Enthusiastic Republicans, smelling blood, are expected to run wild in the commonwealth - except here in the southeast pocket, greater Pittsburgh and the blue-island outpost of Centre County, home of Penn State.
The secondary purpose of the party was to provide free food and drink (tickets cost $150, so "free" may be imprecise) and to hear speeches (yawn) from a few candidates. Half of those in the massive union hall updated with pals they hadn't seen since the spring cocktail party, ignoring the candidates.
Two surprises. First, the candidates kept their remarks remarkably brief - Onorato took four minutes, and Sestak used less than half of that, most of it on a joke I thought was, well, maybe inappropriate for Democrats. You be the judge:
A farmer was asked whether, if he had two barns and his neighbor's barn burned down, he would lend his neighbor his second barn? The farmer said yes. What if you had two tractors and your neighbor's tractor broke down. Would you lend him your second tractor? The farmer said yes.
And if you had two cows and your neighbor's cow died, would you lend him one of your cows? The farmer wouldn't answer. He was asked why not.
"Because I do have two cows."
Good joke, but the message?
The other surprise came from Comcast Eagles analyst (and governor) Ed Rendell, who said that Democratic Party Chairman (and congressman) Bob Brady would resign as chairman if Philly voter turnout didn't top 50 percent.
Up next was Mayor Nutter, to scattered boos. (No, not John Street.) Nutter said that he didn't know where Rendell got that Brady brainstorm.
It's doubtful that Philly turnout will surpass 50 percent. Rendell was joking or challenging the faithful. Conspiracy theorists can have fun with it.
Losing Big Bob, the Krazy Glue who holds the fractious party together, is immeasurably less likely than a 50+ percent Philly turnout.
