Inquirer).

Finally, there is a huge supply of Calvinist stock in central PA. Ancestors
of English. German, Swedes they came in the 1700s and are righteous
and obstinate. They think Ricky's on a crusade to bring America back to
a 'simpler' time (picture Altoona, circa 1954). They vote straight party
ticket. Ironically, their ancestors all wore Union Blue yet they support a
party that's nearing 100% Confederate Gray. I often wonder how many
of them REALLY support their current party besides the social stuff. I
doubt many PA Railroad or US Steel lifers really dig Ricky's hatred of
Unions, but they've probably moved to Florida with their good lifetime
earnings while ignorant Wal-Marters looooooove their Ricky.

[jakefrep]

4. Oh that's easy...

Santorum is from a place (Titusville) my friends from Erie often refer to as Tight-Ass-Ville.

[skippysmom]

5. I've heard people say that PA

is Philly in the easy, Pittsburgh in the west, and Alabama in the middle.

Hence Mr. Man on Dog, I guess.

[bossfish]

6. Sort of related question...

I was watching the tube last night, flipping between Comedy Central (love South Park, Chappelle, TDS) and CNN.

CNN was discussing the Senate floor fight over the marriage amendment. They showed a short clip of Santorum ("I'm not a hater, I'm a lover, What about the children", etc.) Now, what I would have liked them to do was mention Cornyn's "box turtle" comments to more completely frame the story to America.

Did anyone see any newscasts where Cornyn's tripe was mentioned? This type of garbage requires exposure.