Rendell

Former Gov.Ed Rendell on June 5 will release an autobiography wrapped in a political manifesto about what he calls the "Wussification of America. " The book, A Nation of Wusses: How America's Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great, is classic Rendell. He marvels at his own clever political instincts, complains about the attention of the media and waxes wonkish on issues he holds dear, such as investing in the nation's infrastructure of roads and bridges. Some highlights: No Rendell book would be complete without a few bawdy bits.

SINCE DECIDING to forego appointing an outside agency to investigate the state police sex scandal, Gov. Rendell has been on the receiving end of some vitriol from women's rights and crime victims groups. "Unconscionable," said the founder of the National Center for Women and Policing in Los Angeles. "Disappointed," said the president of the state chapter for the National Organization for Women. The executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape essentially questioned whether people could trust the system.

HARRISBURG - Gov. Rendell says he will sign the $28 billion budget that just passed the Pennsylvania legislature, but only if lawmakers also approve a pair of related bills he says are necessary to support the state's spending. Those bills have been held up for more than a day by a dispute between Republicans, who control the state Senate, and Democrats, who rule the House. Rendell said Thursday that if those differences persisted and legislators took no action on the bills in the next 10 days, he would be required under the state constitution to veto the hard-fought budget.

It's clear Gov. Rendell is scrambling to make up for a drop in tax revenue, but his proposal to expand gambling to nearly every corner tavern across the state is a bad hand. The state has yet to demonstrate that it can properly regulate the handful of licensed slots parlors it already has, including two run by companies headed by ex-convicts. It's hard to envision the state Gaming Control Board having better control over video-poker machines in thousands of bars and private clubs across Pennsylvania.

Development of the Philadelphia-Camden waterfront should not be crippled by political turf wars, Gov. Rendell said yesterday as he became the first governor to chair the board of the powerful Delaware River Port Authority. He said he was naming himself to the board to break an impasse between Pennsylvania and New Jersey commissioners that erupted in November over the future of Paul Drayton, the authority's chief executive officer. The fight threatened progress on projects such as Independence Harbor, a proposed bistate marketing campaign designed to link both waterfronts, Rendell said.

Tuesday Night Football? "Terrible idea," Gov. Rendell said moments before the kickoff of Tuesday night's game between the Eagles and Minnesota Vikings. "Too many people have to get out of work to try to get to this game. " Of course, that's also the case for Monday Night Football . But Rendell has been in a bit of a combative mood with regard to the NFL and its decision to postpone the Eagles' game from Sunday night to Tuesday night. Rendell kept up his criticism before the game was played.

Ending months of speculation, former District Attorney Edward G. Rendell today declared himself a Democratic candidate for mayor. Rendell's announcement, made at the Hershey Philadelphia Hotel, focused on how he would lead the city, and his motivations for entering the May 19 primary opposite Mayor Goode. Rendell accused the Goode administration of "ineptitude and mismanagement" and "unfulfilled programs and promises. " Under Goode, Rendell maintained, the city has become one of "unfilled potholes, unstaffed libraries and recreation centers, unclean streets, unemployed people, unmet promises and, worst of all, unfulfilled dreams and opportunities.

GOV. RENDELL'S tax scheme is nothing more than a wealth redistribution shell game that Marx and Engels would be proud of. He hopes to send more of the state's money down the Philadelphia money pit. This is a blatant political payoff under the guise of being "for the children. " Let's hope our state legislature opposes any new tax increases or shifts in the burden. We should be lowering all taxes in the state, not raising them. Gov. Rendell needs to show the people of Pennsylvania one example of a state taxing itself to greatness.

They came, they saw, they concurred that former District Attorney Edward G. Rendell should run for mayor. They gathered last night at the Locust Club - politicians, former politicians, investment bankers, attorneys and business heavies, men described by Rendell as "my oldest supporters and best friends in politics. " They numbered about 30, and were hosted by Globe Security Systems owner S. Harrison "Sonny" Dogole. They dined on veal away from the prying press, urged Rendell to take the plunge, and offered to back him financially if he does.

