I think I know who Albert votes for.

Just out of curiosity, why Sandals over Pennacchio? If lightning strikes, and Casey can be taken down, it certainly will not happen with both of them in the race.

I think you have it a little wrong. Bob Casey Jr entered the race after Chuck Pennacchio did and is 'running' more as an anti-Chuck. Pennacchio is running as an actual choice, and he's more of an anti-Santorum as far as stances on the issues. Look where they all stand on the issues of choice, Iraq, healthcare, living wage, PAC money... Chuck's stances are laid out here. I haven't had a chance to go through Alan Sandals' newly designed site with it's updated issues section yet.

I don't understand how Chuck comes off as being "removed from the lives of ordinary people" - he's a teacher.

While it is refreshing to see that someone else here sees Jr. as not much more than a paper tiger, I wonder why you didn't see Pennacchio as the Progressive choice sooner.

I'd love to see all three Democratic candidates face off in debates. But last I heard from the Sandals and Pennacchio people are that Jr's claim that he's agreed to debates has not been held up. Let's get a campaign going for that. I believe the League of Women Voters of Philadelphia is getting involved in putting one together.

--
Albert Yee
http://dragonballyee.blogs.com

As I said before, I'm planning on voting for Bob Casey and, in a change-of-mind, will do so in November. I've been adequately convinced that the primary is the proper place for progressives to vote their conscience.

As for my primary pick, I still don't know enough about Chuck or Sandals. I did meet Sandals at a young philly dems event last week and liked him. He's good on the issues and he's not basing his campaign on the fact that he's not Bob Casey, which, from the start it SEEMED as though Chuck did. But again, I would still need to dig deeper before committing and am always willing to hear fellow bloggers' opinions.

Oh, one more thing...I was in NYC during the PA Society Weekend and talked with Mister Casey and Mister Santorum and attended a few of the same evnts. I asked questions. I listened and I took notice. I watched both men closely.

And I gotta tell you, I'm afraid for our party come November.

You really have got to be kidding me. I've met Alan a couple of times, and while he seems nice enough, he is in no way, shape, or form a viable candidate for senate. I just popped over to his website and I almost died laughing when I saw his headline "Alan Sandals is Winning." Yeah, and I'm the most handsome boy in the whole-wide-world, right mom? The only thing Sandals is winning is the admiration of a few (and I really mean few)people and the right to put "former Senate candidate" on his resume.

Honestly, if this isn't a vanity candidacy, then I don't know what is...

That said, I definitely share Vern's worries about November, though I'm more worried about the lack of activity and preparation on the Dem side, rather then the candidate. There's a reason that we've lost every full-term Senate race in the past 80 or so years: The Democratic Party of PA has its head lodged in its corrupt and incompetent ass, and has zero connection to the people they claim to represent. And those pompous fools didn't allow any of the other viable candidates to enter, leaving us with Mr. Dull and two guys who couldn't win a school board election outside of Philly. (That said, maybe Sandals and Pennachio should try running for something a bit more modest before they go for the Senate)...

Draft Zinni! It's Security, Stupid!

I've met them both a few times. I suppose we're on a first name basis. They are both very good people, extremely wired on the issues, and just what we want for a progressive. Sandals is hotter on the economic issues, Chuck is hotter on the social issues, but they are very similar. If the right were to demonize one of them as a typical "liberal," then that would be Chuck, but Chuck is also a much better campaigner and speaker, though both of them have progressed a great dseal since I first met them early last year.

It is still too early for us to argue about these two. I'd be proud to have either as my Senator. The question is how does either one of them beat Casey, and then take on the Dark Lord, Rick Santorum (R-Bush's Pocket)? Let's focus on the prize, and whatever we do, let's not tear down gfood dDemocratic candidates.

Damn, you leave the blogosphere for five seconds and everyone turns into a friggin' hippie. Could we all stop getting along? Please?

I just got home from college, and realized something really funny. A few weeks ago, Alan Sandals hired my sister to be in a commercial. I was really surprised (that Sandals had the money to hire people) and decided to learn more about his campaign.

My sister is an actress and has been in a ton of cool stuff, like movies and plays. So I'm not shocked that she got hired for a commercial, after all it is really only a matter of time before she gets famous (hi Sara). She's really good. I was surprised that Sandals could afford to hire my sister.

So, if Sandals can afford to hire my sister, what else is he doing that might surprise me? I've been making a lot of assumptions and I need to challenge them. I think Sandals is pushing me to do those things.

I'm in a place in my life where I want to challenge assumptions. So Sandals makes sense to me right now.

I wanted to throw my 2 cents in here. Pennacchio started his campaign in the begining of last year and has seen growing support since then. Sandals threw his hat (and money) into the ring in December and is already airing commercials in the Philly area.
BTW Sandals and Pennacchio are debating tomorrow in Harrisburg (Casey declined).

Pennacchio is the one with the experience winning US Senate races (he worked for Tom Harkin and Tim Wirth). He is the one with experience on Capitol Hill (working for Al Cranston).

Sandals volunteered at a local office for a senate race when was a teenager. He has no real experience in politics. Not that I don't like his volunteering for other efforts. My point is in comparison the only thing Sandals has going for him against Pennacchio is money.
Pennacchio's campaign is so word-of-mouth and grass-roots that it wont matter.

Someone mentioned they believed Sandals to be more in touch with the people but after reading his website again it just seems like he may have the political operatives behind him but he is a wealthy attorney, sounds like a good man. But he is not the candidate who earns his living as a college professor interacting with the youth, the candidate who has applied himself to helping solve our problems for most of his life.

Pennacchio has the well thought out solutions to so many issues he talks in depth about anything you could think to ask him. He represents the majority of PA people and their views.

My concern is that Sandal's campaign will attract enough votes that otherwise would have gone to Pennacchio and hand this election to Bob.

I cant understand why he could be so unhappy with Pennacchio's politics that he would enter so late in the game and risk giving this primary to Casey and the minority of conservatives in our party.