Democrat Superdelegates Shafting Hillary Clinton

Note to all visitors (Democrats, Republicans, and Independents): Please go now to the above web site -- http://clintons4mccain.com -- and join as a member. The group's goal? "We will vote for Sen. John McCain not out of anger, not out of spite, but because he is an honorable American who may not speak the most eloquent words, or give the greatest speeches, but when he does speak we can believe him. "

Oops, as one of the administrators at Clintons for McCain pointed out in a "comment," they don't accept contributions (which I discovered personally). I wish they eventually will accept contributions and play a major role -- perhaps as an independent 527 group -- in the coming election. I strongly recommend that everyone who feel sympathetic to the group (Hillary Supporters now backing McCain) would join and support the members.

I'm hoping many members of Clintons for McCain will support Pennsylvania candidates that include: Melissa Hart (4th district), Toni Gilhooley (17th district), Marina Kats (13th district), and Tom Manion (8th district). These individual's opponents all played significant roles in the shafting of Hillary Clinton, who won the Pennsylvania Primary by a huge majority.

Take as an example Manion's opponent Patrick Murphy, a first-term Democrat and a Superdelegate. Last August (!), Murphy became one of the first Superdelegages to endorse Barack Obama. He has remained a staunch Obama backer and did everything in his power to ensure that the Illinois Senator won the nomination.

How effectively did Murphy reflect "the will of the voters?" He certainly didn't mirror the popular sentiment in PA, which Hillary won by 9.2%.

But what about his own district, the 8th, centered in Southeastern PA" Bucks County? In the Primary, Mrs. Clinton won the vote by 70,253 to 41,791. That decisive victory apparently impressed Murphy not-at-all. In essence, his motto was "The public be damned."

What about Melissa Hart's opponent, Democratic Superdelegate Jason Altmire? Again, Hillary carried his 4th district by historic majorities. She won my own county (Beaver) by 28,205 to 12,184. She won neighboring Lawrence by 12,581 to 3,349.

Gee, Altmire must have come out enthusiastically for Hillary, right? Surely you jest. On June 5, with Hillarey ready to concede, he told the RepublicanHerald.com that he remained "undeclared" but that he "supported Obama." Say what???

Rep. Tim Holden in Toni Gilhooley's district has earned a place in weasel-doom. Hillary carried his district (Harrisburg and surrounding counties) by a significant margin, but Holden never endorsed her. He also never endorsed Obama. He now insists that the question of his vote is "moot."

He may be the first elected official in history to vote "moot."

Supporters of Hillary Clinton (or of anyone) can interpret for themselves what's going on here.

I'm supporting Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, Marina Kats, and Tom Manion because they're superior candidates and superior -- as human beings -- to their Democrat opponents. I hope the people at Clintons for McCain will do the same.

There's a great deal more going wrong in the Democratic Party than merely the cynicism of people like Barack Obama, Howard Dean, Bob Casey, John Kerry, and Nancy Pelosi. The shafting of Sen. Clinton is reflective of a political party that's rotten to the core.

MAHHS Flocking to John McCain

What is/are "MAHHS?" Read on.

The web site -- a critically important one -- is called Clintons4McCain. I'm going to ask everyone who comes here (or to my other blogs) -- Democrat, Republican, Independent -- to go there right now, register, and participate in it. (http://clintons4mccain.com). I did.

I'm also going to ask you to contribute $10 or more. I did.

The site now has about 1250 registered members (including me). That's a lot for a web site, but it shows every sign of continuing to grow rapidly.What exactly is Clintons for McCain? It's a site for MAHHS ("Mad as Heck Hillary Supporters).

They are now committed to supporting John McCain for President. To overtures from the Democrats' presumptive nominee, they say: "NoBama!" They think Obama used race and gender improperly to win the nomination. They also believe the national media dumped endless truckloads of garbage on Sen. Clinton.

I agree with them. But even if you don't agree, go and join (and contribute a few bucks!) anyway. If you're not an American national, you can still contribute, because Clintons for McCain is an independent group not subject to FEC regulations. Heck, send them a tiny chunk of your stimulus check. (And if you're in generous mood, do the same for John McCain.)

No, it isn't a site where you should argue the fine points of the abortion issue -- or the merits and demerits of Mrs. Clinton's health care plan. It's a place to be respectful and supportive of people with the same primary goal as yours: Remember, joining this group does not mean you need to "worship at the altar of Hillary."

Will you feel welcome there? Yes, because here's their basic message: "Welcome to the official website of the Clintons for McCain movement. We're still working on it and it will always be a work in progress. We welcome contributions and suggestions, and of course volunteer help!Please create an account and participate in our forum. Unlike what we have seen with the DNC and the Democratic party of late, we welcome all and no one's disenfranchised. Join us and help stop the home-grown terrorist sleeper cell Obama and help instead elect an honorable, trustworthy and honest man -- Senator John McCain -- to our nation's highest office."

Bingo, there's the link -- the common thread: the election of a "trustworthy and honest man -- Senator John McCain -- to our nation's highest office.

I've asked three trustworthy and honest congressional candidates from Pennsylvania -- Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, and Marina Kats -- to join Clintons4McCain. After they get over the initial shock, I think they will all join. I also asked them -- as I am you -- to make a small contribution to the group.

The women cited in the previous paragraph CAN win their congressional races, but they can't do it by appealing only to Republicans. (I write regularly about the Hart, Gilhooley, and Kats races on my Pennsylvania for John McCain blog.)For just about any Republican -- from John McCain on down -- to win this year will require boldness and imagination. It will also offering a hand of friendship to Democrats profoundly dissatisfied with their Party.

The people of Clintons4McCain already are receiving a stream of vitriol from Moveon.org and the Daily Kos, both pillars of the "Hate America" movement. The Clintonites want nothing to do with those unsavory groups.


As elements of the McCain Campaign, let's give them our praise and support. Join now. Contribute now. I did, and it made me feel very good.

PA's Devious, Depserate, Despicable Democrats

"The best way for a Democrat to get elected in Pennsylvania is to pretend he's pro-life and pro-gun -- and never explain why he's in a Party that's neither."

