The Larry Kane Report

The highway is open again, but the experience of having to close it down for a couple of days to repair weak supports, was a very good thing for Philadelphia AND the state.

First of all, it underscored the problems statewide for the highway and bridge infrastructure, a problem that the state has been warning about for years. It also was fortunate in that this particular problem was tackled before people were hurt. You have to give a lot of credit to Penndot for acting so efficiently.

The second plus was that a lot of people, who don’t need to drive, got a chance to see how good the Septa system really is. Trains and subways and buses were packed. That is a good thing, because maybe some of the new riders will stay.

Mass transit is a fantastic alternative to driving, especially when the transit systems covers the city and suburbs so well.

Of course, sales people, and area residents in a variety of jobs, have to drive. For them, it was a headache and at a high cost. Imagine sitting in a detour and burning up gasoline at $3.30 a gallon. The timing was bad. But the bottom line is that people are safe, and thousands were forced to use a public transit system that is under-appreciated and grossly underrated.

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Tuesday, March 18th was a day of distinguished oratory. Barack Obama delivered one of the most candid speeches ever on race relations in America. Hillary Clinton offered some oratory of her own, powerful and effective on the war in Iraq. The campaign for President is accelerating as John McCain grabs some important headlines overseas. The news is pulsating and exciting. And it is wonderful to see so many people infused with enthusiasm over this contest.

And then, there were the shameless.

First, there is the politician without shame, former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey. He is joined by his estranged wife, Dina Matos McGreevey, who used the spectacle of the Eliot Spitzer scandal to appear as an expert on betrayal on TV last week. The two are battling over divorce settlements.

Matos-McGreevey says she never knew her husband was gay till he announced it to the world. As part of the divorce arguments, her attorneys issued a subpoena for the testimony of McGreevey’s former driver. The driver then claimed that he, McGreevey and Dina were involved in regular three-way sex trysts.

Dina Matos McGreevey denied the accusation.  Jim McGreevey confirmed the story of the sexual encounters. How did Jim McGreevey respond to the controversy? This is his quote:

“For all of our sakes, particularly our daughter, we need to close this chapter and look toward the future.”

…”particularly our daughter.”

Now that has the ring of hypocrisy if I’ve ever heard it.

“particularly our daughter.”

How can he say that when he and the former New Jersey First Lady know that the child will learn about this sooner or later? They have certainly done their best to make it all public.

Is there no shame? Is there no blame for this public spectacle?

At this point, it is really not important to find out who is telling the truth. it’s fairly obvious that someone is lying. But but more importantly, there is a shared blame for the spectacle, the encouragement of a public sex scandal, and the embarrassment and impact on a child.

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Some stories from the inside of the Pa. Primary Campaign.

Number one target for both campaigns - Montgomery County, considered an opportunity for Obama and a must for Clinton. Bucks is a lesser target, and Delaware is considered a Clinton coast to victory. Chester could go the way of Montco.

The keys for Clinton - hold Obama’s victory in Philadelphia down to maybe a ten percent win. Clinton needs to play even with him in the suburbs. She also needs big numbers in Southwestern Pa., which are doable.

For Obama: a big win in Philadelphia, coupled with large margins in the Phila. suburbs, Allentown and Scranton.

Both scenarios are dream scenarios and a lot of politicians on both sides are dreaming. The Obama campaign says a ten point or less victory by Clinton will be acceptable in Pa. The Clinton campaign insiders are hoping for a larger margin, maybe 59 to 41. Forget about it!

This election will be won by 6-8 points. The key is whose supporters are most passionate about coming out. The other key is how many Republicans and Independents are crossing over to register.

And now, the good news, for the other states.  Obama’s forces are already in operation in Indiana and North Carolina. Clinton’s campaign is just starting there. Both candidates have enough cash now to finish up in other key states like South Dakota and Kentucky, along with a key vote in Puerto Rico.