President Obama has nominated one of Gov. Rendell's top policy advisers to a leading post in the U.S. Department of Transportation. Roy Kienitz, a deputy chief of staff for Rendell, has been nominated as the department's undersecretary for policy. The White House, in a news release issued late Friday, credited Kienitz with directing a number of major capital projects during his tenure with the commonwealth, including the expansion of the Convention Center and the Port of Philadelphia.

Former Gov.Ed Rendell on June 5 will release an autobiography wrapped in a political manifesto about what he calls the "Wussification of America. " The book, A Nation of Wusses: How America's Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great, is classic Rendell. He marvels at his own clever political instincts, complains about the attention of the media and waxes wonkish on issues he holds dear, such as investing in the nation's infrastructure of roads and bridges. Some highlights: No Rendell book would be complete without a few bawdy bits.

President Obama should "man up" and take a stand on same-sex marriage, former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell advised Tuesday on MSNBC, predicting that no political harm would come from supporting it. "If he believes in it, he should say he's for it," Rendell said later in an interview with The Inquirer. "If he's going to do it eventually, he should do it now. Say his piece. Too many people in public life are afraid to say what they believe. " Obama has said that he opposes legalizing same-sex marriage, but that his view is "evolving" and that he supports equal civil rights for gay couples.

Give Ed Rendell a break. Yes, the Treasury Department is investigating the speaking fees received by the former Pennsylvania governor on behalf of an Iranian exile group that's on the State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations. Rendell told the New York Times he had received about $150,000 for seven or eight speeches that called for taking the Mujahedin-e Khalq, or MEK, off the list (even though he clearly knew little about the organization). But why is Treasury targeting only Rendell?

Former Gov. Ed Rendell says he wouldn't risk his reputation for money, but that is exactly the impression he gave by linking himself to a shady organization that, whether he agrees with it or not, is listed as a terrorist group by the State Department. But Rendell isn't alone. Others who have spoken out in support of the group of Iranian rebels called MEK, short for Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, include former Homeland Security Director and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, former National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones, former CIA Director Porter Goss, and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

In the last eight months, former Gov. Ed Rendell has been to Paris four times and Geneva twice. He's also joined rallies at the Capitol, White House, and State Department - all on behalf of a new cause he admits he knew little about until recently: the fate of a militant Iranian exile group living in Iraq called MEK, short for Mujahedeen-e-Khalq. He's been compensated for making speeches in support of MEK, designated by the State Department as a terrorist group, and pictured in ads and online videos that seek to get that designation lifted.

The bids to buy Philadelphia Media Network Inc. are in. At least, that's what former Gov. Ed Rendell told a political blogger before an appearance on MSNBC on Friday, according to a blog post on the Politico website. Rendell told the blogger, BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, that bids to buy the parent company of The Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com "went in today," according to the post by Politico media blogger Dylan Byers. Rendell did not return phone calls for comment.

HARRISBURG - Gov. Corbett said Thursday he believed it was a "bad idea" for former Gov. Ed Rendell to be involved in a group of investors seeking to buy The Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I look to newspapers to be objective," the Republican governor said. Rendell, he added, "will always be a politician. " Corbett made the comments during his monthly appearance on Dom Giordano's show on 1210 WPHT-AM Philadelphia. Asked to elaborate later in the day, Corbett added only: "I think it's a bad idea, but it's a free country.

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said Monday that the investor group he organized to buy Philadelphia Media Network Inc. (PMN) would consider establishing a "fire wall" to limit interference with the company's newsrooms. Rendell made the comments to former Inquirer reporter Buzz Bissinger on WPHT-AM radio Monday. During the interview, Rendell reiterated that he was not putting up any money to buy the parent company of The Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com.