CBS a couple days ago posted a Top Ten VP candidates. As a Pennsylvanian, I always get a little more interested when our politicians start getting mentioned.
Like during the post-9/11 months, our former governor, Tom Ridge, was called to head up the Department of Homeland Security - a short-lived stint that essentially served to knock Ridge out of the political spotlight. The reluctant governor he left behind - Mark Schweiker - fared much better, falling in the national eye in the wake of the Quecreek Mine rescue. Many Pennsylvanians still say Schweiker was the best governor we had in years - it was too bad he didn't want the job.
Now the possibility, however slim, that we could lose our governor to the national political stage is highly amusing. As it is, there are some who joke about the possibility of former Pittsburgh mayor, Tom Murphy, moving up to Harrisburg to take Rendell's place as governor. After all, Murphy has met one of the apparent job requirements - he helped Pittsburgh get itself into financial trouble. (Rendell had done the same in Philadelphia.)
Pennsylvania is a very amusing state politically. While generally liberal - meaning blue state in the polls if not in ideology - on the national level, it is one of the most backward states in the union otherwise. It's silly little things, like the fact that you can't buy a six pack of beer in a convenience store here, and state still manages liquor sales. Suffice to say if a person is looking for a place where they do things the old-fashioned way, Pennsylvania is where to be.
Rendell had a bit of fun pointing that out during the primaries, letting loose a few comments about how sexist and racist his constituents can be. (Apologies for not posting links, but I'm figuring there was more than enough coverage about for that to be common knowledge by now.) Personally I had hoped for more uproar about it, but perhaps he wasn't far enough from the truth for a reasonable amount of righteous indignation. Regardless, CBS is probably right in their assessment that Pennsylvania can't be assumed a blue state this time around.
But Rendell as VP (or even promises to whisk him away for some other Federal post) won't help Obama - at least not for the reasons some might think. At least for the Western portion of the state, seeing Rendell go early would be cause for celebration. There is little love for him here, and the time is drawing near to put another failed mayor in the governor's mansion. After all, time stands still here in Pennsylvania, and we keep making the same mistakes over and over again. That said, I can hope people outside our lovely state can understand why our fair governor probably isn't a good choice for any position other than a resident in the "retired governor's home."