The candidates have the cash. Let’s see if they are smart enough to tone down the rhetoric.

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America. Engrossed in a slippery economy, involved in war, pressed by astronomical gasoline prices, and facing the big decision for the White House, is suddenly engulfed in a blast from the past - scandal. All of a sudden, a disgraced Governor, his wife, and a call girl, barely older than the Governor’s oldest daughter, are the talk and obsession of the nation.

While readers and viewers remain stunned by the story of Governor Eliot Spitzer’s calamity, there is another story here that has gone almost unnoticed in the glare of the spotlight of this most most amazing revelation.

The story is about the lure of power and how power, the great enabler of people in all aspects of American life, can destroy a life. Power, whether it is in the hands of a abusive boss,  an investigator, a prosecutor without values, or just about anyone with authority over anyone else, can be seductive and destructive. It can distort someone’s view of their own worth. It can easily cause excessive behavior. It can most certainly cause corruption. And of course, it might, very easily, in the wrong hands, result in ridiculous personal behavior, and irrevocable embarrassment.

This is the real lesson of Eliot Spitzer’s dramatic fall. That, and of course, his own vigorous and unabated ambition. That ambition served him well until the moment that really counted - the moment when his public persona of reformer, moralist, and above-it-all crusader for the truth, collided with his personal demons.

This story is an epic blunder, a public spectacle. But it is, without doubt, a reminder of how almost absolute power over people and things, can embolden people to assume that risk-taking and dangerous behavior, in the workplace, or in any place, can be ruinous and devastating.

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The announcement by Pennsylvania State Senator Vince Fumo that he was pulling out of his race for reelection and retiring after 30 years in the Senate was somewhat of a surprise. After all, politics and government has been part of his scene for so long, even before he entered the Senate. But his recent heart attack apparently convinced him that he too is mortal like the rest of us.

I won’t comment on the criminal charges facing him, but I will say that when it comes to politics, he will always be remembered as immortal.

Some people in the world of media seemed to look down on his achievements. Some of that has to do with his own personality, one of a little flamboyance and a lot of energy. Some of that also has to do with the old-fashioned ruling class of Philadelphia who still cling to their view that if you’re from the neighborhoods, don’t bother to join the establishment. Fumo broke the rules of that social view, and became one of the most plugged-in politicians in history. His career and style have always been controversial, but few can argue with the results.

I first met Fumo in 1971 when he was running the state agency that oversees parts of the medical industry. He was just 28 years old. He was a real headline-grabber and he did it with style and intelligence. In 1978, when his mentor, State Senator Buddy Cianfrani went to jail on charges of ghost payroll padding, Fumo took over his Senate seat. Fumo was later convicted of corruption charges, but his conviction was thrown out by a federal judge. In the years ensuing, he consolidated power, and through personal friendships and alliances, became one of the most powerful people in local and state government.

Fumo was ahead of the curve in many areas. He used computers for political tracking way before the national experts. He modernized state government with a number of innovations. He spent a great deal of time helping to solve the Philadelphia financial crises and became an indispensable adviser to Governors and Mayors. Through it all, loyalty was the name of the game for him, the kind of loyalty Governor Rendell showed when he supported Fumo during his recent health crisis, and that emotional support continues as Fumo faces trial on a variety of federal charges later this year.

When Fumo leaves office, there will be a tremendous vacuum in the people we elect to do our bidding in the state. Power is gained in several ways - respect, and relationships. The third force is the concept of honoring your constituents by taking care of their business.

Did Fumo profit from this? The justice system will determine that.

But from a standpoint of taking care of this area’s interests, no one did it better. I should say no one does it better.

That can never be disputed, even by his enemies.

In the meantime, we will watch, as the drama unfolds. There has never been a dull moment in the life of Vincent Fumo.

Soon he faces the team assembled by another of this area’s most effective public servants - U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan. Will it end out of court? Does his retirement signal another way out?

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