NOTE: AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE IS WHAT MAY (KEY WORD) BE IMPORTANT BREAKING NEWS ABOUT BARACK OBAMA

It also helps for the elected Democrats to ignore -- as best they can -- that the state massivley favored Hillary Clinton in the primaries. Right now, Democratic politicians in this state are twisting themselves into cortortions to back Obama, a candidate whose views are totally at variance with most Pennsylvanians. It's quite a spectacle.

Some of Pennsylvania's most prominent Hillary haters -- including Bob Casey, Jr., Rep. Patrick Murphy, and Rep. Jason Altmire -- are backing Obama. So too is Cong. Tim Holden, who alternately claims to be undecided or undeclared. Actually, he's just unaware.

I write about such people today (Friday) on my Pennsylvania blog, and I urge you to visit. Pennsylvania went massively in the Primary for Hillary Clinton. So why are all those elected officials drooling over Obama? Answer: Because they obviously believe the voters in the Keystone State are a bunch of nitwits.

Why on earth should Pennsylvania politics matter to you? Because most observers believe that if John McCain wins the state, he will be President-elect. And because many Republican challengers of Democrat incumbents (including Murphy, Altmire, and Holden) conceivably could win their races.

Those challengers are outstanding human being who deserve your support. Please visit their web sites: Tom Manion, Melissa Hart, and Toni Gilhooley. If you make even a small contribution (say, $10 or $15) you will have struck a real blow for political integrity.

It's true that "freedom isn't free," but if we lose it, we have lost everything.

Cindy Reidhead of http://thepinkflamingo.blogharbor.com has been searching Hawaii records to determine that Barack Obama was in fact born in the U.S. (Hawaii). Here's the bulletin Cindy sent out Friday afternoon. (She's located in Hobbs, NM and was a protege of Republican political genius Lee Atwater.)

"It is entirely possible I have found something rather interesting. I chucked out money to locate Barack Obama's birth certificate in Hawaii. From what I found, there is no such record. It is entirely possible that I am completely wrong, and probably am - but here is what I found. Knowing the secrecy of Hawaiian records, I probably am wrong,. But - it's a for what it is worth. it is possible . . . "
Here is the URL"

GOP Candidates: Bucking the Tide

In congressional politics, it's an unwritten rule: incumbents get re-elected and challengers lose. In Pennsylvania this year some truly oustanding candidates are swimming against that tide -- and look like they just might "make it to shore" (i.e., win). Although I usually save my Pennsylvania-specific columns for that site, I'm reprinting this column here because it bears on races across the nation.

How Does a Challenger Beat a Strong Incumbent?

Toni Gilhooley, Republican candidate for Congress in PA’s 17th Congressional District, served as a member of the PA State Police for 25 years. Her husband, William, served in the same organization as a homicide investigator. When talking about investigations, William says they are exercises in “expanding the circle.”

What he means by that is that his work began with a small circle – consisting of things like a crime scene, some relevant clues, perhaps a few witnesses, and perhaps a suspect (or “person of interest”) or two. Solving the crime meant building on the small circle, seeking out more details and people to bring the case to a good conclusion. In another words, it was necessary investigators to build bigger circles in order to solve the crime in a way that would result in a successful prosecution.

Politics functions in much the same way. A candidate starts out with a handful of staff members, a relatively modest group of strong supporters, as well as a small list of donors. In fact, many potential donors are afraid to contribute, because they fear the wrath of the incumbent. Other people who hesitate to donate would rather not back someone they perceive as a loser.

If an incumbent is to win, he or she must expand the circle. They must get more people to support them – and that, by itself, should lead to an increased number of contributions. Get a bandwagon-effect going, and you’ll be surprised by how many people start jumping aboard. Become everybody’s “favorite underdog” and you’ll soon start looking like the “overdog.”

As a candidate, you need to get supporters to reach out to friends, neighbors, and family members . . . and turn them into new supporters. The way to get support is to ask for it – or, perhaps, to get someone else to ask for it. Get one supporter to attract 10 others – and then ask the ten “newbies” to do the same.

Tell them how to do it (face-to-face, phone, or e-mail) and ask everyone who gets involved to “expand the circle.” Thus, ask people for support – and get them to do the same. (If they're sending out e-mails, ask them to copy you. Then, inform them you will send out exactly ONE e-mail of your own, also asking for support.)

Tell supporters exactly what kind of behavior – by them and others – is necessary for you to win. Explain also how you do need contributions – small, medium, or large – to get your message out. Point out to people of modest means that modest contributions are welcome – and extremely helpful.

Everyone has an e-mail list. I have one with 500-plus activists nationwide, and it grows every bay. If people have a list with 10-20-30 or more people on it, send out e-mails that say, for example, “I met Toni Gilhooley, candidate for the 17th district seat in Congress. She spent 25 years working for the PA State Police, and her husband did the same.

“Toni’s a terrific candidate who’s really in touch with the views and needs of people in our area. I’d like to urge you to look into Toni’s candidacy and support her in any way you can. You can find out about her campaign at: http://gilhooleyforcongress.com. Thanks for any help you can give Toni. I hope you’ll let your friends and family members know about her candidacy.”

Ideally, about 25,000 such e-mails and/or phone calls (and maybe more) would go out. Perhaps 8,000 of the people contacted would go to Toni’s web site, and roughly 400-600 would make donations. (There should be a bang-up video appeal for funds on the web site.)

Ask for votes. Ask for support (and give some specifics about what “support” means). And ask for money. And keep mentioning your web site.

If you as a candidate keep extending your “circles,” at some point a large segment of people in your district will vote for you on Election Day. But the key is explaining to audiences, large and small, exactly how they can help you to win your uphill battle against the incumbent.

On Monday, I’m going to use a football analogy – you can’t go wrong with football stories in Pennsylvania – to show exactly how a big underdog won a very important game. The team did so by figuring out exactly what they had to accomplish to win – and then went ahead and did it.

Right now, I’m one of the few people that believes Melissa Hart. (4th CD), Toni Gilhooley (17th CD), and Marina Kats (13th CD), and a few others (like Tom Manion, 8th CC) can win. They’re running against heavily financed incumbents who will do anything necessary to prevail.

