PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Editorial: …While few major policy differences separate the four rivals for the Democratic nomination, McCord’s emphasis on robust education funding and natural-gas taxation shows an understanding of what’s important and achievable in Pennsylvania. He may not get the 10 percent drilling tax he has advocated, but his history shows he has the skills to get something out of what will likely remain a Republican legislature.
More than five years as Pennsylvania’s treasurer has given McCord highly relevant experience as an elected statewide official and government executive. He leads a department of nearly 400 employees with a budget of $36 million following significant reductions during his tenure. Moreover, the department’s role in managing more than $120 billion in public funds through the recession means the treasurer has deep knowledge of state finances, which should be one of the most urgent concerns of the next governor.
McCord’s position has also required him to form relationships with politicians of both parties in Harrisburg. And he has shown the independence and toughness to challenge them – traits that are far too scarce in the capital. He has lodged appropriate objections to the Republican governor’s ill-conceived efforts to privatize the state lottery as well as to eleventh-hour borrowing by a fellow Democrat, former Gov. Ed Rendell. And he has been an astute critic of troubled agencies ranging from Pennsylvania’s gambling board to the bistate Delaware River Port Authority… (more)
McCord may very well be the best qualified of all the candidates, but his baseless racist attacks on Tom Wolf demonstrate a personality that is unsuitable for him to be Governor. Even Tom Corbett looked really good on paper, but his attitudes as Governor have harmed the people of Pennsylvania in many different ways.
NOW is not the time for Democratic candidates to be attacking each other, instead they need to convince voters why they are best qualified to be Governor. It is essential that all Democrats pull together in support of whoever wins the primary in order to defeat Corbett in the fall.
EDITOR: Normally we would agree. But this is not a normal campaign.
One individual of no conspicuous merit but able to borrow $5 million to purchase TV advertisement is about to run off with the nomination. The public needs to know more about that candidate than his TV ads.
An approach of “Anybody but Corbett” may bring about another Corbett. Or retain the one we have.
And who says McCord’s attacks are baseless? Tom Wolf has remained silent for a decade while bad things were happening in York County to minorities. Read “The Wrong Car” by Bill Keisling.