Keiwan Ratliff was one of the best two corners on the Steelers!

I saw him play with the Colts last year. He was awesome when filling in for the Colts injured corners. One of his biggest games was against the Steelers. I think they cut him? Why?

Those Sarah Palin booklines are pretty amazing...

Unfortunatley, I don't think Mitt Romney could attract those kinds of crowds. In reality, I doubt she runs in 2012. She is going to find that she enjoys being a very rich celebrity.

Cover of Newsweek

I think the Sarah Palin cover of Newsweek is ridiculous!

Update: I saw the Newsweek cover in Barnes and Noble after running. I got an eggnog latte. I just saw that Palin doesn't like it either!

In an interview on Monday, the former vice presidential candidate did lash out at a Newsweek Magazine cover which shows Palin in her running outfit. The image was taken during a Runner's World photo shoot months ago, and according to a post on Palin's Facebook page, showed a depiction of the formed Alaskan governor which she called "sexist, and oh-so-expected." From Chicago Tribune online

For the record, I thought the photoshoot for Runners' World wasn't such a good idea.

What is a TWILF?

Sarah Palin was called a TWILF over the weekend. What is that? An insult or compliment? I don't know. I must be getting old.

What's the next major GOP victory in Westmoreland County?

My bet is the state house seat currently held by Jim Casorio.

Frank Schiefer

Frank Schiefer deserves some kudos for that clerk of courts win last night. Frank (and Pat Laughlin) ran some pretty good county wide races which helped set the table for Bryan Kline. Frank knows his stuff!

Imagine how bad our night started...

We went out to gather signs and results in this order:

1. Roble (trailing)
2. Dorothy (trailing)
3. Lloydsville (no results but we had a bad feeling)
4. Ward 1 (trailing)
5. Ward 3 (trailing bad! Eric Hauser must live there)
6. Ward 4 (trailing)
7. Ward 2 (trailing where the Repuclican mayoral candidate is up huge! Bad sign)
8. Ward 5 (trailing)
9. Ward 6 (no results but the trend was not our friend)

So, driving out of Latrobe. We had thought we lost. I refreshed the blackberry and saw that we were ahead with only Whitney and Mutual out. We high tailed it to Whitney and thank God we had a poll worker there. Specifically, Rhonda's father. Hauser won big(at least we know who was pushing for him there), but not big enough to overtake our lead. And then, mutual came in with Rhonda ahead.

What were we thinking going to our weakest polls first? Nothing like driving around thinking you have lost.

Huge night for Westmoreland County Republicans!

It was just a matter of time until the success we have had at the state and federal level trickled down to the county level. I see a very crowded republican primary for commissioner.

On to Toomey and Corbett!!!!! I am definitely not sitting out the Corbett race. Tom Corbett is an outstanding individual and should be governor. Pat Toomey is the right person to help restore some sense to the US Senate.

So many people to thank for my wife's victory

• Our friends and family who came out to vote, work the polls and told their friends to vote for us
• For all those who put signs out
• Mike O'Barto
• Both supervisor candidates, John Mylant and Sherry Bohla
• Greaterlatrobe.net for posting the video--almost 200 views more than our main opponent and our facebook friends that shared it.
• Who could forget the Vote for Rhonda runners last summer!
• Whoever started the rumor about me and reporting the "signs without disclaimers" because that actually helped us meet more people who helped us
• Barack Obama who actually made people want to vote republican again
• Poll workers for other candidates who helped us pass out info
• The other school board candidates who chose not to work the polls at all today. Normally, I don't think poll working helps. But today, it did. We had a lousy ballot position, but it was right under Bill Palmer. His excellent campaign got people to look down ballot for his name and then we were the only other school board campaign out there with literature.
• Olivia, Natalie and Elizabeth for being awesome today.
• And all those who helped who probably don't want me to put their names on the blog. You know who you are and thank you!

Rhonda really deserved to win. I just don't think it should have been this hard. Greater Latrobe is awesome school district!

