The Trailing Spouse's Vote Might Count in Pennsylvania

When Lulu and I moved to Florida a few years ago - we promised our Pennsylvania buddies that we would straighten out the election mess where the Supreme Court dubbed W the president. After many years of primary elections in Pennsylvania where the candidates were already selected before we got to vote - we now would be voting in a state that butted their primary up to first in line. Finally - I could cast a vote that mattered.

We all know what happened to my Florida primary vote. Now ironically - my old friends in the Keystone State literally hold the key to who is going to be the Democratic candidate for the presidency. Not since 1962 when John Kennedy drove through my coal cracker hometown - have the candidates paid any attention to the Pennsylvania voters.

For the past few weeks - Senators Obama and Clinton have been crisscrossing the land of my childhood and "workinghood." Names like Jim Thorpe, Allentown, Scranton, Bethlehem grace the national evening news and CNN every day. Even President Bill Clinton is parading in the Home of the Mollie Maguires - Girardville. Hillary is enjoying the miners' traditional "shot and a beer" at a local "beer garden." Barack is having perogies and kielbasa - that seem to add 10 pounds to his slim frame with the first bite.

Through a twist of fate - the Democratic Party has chosen not count my Florida primary vote and my Pennsylvania cronies are enjoying for the first time having their primary vote matter. It is going to be a knock down and drag out election. One thing you can't do is shine the spotlight on my old home state and not expect a big show.

Someone once said, "Pennsylvania is three states. You have Pittsburgh in the west - Philadelphia in the east, and Alabama in the middle." For the most part - that is true. In the west you are a Steelers and Pirates fan. In the east you love the Sixers, Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers. In the middle you were a Penn State fan. I was always convinced that Penn State had exactly 100,000 fans and every Saturday they went to State College in their motor home to a football game and paid $200 a ticket to watch Joe Paterno's glasses fog up while he ran after a referee. I lived in the east and although we traveled all over the world - but I did not get to Pittsburgh until my 40th birthday - just a few hours away.

There is no typical Pennsylvanian. They elected Gifford Pinchot governor - one of the country's earliest conservationists. Their only contribution to the White House was James Buchanan - the only bachelor in the White House. He is probably rolling over in his grave because Bush is challenging for his title as the "worst president ever." Milton Shapp was a Jewish governor there long before is was fashionable. They also refused "governize" Super Bowl hero Lynn Swann.

The people of Pennsylvania are not lemmings. They are rugged individualists. They speak their mind - and know the difference between "S and Shinola." Some folks say that Independence Hall got its name from the local people - not the famous Declaration of Independence.

Gettysburg, Valley Forge, Ben Franklin, Joe Namath, Joe Montana, Richie Allen, the Mollie Maguires, and the Pottsville Maroons. These people and places characterize rebellion and independent thought. Don't forget the Whiskey Rebellion.

Yes - Pennsylvania is a little rusty now. Billy Joel sang about the mines and mills all closing down. Locals\ even passed a few laws making it against the law to hire illegal immigrants. You can't whine and complain to a Pennsylvanian and not expect them to come up with a solution. You may not like it - but you will get one. I wonder what Pennsylvania's solution will be in the Democratic Primary. One thing for sure - at these their votes will count and they will count ever vote.