Some quick impressions of PA Progressive 2010 Democrat gubernatorial debate.

I watched all four of the remaining Democratic Party nominees debate last night at the Pennsylvania Progressive Summit 2010. The debaters included Allegheny County Commissioner Dan Onorato, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty and Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner.

Quick Impressions

• I think Onorato will probably win it because he's raised the most money, a whopping 8 million dollars. That's just the way it is in our very corrupt country. There's no Santa Claus, either. I don't think anybody else is even close. The only other number that I've even seen is Joe Hoeffel's, which is about a measley 400000. Despite this, I have to say that the best informed of the candidates on policy issues seemed to be Dan Onorato. I like, and this is very important to me after watching the Dems in action at the national level over the last 8 months or so, Hoeffel the most but I just don't think you can pull off a victory when you're being outspent 20 to 1.
• Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty, who seems like a likeable guy with a likeable family (and lots of 'em. Six kids I think...) just didn't look ready for primetime as a professional political speaker. Politicians have to speak well, especially if they're being outspent by a zillion dollars. He also had the worst moment of the night when answering a question about Marijuana legalization. First, he said, and I'm paraphrasing, that he would continue to lock people up for the crime. But he also spoke about the "Drug Menace" and seemed to imply that Crack and Heroin and Marijuana were somehow equal things when in fact they're clearly not. No one is arguing that Crack has medicinal value.And the more he spoke about how evil the evil drugs were, kind of like that "Drugs are bad mmmmkay" guy on South Park, the audience started to reply with boos and some low level hissing. I just don't see him winning the nomination.
• Wagner had the second worst moment of the night when he danced around a question by Planned Parenthood. The question made a lot of sense and kind of went like this: if Roe v Wade is overturned (kind of likely since they just overturned much older 100 year precedent in that gawdawful Citizen United corporations are people too case...) would he veto the likely bill that would arrive at has desk criminalizing abortion and subsequently women and their lawbreaker doctors. He simply didn't give a straight answer. He should have said that when the Pennsylvania legislature gives him a law that will recriminalize abortion in the state that he would sign it, and probably sign it proudly. He's a longtime pro lifer. Not this evasive nonsense about supporting the current law and nebulous talk about protecting the "children". Disgraceful. Related: Both Chelsa Wagner and her husband Khari "Mr. Mom" Mosley were there as well. I dropped lit for Ms. Wagner and I'm very proud of her sensational work as a state rep. I've known Khari for years and respect his politics. But, if they weren't related to Jack Wagner by blood and/or marriage there is no way that they would be supporting his campaign. It would be either Onorato of Hoeffel as the imaginary diety is my witness.
• Even though I mentioned the inevitability of an Onorato win in a bad way, I don't think Onorato would be a bad governor. In fact, I think he would be a pretty good governor. It would probably be a continuation of the Ed Rendell regime, which wasn't bad. We just have to watch out to make sure that Dan doesn't try to sell our state highways to rich folks.

I"ll have more later since I'm attending the summit.