Greaterlatrobe.net's video of Rhonda

Sign update

OK. This is the kind of stuff that got me to retire from politics. That and the fact that candidates I like (Bill Scranton and Mitt Romney) always seem to lose. I personally spoke to the folks involved. I think it is all good. My wife is most awesome and I would hate to think that someone would vote against her based upon a false rumor that I reported signs failed to have disclosure statements on them.

Seriously, I have been far to busy with "life" things to bother with something like other people's campaign signs. I haven't even put one out in like two years. That being said, if you want a Rhonda Laughlin for School Board yard sign, just e-mail me. perryandrhonda@comcast.net

They are available in both Greater Latrobe school colors and halloween colors (black and orange). We would greatly appreciate it.

Greater Latrobe School Board race

It seems that someone has told people that I reported the fact that candidates failed to properly put the "paid for" disclaimer on their signs.

I wish people would get their facts straight before making accusations.

I did not report these signs to the courthouse. Also, no one associated with me or my wife reported these signs to the courthouse.

Shocked!

I am shocked that Joseph P. Kennedy II passed on that senate seat. Shocked!

Blogging to resume soon..

I have been on a mental vacation. Some would say always...

Jon Gosselin...why is he making money from being famous?

Ridiculous! I hear he is starting a clothing line. It should be a series of t-shirts for him that says, "I'm an asshole" and another series of t-shirts which says, "I'm such a loser, I bought a T-shirt from that asshole, Jon Gosselin."

Rose Tennant talks about Ted Kennedy

Driving to work this morning, I tuned into Quinn and Rose. I don't really like the show and I have never thought much about the intellect of the two hosts. This morning, Rose Tennant was on a rant calling Ted Kennedy a fat old pedophile. Even Quinn seemed to recoil at her rant.

I just couldn't believe how horrible she was!

My prediction for Kennedy's senate seat.

Joseph P. Kennedy II

Bill Scranton endorsed Gerlach for Governor.

Someone asked me what do I think. I don't know. I like Bill Scranton and I would vote for him for Governor or US Senator. However, I have never met Gerlach. Can't even remember his first name at the moment. I do know he was in that republican controlled House of Representatives that totally lost their way and helped lead us to this massive democrat majority in Washington.

I have met Tom Corbett. I like him. I trust him. I will continue to support him for governor.

Santorum for President...

Just saw the headline over at grassrootspa. I could support that!

Broken toe!!!!

Why the rush on heathcare reform?

Shouldn't they be more concerned about getting it right? What a mess this is going to be!

Sen. Jim Bunning to retire

Sen. Bunning did an event for me while I was chairman. I spent the whole day with him. Sen. Bunning was honest and plain spoken. How many people get the chance to spend the day with

• an outspoken conservative senator
• a baseball hall of fame member
• and some who pitched a perfect game in the majors?

Well, I was treated to that all at once. It was quite enjoyable. I thought it was the perfect kick-off to getting folks in Westmoreland County fired up for Sen Santorum's reelection. Sen Bunning was an awesome featured speaker. However, the attendance was just so-so and that truly marked the beginning of my loss of interest in organized politics. After that, I had to endure Scranton's unsuccessful bid for governor, Santorum's loss and people's inability to move on from the whole Toomey/Specter controversy, and the final straw--Mitt Romney's loss. I personally blame that loss on Iowa's conservative christians and some of their "problem" that Romney didn't have exactly the same religious beliefs that they held. Huckabee, what a wasted vote Iowans!!!!

The Black Crowes

are awesome live! Levon Helm opened. He had laryngitis. He couldn't sing. Disappointing, but The Crowes certainly made up for it.

Tom Ward in Whispers column...

If Tom is going to challenge Tom Murphy for recorder of deeds, he should go ahead and be the replacement candidate for prothonotary. If he loses, no one will hold it against him because he is the replacement candidate. However, a countywide run now will help his name ID when he does run against Murphy. He would be helping both the party and himself.

Why did some guys in the Westmoreland GOP Committee...

have such a huge man crush on Judge Paul Panepinto (I don't know if I spelled it right, but don't care enough to look)? I just don't get it. Someone explain it to me.