Thursday news

• Politicians
  
  
  
  • While many politicos are distancing themselves from the low approvals of President Bush, Lynn Swann brought him in for a fundraising sweep through Pennsylvania. Lots of big-ticket events on the agenda...
    
    
  • John Baer reports on Rick Santorum using fear of terrorism in his run for reelection to the Senate.
    
    
  • In other Santorum news, apparently he's now being trailed by a giant gorilla, perhaps in response to the costumed duck that's been shadowing Casey on his rounds. Hard not to disagree with Albert's disgust that an important election is being reduced to playground antics.
    
    
  • The new CityPaper features a letter/column by mayoral candidate Michael Nutter defending his ideas on taxes (and his choice of priorities).
    
    
  • AAJane notes some recent developments in Chris Carney's run for the US House in the 10th District. In addition, she notes that this race has moved up in national rankings to be one of Pennsylvania's four hot House races in the Top 25 nationwide (according to the National Journal), joining Districts 6 (Murphy-Gerlach), 7 (Sestak-Weldon), and 8 (Murphy-Fitzpatrick).
  
  
• Other news
  
  
  
  • More rumblings on the getting-Vallas-an-extension front: the commission votes next Wed, and Vallas is on record as glad to accept. The Daily News headlines this as a step closer to a done deal, but some commissioners are mighty quiet so far.
    
    
  • PA State gambling overseers will be making casino ownership details public on the web while proposals are under review.
    
    
  • DN columnist Stu Bykofsky reports on an odd tale involving a School District auditor and a typically Philadelphia intersection of power, business deals, and public funds.
    
    
  • The City Paper's "city beat" looks at neighbors worried about potential casinos, not just from a traffic or eyesore point of view, but because of the shady characters who may end up overseeing them.
    
    
  • Alex at YPP alerts us to a screening of The War Tapes, an Iraq documentary made by the soldiers themselves.