I believe Melissa, Toni, Marina, and Tom can win – if they do everything right. Most importantly, they have to keep expanding those circles.

http://gilhooleyforcongress.com
http://peoplewithhart.com
http://katsforcongress.com
http://votemanion.com.
http://livingstonforcongress.com
http://craigwilliamsforcongress.com

Here's the key: The people who volunteer to help -- and actually do so, by putting up yard signs or going door-to-door -- are the most likely to recruit others who will help. The people who donate are most likely to know others who will do the same. Strength builds on strength. If someone contributes $200 or more, ask them if they'd like to serve on the Finance Committee. If someone contributes $2300, make them one of the co-chairs of the Finance Committee. Have frequent meetings with the entire Committee. Every dollar you spend should be getting you votes.

Sarah Palin Belongs to America

In tomorrow's column (up Thursday night by 8 p.m.), I'm going to take Senator McCain to task for some real errors in judgment by his staffers that have led to problems for the campaign. The most valuable staff members a candidate can have are those who will tell him the unbridled truth -- call it engaging in "straight talk." The Senator needs more people like that. This week he fired five staffers. He should never have hired them in the first place. I also suggest two people he should hire immediately (I'm not one of them, although I am a straight talker.) Material about Gov. Palin is below.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath Palin, mother of a U.S. Army infantryman, comforts a wounded American soldier.

Very important endorsement of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin from a big-time blogger and erstwhile Rudy supporter. Sarah should be on the McCain ticket as the V-P nominee. (Read much more about her on Adam's site: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/.)

Let's all publicize this . . . I'm going to write more about Sarah soon and suggest that, when she's named to the ticket that she have Adam and perhaps more of "the gang" around her to help deal with the media outcry over her supposed lack of "experience" and lack of foreign policy creds, blah, blah, blah. She needs to defuse that in a hurry and come out of the gate like Derby winner "Big Brown." If she does her "Sarah thing," she can almost ensure victory in November

I'll be starting to beat the drums for Sarah today.

We have three excellent female candidates in Pennsylvania (Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, and Marina Kats) for the House, and if McCain names Sarah, as I beleve he will, it would help every female Republican in the country. She will also help John McCain win Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, and Michigan.

Sarah has ZERO BAGGAGE. We do not need a ticket of "two old white guys," which sends a message of business as usual. If McCain names Sarah, the message is that she probably will become America's first female President.

Mother of a Downs Syndrome child ("Trig"), mother of an infantry soldier ("Track"), female professional, life member of NRA, skeptic about the more extreme views on climate change, ferocious campaigner who's beaten a big-time Democrat, fiscally conservative, extremely bright, wife of a real working stiff ("Todd"), believer in traditional marriage but not anti-gay, beautiful children, a devout Christian who belives God put her on earth to do good works.

Gee, what does she bring to the table? She brings, as the Book of Common Prayer puts it, "not less than everything."

IRAQ: CRITICAL TO AMERICA'S FUTURE

Please help this site become one of the most influential on the Web. You can do that by sending a link to friends (and political sympathizers) and urging them to visit. It's: http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com. The number of visitors on my "HillarySupporters" site quintupled today. If we could keep that up for 30 days or so, the number of visitors would equal the population of China. :-) They do have computers there, don't they?

When it comes down to guessing who would prevail -- Hillary or the speeding train -- I'd be inclined to be bet on her.

As many of you know, I'm deeply involved in a growing national movement to reach out to people who support Sen. Clinton in the presidential primaries -- and get them to vote for John McCain in the general election. As many as 10 million Clinton supporters nationally say they will -- or might -- vote for McCain. If he gets most of those votes, he will win the election. My view of Sen. Clinton is this: yes, I disagree with her on many (even most) issues. No, I don't regard her as "the Witch of Endor." In Pennsylvania, she impressed many of us -- however reluctant we might have been -- with her personal grit and the ferocity of her campaign. In short, in a street-fight I want her on my side. As for Obama, in said street-fight I want him to hold my coat (and Hillary's). I have an important column up today on my new -- and, to my amazement, popular! -- site: http://HillarySupportersforMcCain.blogspot.com ("Hatchets Hacking Away at Hillary"). Please visit and, if you'd like, let me know your thoughts. You can leave comments on the blog or write me at: TalkTop65@aol.com. There's also a lot of discussion of Hillary voters on the important new McCain site: http://mccainnow.com. Please check out "McCainNow."

Many people who visit here are solidly behind John McCain's choosing Gov. Sarah Heath Palin of Alaska as his vice-presidential running mate. Don't hesitate to copy this "unoficial" button and use it on your own site. Thanks to all who love Sarah and the remarkable Palin family. And thanks to Ethan of "MyMcCainBlog" for creating it.

A site you might truly enjoy -- and part of an important national movement -- is: http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com/. Please visit (and return)

"I am in earnest; I will not equivocate; I will not excuse; I will not retreat a single inch; and I will be heard." -- William Lloyd Garrison

Dr. Paul Kengor, distinguished political scientist at Grove City College and expert on Ronald Reagan and many other subjects, asked me about my appearance last night on Eric Dondero BlogTalkRadio show LIBERTARIAN POLITICS LIVElibertarian, Republican, Libertarian Party, libertari

Paul, you can find an archived version by by going to Eric Dondero's site (click above). It's available for at least a week on "Podcast." It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had in many years.

Dr. Murray Sabrin, candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in NJ, is a nice man with great views on the economy, but he disagrees with McCain on Iraq. He cited poll numbers that showed 70% of NJ voters "want out" of Iraq. I told him that "70% of NJ voters are dead wrong on that."

Eric Dondero, talk show host and a Navy vet, and I attacked Sabrin's views rather ferociously. I told him (essentially) that if we flee Iraq and al Qaeda takes over in the MidEast the price of oil will be $250 a barrel and our economy and civil society will be destroyed.

I also said that the primary goal of Mideast extremists is "to kill Jews . . . and to destroy Israel." Dr. Sabrin is Jewish and his father was an officer in the Polish Army in WW II. I read a statement by Marina Kats (also a Jew and born in Russia), who's a Republican candidate for Allyson Schwartz's seat, where Marina says she'd like to get out of Iraq as soon as possible but only when it's "safe" to do so -- and serves our "national security" needs.

Eric and I both "accused" (not in a mean way) Dr. Sabrin, Obama, and others of wanting a "Fortress America," an approach that would only encourage terrorists and eventually result in more 9/11 disasters.

