The Larry Kane Report

PATERNITY TEST?

John Edward’s political career is probably toast.

The affair is one thing. Lying is quite another problem. Blaming the media is even worse.

Even in his admission, the two time Presidential contender apparently offered us another obvious distraction. He offered to take a paternity test to find out if he was the father of the child born to his lover. A few days later, the object of his affections said she would not ask for a paternity test. Did he know she would say that before he made his offer? Probably.

What is distressing about this case is the audacity of deceit, the climate and culture of lying that has become a fabric of American politics.

The real victims here are members of his family.

And there is another aspect to this story that you should remember. Politicians complain all the time about the detailed work the media does to find out every small detail about candidate’s lives. Complain no more. When a person runs for President, their life should be an open book.

John Edward’s recent life was a lie, pure and simple. And he wanted to be our Commander-In-Chief.

This is certainly the Year of the Liar. Elliot Spitzer, John Edwards and all the rest of the people we are supposed to look up to

SPITZ SNUB

The International Olympic Committee should be ashamed. Mark Spitz, the all time winner of Gold, was not invited to be there for Michael Phelps dramatic effort to break Spitz’s mark. Spitz said he would have wanted to be there, but in an official capacity, or someone to cheer Phelps on. Aside from honoring the dictatorship by giving them the games, aside from ignoring human rights violations, the IOC dishonors the Olympic games by snubbing Spitz, arguably one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history.

SUGGESTED READING:

Read the New York Times piece on Black Politics in America. Michael Nutter’s interview was prophetic and fascinating.

Read Bill Conlin’s column in the Philadelphia Daily News about Brett Myer’s public display of anger. Very interesting, considering Myer’s history with the club , and the fact that the baseball organization provided compassion and support during his private challenge which became public a few years ago.

Read “What Happened”, Scott McLellan’s book on the Bush White House.

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The games people play…

As the Olympics begin, we should note the ugly history of the world games, impacted by repression and violence. The German-hosted Olympics in the 1930′s was designed to be a cover for the most threatening regime in modern history. Our athletes performed with grit and determination, despite the cloud hanging over Europe and the world as the murderous dictator tried to put on a happy face. Some of the world was fooled, including American sympathizers Joseph Kennedy and Charles Lindbergh. But Americans saw through the farce, and war was not far away.

The 1972 Olympics were marred by the murders of Israeli athletes. It was the beginning of 36 years of murderous extremism by Islamic fascists. The atmosphere of the games was grim, but the pride of the world’s finest athletes was on display.

And so it is in China. China is a world power, an economic giant, but it is still a nation invested in totalitarian techniques and outward repression. Censorship, political massacres and instant executions are still a fabric of its government. Imagine the nerve of the goverment there to block an American gold medal winner, an activist for peace, to enter the country. As athletes from around the world gather this week, we, as a nation, and as a people, should remember that the host nation is not our friend, and would if possible, bring us to the brink of economic collapse.

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I have always been a Brett Favre fan. He is gritty, has great determination, and has been a model for pro athletes, until now. Favre is now headed to the Jets, after trying to publicly force his way back into the Green Bay Packers. His ambition and lack of concern for the only pro team he has played for, are telling. His attempt to muscle his way back into the lineup shows a side that we had never seen. It was a blunder. And it takes the shine off an illustrious career. Knowing when to quit and when to refocus our lives can be very important. Favre should also set an example on that front.

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Mayor Nutter’s blast at the Department of Human Services was justified and appropriate. So were his comments to DHS employees that he understands that there are ethical and valued employees at the troubled agency. But make no mistake about it. This agency, for many decades, has let down many children through its bureaucracy, and in some cases, unconscionable neglect. It is time for DHS to tell the story of its successes, but to not in the process gloss over its crisis. Glossing over its challenges will only open the door for more kids to fall through the cracks.

Comments(122)

As long as I can remember, I’ve been on newscasts reporting the stories of how the Department of Human Services in Philadelphia has let down so many children who have died of neglect and abuse. This is not a new story. It has been going on for decades, but this time the story of a gruesome death has brought criminal charges, a grand jury investigation and a DA who is determined to seek justice for the death of 14 year old wheelchair bound DANIEAL KELLY. She slowly starved to death. Charges have been filed and some DHS workers face jail time if convicted.

DHS workers, over the years, complain about the social climate that creates these disasters if abuse, but they are way off base. It is the job of the agency to protect the children who are faced with possible torture and death. In that respect, the record of this agency is not pretty.

There’s another aspect of the story that I’ve mentioned here before. The agency, with the area’s greatest need for adoptive families, had for years refused to cooperate with the National Adoption Center as it worked with KYW Newsradio 1060 and Channel Ten to broadcast the stories of children in need. It took Mayor Nutter’s arrival to get the agency to cooperate. Certainly this party of the story pales by comparison to stories of neglect, abuse, and death.

Thank goodness the DA is on the case, and the press is paying more attention, especially the Inky.

There are many dedicated workers at DHS, but they are overshadowed by those who care little about the survival of children.

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It is now three weeks till the start of the conventions, with the Democrats on tap first. Word from my sources is that Hillary Clinton is going through the motions, and has done little to support the Barack Obama candidacy. Meantime, John McCain, whose had a bit of an upswing lately, is facing the same lack of support from Republicans in the swing states of Virginia and Florida who were hoping for a more rightward tilt in the McCain campaign. You heard it here: McCain will not move far right. In fact, his own research says that the only way he can win this election is to stay right on a moderate course politically and hope to attract Independents and Democrats.

Also, look for a return to “retail” politics and away from the big crowd events for Barack Obama. The Obama campaign is feeling a backlash from the “adoration problem,” the positioning of Obama as bigger than life. Look for the candidate to spend more time one-on-one with small groups, a tactic that brought him where he is right now.

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