Final Casey/Santorum Debate

PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and state Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. were a little more polite to each other than when they met Thursday in Pittsburgh.

However, in their final debate Monday, they continued to show sharp differences on issues from Social Security to the environment, even if they covered little new ground and mostly relied on tried and true campaign themes.

To Casey, Santorum remained a proponent of Bush administration policies that don’t work.

“On one side, you have a candidate who’s the candidate of the status quo, stay the course, more of the same. That’s Sen. Santorum. I represent the position of change and moving this country in a new direction with an agenda for middle-class families,” said Casey, a Scranton Democrat.

To Santorum, Casey remained the candidate running on his famous governor father’s name who offers no specific answers to the nation’s great problems.

“I’ve worked hard to try to make a difference,” said Santorum, a Penn Hills Republican. “There are projects and there are things that I’ve done all over the state. Why? Because I had to earn this job.

“It’s not a job I inherited because of my last name.”

Irony much, Rick? I mean, does anyone really still think that the current occupant of the White House would be there if his last name was Dudley? (apologies in advance to anyone whose last name is Dudley--it's just that I'm fairly certain that there's been no notable US President or Senator of that name)

In the meantime, the Philly Inquirer stuck a knife in our hearts this morning with their endorsement of Joe Pitts. I mean sure, the guy isn't having his homes and offices raided by the FBI like Curt Weldon, and he isn't a mealy-mouthed, Swiftboating prevaricator like Mike Fitzpatrick, and he hasn't inspired a website called "GIVE IT BACK, JIM"...like Jim Gerlach, but surely in a "throw the bums out" mood, it would make sense to endorse an intelligent, progressive challenger to a congressman who has been a rubberstamp for Bush.

Ah well....that's fair and balanced for you, I guess.

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