I asked Dr. Sabrin, "Don't you think John McCain knows -- more than any other American -- about the horrors and tragedies of war?' Dr. Sabrin pointed out that we hadn't yet captured Osama bin Laden. I said that was true -- and a black mark on U.S. intelligence, but that we had captured Khalid Sheik Muhammed (KSM), "the architect of 9/11."

I said there was some concern about the treatment of KSM, but I didn't give a hoot about what happened with him. I said, "If they boil him in oil, it's better than he deserves." I added that the ACLU was probably in Guantanamo seeing if KSM needed an additional pillow and extra copies of the Koran.

I mentioned with great respect the campaign of retired Marine Colonel Tom Manion (against Patrick Murphy). Col. Manion's son, Travis, a Naval Academy graduate, was killed in Iraq.

Eric emphasized that there's a disconnect between war opponents and the soldiers who are serving in Iraq (and Afghanistan). Eric noted that the soldiers' job is, if necessary, "to die for their country." They don't want to die, but they are willing to pay that price. I cited some wonderful young Marines I know (Adam and Matt) who have served several tours in garden spots that include Fallujah and that absolutely fall into the category described by Eric.

I called attention to Barack Obama's statement that if things went to Hades in a handbasket if we withdrew precipitously from Iraq, then President Obama might "reinvade." I pointed out that his irresponsible statement showed Obama was totally detached from the realities in the MidEast and was pandering to the extreme Left.

Near the end of the program I talked about the candidacies of John McCain and (congressional candidates) Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, Michael Livingston, Tom Manion, and Marina Kats. I said that some of them might lose -- and in fact all of them might lose. But if they did, they would not be going "gentle into that good night," but rather go down with guns blazing. My support for them it total because they are absolutely outstanding human beings.

(I've added some phrases above for clarification. I haven't done justice to Eric's wonderful assertion of his own love for America and its servicemen and servicewomen. He said the VA, operating under very difficult circumstances, is doing a "wonderful" job treating American soldiers.)

On a past show, Eric Dondero, who has some unusual guests, had me on as a guest with a transvestite "libertarian" from Kansas. At one point on that show I promised that I would move to Kansas to vote for him (her?). Actually, I plan to stay in Ambridge.

I was very proud to be on the show last night and to have a partner like Eric. I think we are both sick of the "fantasy debate" that usually goes on about the war in Iraq. People who oppose the war have a right to their opinions, but they must make every effort not to frame the debate in a way that endangers the lives of men and women defending this country.

GOP Candidates: Seizing Hillary Supporters

Media, candidates, and others: Please feel free to post, reprint, forward, or discuss this piece. Please make mention of the fact that this article originally appeared on: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com. If you have a blog or web site, please establish a link. Thanks. "We must all hang together, or most assuredly, we will all hang separately." (B. Franklin) I receive no financial support or direction from any candidate.

Tomorrow I'm going to write about the following piece from Politico.com: GOP Leaders Warn of Election Disasterpolitico.com — Shellshocked House Republicans got warnings from leaders past and present Tuesday: Your party’s message isn’t good enough to prevent disaster in November, and neither is the NRCC’s [National Republican Congressional Committee's] money. The Republican brand has been so badly damaged that if Republicans try to run an anti-Obama or anti-Rev. Wright campaign, they are simply going to fail. More… (US Elections 2008)

The article's message is either poppycock or balderdash. I haven't figured out which. A candidate's "brand" is not the Party. Rather, it is the candidate herself or himself. Also, if those supposed "leaders" had done a better job leading, well, things would be better.

There's much hand-wringing lately over the loss of Republican candidate Woody Jenkins in a supposedly "safe" election in Louisiana. As Karl Rove put it Tuesday night, "Look, Woody Jenkins [who's lost more elections than Britney Spears has mispaced underwear] is a fine man, but he's terrible candidate." I support only exceptional candidates.

As for Woody's loss, the best way to get candidates for congressional races is NOT to "round up all the usual suspects." Instead, get people who have great integrity and a real passion for the voters of their district. They usually win.

More to come on Wednesday.


On my Pennsylvania-specific blog, I have posted a strategy for Keystone State congressional candidates. Since it has national implications, I'm re-posting it here on this national blog. ON THIS BLOG THE EMPHASIS WILL NOT BE ON PROVIDING TIDBITS OF INFORMATION, BUT RATHER ON STRATEGIES AND TACTICS FOR WINNING. "Winning isn't everything -- it's the ONLY thing." (Vince Lombardi)


"[There's] this aspect of the Boy's Club ganging up on her [Hillary] and shoving her out." Chuck Todd, MSNBC

Barack Obama will almost certainly be the Democrats' presidential nominee. The question for presidential nominee John McCain and congressional candidates like Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, Mike Livingston, and Marina Kats is how can they pick up the votes of Hillary Clinton supporters.

A lot of Hillary voters, as many as 45%, say they will not vote for Obama. If they will defect from the Democratic nominee, they may just defect from "down-ballot" candidates.

Melissa, Toni, and Marina can appeal to many disaffected Hillary backers. One major way they can do so is to emphasize the need for Pennsylvania to elect women to federal offices, including the presidency and the Congress.

The Republican candidates need to emphasize the many things they have in common with Hillary voters, especially their belief that Mrs. Clinton was mistreated by the national media (which is true) and by the arbitrary rules set by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean (also true).

Melissa, Toni, and Marina should say very explicitly -- and often -- that they want the Hillary supporters to back them. But won't that offend Obama voters? Possibly, but who cares? They're the left-wing types who aren't going to vote for any Republicans.

Consider a few example of results from the Pennsylvania Primary:

4th District (Beaver County, Melissa's District) Hillary 28,205 Barack 12,184

17th District (Lebanon, Toni's District) Hillary 7,316 Barack 5,772

13th District (Montgomery, Marina's District) Hillary 77,762 Barack 75,515

I sent the following e-mail to Sharon Caliendo, a political consultant in the Southwest:Sharon: Thanks so much for passing my "Hillary Strategy" along to Congressman Tom Cole's office.

The issue has really nothing to do with whether someone "agrees" with Hillary. On some issues Hillary is okay (there are lots of issues after all!) and on some she is not so good.The real question: is Mrs. Clinton getting shafted by the Democrats' "old boys network" and by the national media, which hates her? The answer is yes.

