I received some comments about my AG thoughts, particularly about Jim Eisenhower. Frankly, I think "Ike", as he is calling himself, may win just because of his name. That would be a travesty, of course, because while he's an ambitious guy, he ain't the right guy.

In my last post I said he's lied during the campaign. You tell me if I'm right: Jim has called potential donors around the state stating that he has Rendell's endorsement and backing. Now, Rendell quietly and quickly showed up at an "Ike" fundraiser last week in Philly (the infamous anti-democratic party boss (Hogg, that is) TJ Rooney was there as well, I think, though I could be mistaking him for some other thug hanging around the buffet). But he has never said he endorses Jim over anyone else. Rendell seems to have so many favors to pay off to so many camps it skews the political scene dramatically. He may show up at one camp's fundraiser on one day and make phone calls on the behalf of the opposing camp the next. So Rendell paid Jim his favor back, but he didn't endorse him. He showed up.

Jim has also puffed up the importance of the crime commission he chaired until this year. the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency,

"the Commonwealth’s leading criminal justice policy and funding agency with a budget of approximately $140 million and approximately 115 employees."

Yes, he chaired the Commission, which has 20 or so "Members". It also has an Executive Director, the guy who does the day to day work. The Commission itself meets monthly, and that meeting is the extent of Eisenhower's participation other than bragging about the size of its budget and the scope of its reach. Jim, you don't run the agency, you are an outside advisor with no actual responsibilities except to open, moderate, and close Commission meetings. I'd say you are overstating both your role and your importance.

Jim is quite the junior when compared to Barasch, who was an actual US District Attorney, not an assistant like Ike. Now, if Ike had some great ideas, some progressive new thinking about the failure of the drug war or the lack of justice in our justice system, then I'd say he's worth considering. But he's a bag-em and tag-em stats-seeking prosecutor who has misrepresented his credentials and backing.

I don't mean to pick on an AG candidate, but he really rubs me the wrong way. So why was I at his fundraiser? I was tagging along with a friend who wanted to try the buffet before we went to the Jar premiere. Anyway, my opinion doesn't matter so much as your own impressions. Here are some sites to visit:

Jim Eisenhower
David Barasch
John Morganelli