Letter in the Post-Gazette

So, a week or so ago, in a fit of pique after seeing that the Post-Gazette had endorsed Bob Casey in the Democratic primary race for the Senate seat currently held by Rick Santorum, I tossed off a letter to the editor. It ran on Sunday (not only did it run, but it led the list of letters for the week), and since I wrote the thing, I'm not about to ask permission to quote it here:

I cannot for the life of me understand why the Post-Gazette editorial staff would endorse Bob Casey in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary race. You listed name recognition as his greatest asset. Sure, that's a nice thing to have, but what about the issues, guys? Don't you think the Democratic voters would rather have someone who is pro-choice, who is against the war in Iraq, who is against the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons, who doesn't have to pay back his contributors with votes once in office, and who can set a new standard for Democratic leadership in Washington?

The only person who can possibly change the Democratic party for the better in Washington, and the only person who can possibly take Rick Santorum to task for his transgressions against the American people is Chuck Pennacchio. I have met the man, and there isn't a more qualified or more honest man running for Senate in the entire country, let alone in this particular race.

He is my choice, and he should have been yours, too.

Another letter from one of Chuck's volunteer coordinators, Henry Lipput, ran in the same edition.

I'm going to be standing outside my polling center on Tuesday, handing out pamphlets, but I have to admit that I'm feeling discouraged about the whole thing. It seems unthinkable to me at this point that any candidate who takes a progressive stance will ever win anything of use.

For what it's worth, however, my other votes will go to Valerie McDonald Roberts in the PA Lieutenant Governor race, Georgia Berner in the race for the 4th Congressional District (U.S. House, the seat Melissa Hart currently has), and Jaret Gibbons in the 10th Legislative District in the PA House (the seat that Frank LaGrotta currently has).