Consider again Chuck Todd's comment last night on MSNBC: "[There's] this aspect of the Boy's Club ganging up on her [Hillary] and shoving her out."Bingo, Mr. Todd.

As I'm saying on my blogs -- and trying to get many others to say the same thing -- it will help Republican candidates (especially females) to start pointing out that Mrs. Clinton is getting savaged by media and political hacks (Howard Dean) who have done everything they can to wreck her campaign.Our Republican candidates should start saying that out loud (and in press releases).

Many Democrats, especially women voters, believe it's time in our nation's progress for a female candidate to get the nomination for the presidency.I've been advocating that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin be our GOP candidate for President in 2012 (if we lose this election) or 2016. I've done this not because she's a woman but because she is a remarkable human being and the most effective elected official in any state.

In PA, Hillary Clinton won nearly every county -- in some cases, she won by three-to-one or even four-to-one. We need to reach out (and keep reaching out) to Hillary Clinton supporters. They are the keys to John McCain winning the presidency -- and to many fine candidates getting elected to Congress.

Sharon, I want people like Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, and Marina Kats to win elections. To do so, they have to defy some of the conventional wisdom, especially the elements that will lead to "conventional" defeats.

The three Republican candidates did NOT grow up with "silver spoons" in their mouths, and they need to get that across to Hillary supporters.

In the PA Primary on April 22, Mrs. Clinton got 1.25 million votes, an amazing total. Many of those voters will understand that we're running superb candidates this year. Winning is just so much more enjoyable than losing.

John McCain has said he wants to contest for every vote. I hope every one of our candidates, male or female, takes that approach. Sen. Clinton has campaigned with real ferocity and skill. She should have our respect for that.

(Note: Here's what Adam, a Coloradan and probably the best young political operative in the country, said about the thoughts in this column: "Good strategy. I'm not an expert on PA, but Hillary supporters certainly seem like a key to GOP victory. If you can hang Obama around a local Dem's neck, you might be able to pick of quite a few votes. The only caveat is that you probably can't associate Obama too closely with Dems who backed Clinton.")

Following are additional statements on the "Hillary Strategy." I posted them on http://www.mccainnow.com/, an important site bringing together McCain supporters. I urge you to visit and register so you can participate on it.


Like you, I've been fascinated by the "exit polls" showing that a great many Hillary Clinton voters (nearly half in Indiana) are saying that will not vote for Barack Obama. Very, very interesting -- and more than just "interesting."

On my Pennsylvania blog (http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com/) I'm asking John McCain and several great (female) congressional candidates in PA to go after those Hillary supporters. It's essential that John McCain (and other GOP hopefuls) start asking explicity for support from voters who have backed Mrs. Clinton.

Frankly, I hope John McCain and other candidates for federal offices say and do some unconventional things. Specifically, I hope they say that Mrs. Clinton is being savaged by the national media (which happens to be true). I also hope they say (accurately) that the Senator is being shafted by Howard Dean and other members of what Chuck Todd (of MSNBC) calls "the Democratic 'Old Boy's' Club."

If we scratch Hillary's back, many of her supporters will end up scratching ours.
Recognize that it makes eminent sense for Republicans to treat Howard Dean (an odious creature) like a political pinata. Actions by Dean and other in his Democrat Cabal -- specifically, the dinenfranchisement of Michigan and Florida Democrats should be a major issue for McCain.

We need to sympathize (now!) with those disenfrachised Democrats. We must remind those voters that Dean is treating them like dirt. Deans' strong-arm tactics are depriving Mrs. Clinton of the nomination.

Yes, I'm aware that in politics the actions I'm advocating "just aren't done." Why they're not done, however, is a question that has no real good answer.

In my home state of Pennsylvania, I'm strongly backing one presidential candidate (John McCain) and four great congressional candidates (Mike Livingston, Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, and Marina Kats). I have this terrible sense that if all four of them don't reach out forcefully -- and explicitly -- to Hillary's suppoters, then all they all could lose Pennsylvania.

John McCain has said many times that he wants to "contest for every vote." In the Pennsylvania Primary, Mrs. Clinton got 1.25 million votes. I'm a selfish Republican -- and I hope McCain and others also are. I want a good chunk of those million-and-a-quarter votes to go to oustanding Republican candidates, starting with John McCain.

In recent memory, Senator Clinton said the following: "I have a lifetime of experince. John McCain has a lifetime of experience. Senator Obama has a speech [against the Iraq War] that he gave in 2002." I hope McCain is readying a commercial featuring Clinton making that statement.

Yes, when the Democratic Primary comes to and end -- presumably at some point in our lifetimes -- Mrs. Clinton will go through the motions of endorsing Barack Obama. But her heart -- and I assume she has one -- will not be in it. In reality, she will be looking ahead to 2012 and her race against . . . President McCain.

So, let's go get those Hillary supporters. We need to sympathize with them about their candidate's legitimate grievances against the Obama-loving media and the Clinton-hating national chairman (Dean). If we ask sincerely for their votes, we can get them -- and in massive numbers.

Great Candidates, Great Investments

Question: Is it possible that, as 54% of the American people believe, that Barack Obama shared a least some views with Rev. Jeremiah Wright?

Answer: My greatest fear is that he shares many such views. Michelle Obama has said, "In 2008 America is a mean place" and that she has only become "proud of [her] country" as her husband has become successful in the primaries. Frankly, does Obama agree with his wife? Who knows? Right now, Obama looks dispirited and unelectable.

Since this is a national blog -- one that talks a lot about the presidential race -- why have I been discussing congressional races in Pennsylvania? I'm doing so because it's essential that McCain, if he wins on Nov. 4, have enough Republicans in Congress to keep him from having a failed presidency. If he has to depend on Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, then God save the republic.

As you've been hearing for some time, Pennsylvania, where I live, will be a crucial battleground in this year's election. If John McCain wins the Keystone State, it's probable he will be the next President. For McCain to win, the Republican Party must get out the vote. That will require a lot of organization at the district (congressional), county, and local levels. Right now, the organizational capacity is questionable.

The GOP in Pennsylvania -- and other states -- is still reeling from the heavy losses in 2006. The stench from the Mark Foley, Duke Cunningham, and Bob Ney scandals has not yet fully abated.

I've been supporting several Republican candidates between I believe they and John McCain can build upon one another's strength. If those candidates flounder, it will hurt the Republican cause in general and our presidential hopes in particular.

The candidates I've endorsed include Melissa Hart (in the 4th district -- where I reside -- opposing Democrat incumbent Jason Altmire); Marina Kats (in the 13th district, opposing Democrat incumbent Allyson Schwartz); Toni Gilhooley (in the 17th district, opposing Democrat incumbent Tim Holden); and Michael Livingston (in the 2d district, opposing Democrat incumbent Chaka Fattah).

If I can read the national Republican Party's mind -- and, in this single case, I believe I can -- they believe Melissa Hart almost certainly will win. Frankly, Melissa's loss in 2006 was a fluke, a result of a temporary anti-Republican tidal wave.

What does the national GOP think about the prospects for the other candidates, Kats, Gilhooley, and Livingston? They probably believe all three will lose. They might be right in all three instances, but -- at the beginning of May -- there's no certainly about next November's results.

The only thing worse than losing a congressional race -- and it's much worse -- is to leave the race uncontested. Frankly, we Republicans have to stop conceding 100-plus seats to the Democrats. That's an obvious point we all need to get across to the national Party.

Yes, Kats and Gilhooley are currently big underdogs in their races. But I've told them both that I believe, if they do just about everything right, they can win. I'm not stupid, and I know the odds, but Gilhooley and Kats are going build great support in their districts. Both of them, especially Gilhooley, are going to benefit from McCain's strong showing in the state. As for Kats, her youth intelligence, and patriotism are going to contrast sharply with Schwartz, who has none of those qualities.

As for Michael Livingston, he will gains tens of thousands of votes more than any Republican has in his district. He's not waging what is known as a "starter campaign," but he is establishing a foundation that the GOP has never had in the the 2d district. Livingston, a tax attorney and law professor, is a great candidate -- while his opponent, Fattah, is an awful one.

Right now (and again, this is my belief), the national Republican Party, which has millions on hand, is preparing to give Livingston, Kats, and Gilhooley a grand total of zero dollars and zero cents. Why? Because they don't believe they can win.

It's something like the old line about getting a loan from the bank. If you really need the money, the bank won't give it to you. If you don't need it, they'll give you all you ask for.

In 2006, my friend and political ally Diana Lynn Irey ran against John Murtha. In the election, Diana got nearly 80,000 votes in a district where Republicans were lucky to get 40,000. She raised $856,000. She had more individual contributors (7,000) than Murtha. She brought many people -- a lot of them young -- into Republican politics.

What did Diana get from the national Republicans -- and for that matter, from the state Republicans? Basically, she got their best wishes. But as for the check, well, it was never in the mail.

Contrast Diana's situation with that of Rep. Tom Reynolds, a member of the Republican leadership and congressman from a "safe" Republican district in upstate New York (Buffalo suburbs to Rochester suburbs). Historically, it's a district where it's nearly impossible for a Republican to lose. Reynolds, unfortunately, almost accomplished the impossible.

He won 52% to 48% in 2006 in a district where a Republican should win by at least 60% to 40%. How much did it cost him to win? Almost $5.3 million dollars, an almost unimaginable sum. A good chunk of his campaign war chest came from the national Republican Party.

Look at it this way: Reynold got 30,000 more votes in his district than Irey got in hers. He spent nearly $50 per vote. In contrast, Irey spent about $11 per vote. (Just FYI, Murtha spent roughly $28 per vote.) If Diana had been able to spend, say, $22 a vote guess who might just have won the election against Murtha?

As for the Tom Reynolds of the world, they have access to huge amounts of campaign cash. If they need lots of cash from the national Party, then they're bad investments. Money sent to them is a form of political CPR.

I'm recommending that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) give Gilhooley and Kats at least $10,000 up front. I'm also recommending that they give Livingston, more of a longshot, $5,000. When the three candidates use the money to build strong organizations -- and thus go up in the polls -- the NRCC should give them more money. In politics as in life, money begets money.

In its support of candidates, the NRCC doesn't seem to favor organizational development. Instead, it seems to favor having candidates in trouble spend hundreds of thousands on TV ads. Generally, at least in recent months, those candidates seem to lose.In politics, that's not a great way to run -- or to build -- a Party.

Here's a bulletin to national Republicans: TV ads, while helpful with name recognition, don't work nearly as well as they once did. In support of that position, I point to one Barack Obama. In the Pennsylvania primary, Obama broke all records for television commercials. He spent $10 million, and had a total of nearly 7,000 ads in the state. For all that, he lost to Mrs. Clinton by 9.2%.

There are reasons TV ads don't work as well now as they did a decade ago, but I'll save that subject for another day.Frankly, the next election does not, if we lose, signify the end of the world as we know it. When we have great candidates -- as we do with Gilhooley, Kats, and Livingston, we need to support them.

Consider this: In 1974 and 1976, novice candidate Newt Gingrich lost his first two races for Congress. In 1978, he finally won. Sixteen years later he was Speaker of the House.

The future of the Republican Party rests with great candidates like Irey, Hart, Kats, Gilhooley, and Livingston. I fully expect more than one of them to win on November 4. And remember, I'm the one who called Hillary Clinton's Pennsylvania win -- almost down to the precise decimal point.

Note: If you want to contribute to or otherwise support the Republican candidates I've noted, click on the links above. The exception is Marina Kats, whom you can support by clicking on her link, but whose contributions should go via snail mail to:
Kats For Congress
PO Box 91
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006

Conservatives, Libertarians, Republicans: Send Money

NOTE: ANY MEDIA OUTLET, CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE OR BLOGGER WHO WOULD LIKE TO USE ALL OR PART OF THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE IS WELCOME TO DO SO. JUST GIVE A LINK TO THE SITE. Another column here will be up Sunday afternoon. Thanks for visiting


Note: On my Pennsylvania blog (http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com) on Saturday night I've begun writing about one of America's worst congressmen, Chaka Fattah, a Democrat from Philadelphia. Please visit.

"Americans [unlike every other nation in the world] identify ourselves by fidelity to certain political principles." (Justice Antonin Scalia)

This weekend -- and continuing well into next week -- I'll be writing about my favorite congressional candidates, some of them mainly conservative, some mainly libertarian, but all of them Republicans with much in common. These candidates need --and eminently deserve -- your political, financial, and moral support. They include:

• Melissa Hart, who lost her race for re-election in 2006 in PA's 4th congressional district (west and north of Pittsburgh) and is running again to regain it. Melissa is a slight favorite to win, mainly because John McCain should carry the district by a huge margin -- and thus help propel Melissa to victory. I've written a lot about Melissa (who was -- and will be -- my congressional representative) and will write a great deal more.
• Toni Gilhooley, a 25-year-veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police who is running against Democratic incumbent Tim Holden in Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district (Harrisburg and surrounding communities). Toni is a big underdog, but as I'll explain, she has the drive and personal characteristics needed to achieve an upset.
• Marina Kats, an attorney and an immigrant from Russia, who's running against extreme leftist Allyson Schwartz, in Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district (Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia). I've said -- humorously but accurately -- that Marina is the most beautiful young woman ever to run for Congress. She's also an underdog, but with the national attention her campaign will receive. she has a chance to do the impossible: beat militant leftist Allyson Schwartz.
• Michael Livingston, a law professor and tax expert, who's running against Democratic incumbent Chaka Fattah in Pennsylvania's 2d congressional district (Philadelphia). A true libertarian Republican (Marina also fits that definition), Michael will wage a strong campaign against an opponent who currently appears to be unbeatable. I'll be writing a lot more about Michael in the coming months.

What do I wish YOU would do right now? I hope you'll click on the candidates' names above, go to their web sites, learn about them, and make at least a small donation to their campaigns (perhaps $10 or, if you can afford it, $200 or more).

Granted, very few Americans ever donate to a political campaign -- perhaps 2% of the population. However, if you don't contribute to candidates you believe in, they have little chance of getting their message across. Everyone reading this piece has one vote, but those who do contribute are leveraging (increasing) their influence on the election.

In 2006, I worked hard on the campaign of Republican Diana Lynn Irey, who ran against "The Prince of Pork," John Murtha. Diana didn't win the election, but she was able to get support from 7,000 donors. In fact, she had many more individual contributors than Murtha, one of the most powerful -- and objectionable -- individuals in the U.S. Congress. Diana established a foundation for the future, hers and the Republican Party's in Pennsylvania.

Yesterday, Friday, I had a long phone conversation with Toni Gilhooley. She is an absolutely remarkable woman. Trust me, Toni is exactly the kind of individual we need in the House of Representatives. Her opponent, Tim Holden, passes himself off as a "conservative Democrat," which is something like claiming to be "the world's tallest midget."

In fact, one of the first things Holden did in the current Congress was to vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. Of course, in that single action Holden -- the supposed "conservative" -- ensured that left-wing Democrats would head every important committee. He also ensured that no "conservative" -- or even moderate -- legislation would ever see the light of day.

That's a little detail Tim Holden withholds from his constituents. It's a detail Toni Gilhooley MUST get across to 17th district voters if she hopes to win. In other words, she has to drive home the point that Tim Holden, amiable as he seems to be, is a total impostor. In return, the voters have to consider the real possibility that Holden is not the man they've thought he was.

Also, anyone who is going to vote for John McCain in the 17th -- and most people will -- must realize that they're cancelling out their vote if they cast a ballot for Holden.

In the case of Marina Kats, her opponent, Allyson Schwartz raises a massive amount of campaign funds -- more than $7 million in the last two election cycles. Who donates to Schwartz? The most left-wing political action committees and individuals in the U.S. People who contribute to Schwartz take a dim view of America's role as a powerful, dynamic force on the world stage. (If you'd like to take a look at Schwartz's contributors, go to http://www.openscrets.org/ and type in the name "Schwartz." You'll recognize a lot of the names.

What kind of person is Marina Kats, a woman born in Russia and now seen by many as an embodiment of The American Dream? Here's how The Philadelphia Bulletin described her:

"Ms. Kats differs with Mrs. Schwartz strongly on whether Washington should act presently to phase out the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. Speaking to The Bulletin from her law office in Feasterville, she described looking upon an American flag that was flown for a year and a half over the base of her colleague Christopher Hudock when he was called to active duty in Iraq. Upon returning, he gave Ms. Kats the flag to hang in her office. She describes it as a reminder of the imperative that America prevail."

Kats says, "I am supporting the withdrawal of American troops as soon as possible, but only when it is safe to do it for us and our national security interests."

In contrast, Allyson Schwartz favors a timetable for Iraq withdrawal, with all the bloodshed, political chaos, and national security threats that would result. Ms. Schwartz doesn't live in a world where her strongest supporters wear flag pins and send their sons and daughters off to defend America. Instead, she lives in world dominated by polls and irritated by America's exceptional role in world history.

Yes, that's harsh, but is there any evidence it's untrue?

If Schwartz shares Kats's strong felling about the American flag, she has kept them a secret. It's apparently not a subject she discusses, even though her own immigrant background is not all that dissimilar from Kats's. One sign of Schwartz's thinking on the subject is that she voted against the amendment to prohibit flag-burning.

If you want American politics to change for the better, I suggest the way to bring that about is to support Marina Kats, Toni Gilhooley, Melissa Hart, and Michael Livingston. They need votes and your best wishes -- but most of all at this crucial moment, they need your money to get across their compelling messages

(Here's the link to the article in The Bulletin. I urge you to read it:)
http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=19335675&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=618959&rfi=6

Note: If you'd like to contribute to Hart, Gilhooley, and Livingston, you can do so at their web sites. Marina Kats has a preliminary web site up, but until the permanent one is available in a few days, you can send a check to her at:

Kats for Congress
PO Box 91
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006

I hope every blogger or other online communicator will either reprint this column or pass it along to friends and family members.

Note: Different Republican candidates will not agree on every issue. The views expressed here are my own. The candidates can speak for themselves when it comes to specific issues. I receive no financial assistance or direction from any candidate endorsed here.

Battle Royal: Kats v. Schwartz

Question of the Day: If it's okay for Barack Obama to get 90% of the Black vote, why isn't it okay for Hillary (or McCain) to get 90% of the white vote? [There will be a new question of the day every, well, day]

Marina Kats, an emigrant from Russia who bleeds red, white, and blue. She's running hard for Congress in PA's 17th CD.

Some of the most important congressional races in the country are taking place this year in Pennsylvania. This column about Republican Marina Kats versus Democrat Allyson Schwartz originally appeared on my PennsylvaniaforJohnMcCain blog, which I invite you to visit. If the beauteous and fierce Marina can build NATIONAL support, she will win (much to most people's amazement). You go, girl!

This column deals mainly with Republican Marina Kats's race against incumbent Allyson Schwartz in PA's 13th congressional district (Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia).

Unfortunately, Ms. Schwartz and her staff have a reputation for being among the nastiest, most self-absorbed people in Washington. I'll provide illustrations below.

She raises huge (really, really huge) amounts of money -- a total of $7 million-plus in her last two campaign cycles. . How does she generate so much campaign cash? In the usual way, by selling out to every special interest group and radical individual that wave bagfuls of cash at her. Go to OpenSecrets.org and put in the name "Schwartz" to find out what segments are buying Schwartz's affection this year. Make no mistake about it: Schwartz gets most of her money from the 20% of Democrats who tell pollsters they hope that America loses the war in Iraq.

Seventy years ago Allyson Schwartz's mother fled the Nazi onslaught in Austria and came to America. One would imagine that Allyson would have a good grasp on the concept of evil. However, her namby pamby approach to dealing with al Qaeda and terrorism shows she's much better at reading polls than she is looking into "the heart of darkness." Her idea of defending this country consists mainly of uttering slurs against George W. Bush. She has no strategy for protecting the nation against Islamic radicals.

The good news is that Schwartz will be facing her toughest opponent ever, attorney Marina Kats, an Abingdon, PA attorney. Marina is a patriot who loves her country, qualities that are not Schwartz's strong point. Sadly, even before Kats got the official nomination, Schwartz and her minions were throwing mud. I expect Kats can win the coming donnybrook, but there will be nothing easy about it.

Earlier, I called Schwartz one of the nastiest people in DC. For example, when Marina Kats became the presumptive nominee, Schwartz's mouthpiece, Rachel Magnuson, said the congresswoman welcomes the opportunity to compare her own professional record with Ms. Kats's.

That will be difficult because Kats's professional record consists of being a highly successful lawyer and entrepreneur, a living embodiment of The American Dream. Schwartz's record consists of being a government employee for 30 years.

Spokeswoman Magnuson added, "Congresswoman Schwartz is a fighter on behalf of middle class families." Oh really? Actually, Rep. Schwartz voted to end the Bush tax cuts, an action that would harm families in the lowest tax bracket by increasing their income taxes by 50%. In Cincinatti recently, Schwartz admitted that her tax views, coupled with "Hillarycare," which she supports, would raise the taxes of the average Montgomery County family by $3,000 annually.

Somehow this supposed "fighter on behalf of middle-class families" thinks that raising their taxes is somehow a beneficial act. Raising taxes and then using the money for government handouts designed to gain votes aren't exactly what the Founding Fathers had in mind.

Ms. Magnuson continued that Schwartz is committed to "making sure the streets are safe from crime." She added, according to the Philadelphia Bulletin, that Schwartz "should do well against someone 'who has made her money being an immigration and criminal defense lawyer.'"

In other words, voters are somehow supposed to hold it against Marina that she's had a real job in the private sector -- as compared to Schwartz, who has spent a lifetime feeding from the public trough. (Schwartz's husband is a wealthy cardiologist, a profession that will benefit financially from Hillary Clinton's healthcare plan.)

In terms of crime, under Schwartz's watch, it has gone up in the Philadelphia area like a rocket. Schwartz is not "for" crime -- she just has no idea what to do about it, aside from regularly chucking the ACLU under the chin.

More to come this weekend on the Schwartz-Kats race, one of the most important not only in Pennsylvania but also the nation. If Marina wins on Election Day -- and be prepared to stay up late -- it will be a sign the country has returned to its senses.

If you'd like to contribute to Marina Kats's campaign -- and I hope you will -- the best way to do so now is to send a check made out to "Kats For Congress" to the following address:

Kats for Congress

PO Box 91

Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006

The race between these two candidates reflects the critical choices that face Americans this year. I hope you'll bookmark this site and return. See below for biographical information on Marina.

Who exactly is

Marina Kats? She's an attorney and entrepreneur from Abingdon, Pennsylvania. She was named one of the "50 Best Business Women in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" by former Governor Tom Ridge. An immigrant from Russia, Kats is a board member of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society of Philadelphia. She serves as an overseer of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society of Philadelphia. She serves on the Board of Overseers of the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network as is Vice President of Temple University's Presidential Advisory Board and serves on the Temple University School of Law Alumni Board. Kats is the current President of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce. She's the mother of two daughters

If you'd like to learn about three other dynamic congressional candidates, Melissa Hart (4th District), Toni Gilhooley (17th District), and Mike Livingston (2d district) please visit their sites:http://peoplewithhart.com/http://gilhooleyforcongress.com/http://livingstonforcongress.com/ These fine people need your support . . .

Pennsylvania: Critical Republican House Races

Note: Today, I'm posting about several Republican congressional candidates in the critical state of Pennsylvania. My emphasis will be on Melissa Hart in the 4th district (western PA), who's running to regain her congressional seat, and on "new" candidates. They will include Marina Kats (see column and photo below) in the 13th district (northeast Philly and Montgomery County), Mike Livingston in the 2d district (Philadelphia), Tom Manion in the 8th district (Bucks County), Mike Livingston in the 2d (Philadelphia), and Toni Gilhooley in the 17th district (Harrisburg area).

The focus will be on how these candidates "link up" with John McCain's efforts in the Keystone State. What happens in Pennsylvania in the 2008 election (and, frankly, in the 2010 mid-term election) will help determine the success of the McCain presidency. Yes, it's important that John McCain prevails in November, but it's vital that Republicans regain some of the House (and Senate) seats lost in 2006. No Republican or conservative wants to send John McCain to the White House and have him face a Congress opposed to all his key initiatives. The point is this: If you want to support McCain, please take the additional step of voting to send Republicans to Congress. There are 21 congressional seats in Pennsylvania, and it should be possible for Republicans -- over time -- to win at least 15 of them. When that occurs, Republicans nationally should be able to regain control of the House of Representatives.

If you'd like to contact -- or learn more about -- any of these exceptional candidates, please visit their web sites. Alternatively, you can e-mail me at TalkTop65@aol.com and I'll put you in touch with them.