Chuck Pennacchio is a man on a mission: He is determined to fix the nation's and Pennsylvania's schools, to ensure that equal opportunity is available to all, to protect reproductive freedoms and privacy, to bring poor and working-class people out of poverty, to ensure marriage equality under law and protect our constitutional rights, to establish a "sane," justice- and security-focused foreign policy and restore America's good name throughout the world. And though seen as an underdog - many media accounts preface his name with the word "unknown" - his message is breaking through to people who see his old-school progressive platitudes - calls for a living wage and Democratic core principles - as nothing short of revolutionary.
The more people know about this bright, experienced, tough, passionate, and exceedingly positive young man, the more they see that perhaps he is the hope to quash the Democratic policy of appeasing the right wing, that maybe Chuck Pennacchio is the one person who can energize an apathetic, acquiescent, fearful, defeated base and put Rick Santorum out of office.
A January survey by independent pollster Zogby (and commissioned by left-wing blog OpEdNews.com) bears this out. The poll found that when likely voters examined Santorum's, Casey's and Pennacchio's stands on issues facing Pennsylvania and the nation, they were inclined to support the truly progressive candidate. It makes one wonder: What is Chuck Pennacchio saying? And why are informed people considering him a revolutionary who can bring real American values of justice and freedom back to the forefront?
On Feb. 24, I had the pleasure and privilege of chatting with Chuck Pennacchio about his campaign, the Democratic Party, the nation's past and its future, the responsibilities of citizenship, and his undying faith in American values and people. Please take a read and meet a true believer who looks to be Pennsylvania's great progressive hope.
Natalie Davis: You started your campaign in 2003 as a grassroots, progressive candidate. What was it that motivated you to run to represent Pennsylvania in the US Senate in the first place?
Chuck Pennacchio: I think it was the idea that I don't like train wrecks. I saw the prospect of Rick Santorum winning reelection as a train wreck. That's quite literally how I visualized the Senate Democratic politics of Pennsylvania. Democrats in Pennsylvania don't know how to win US Senate seats. So my first motivation was: How do we stop Rick Santorum from being reelected in 2006? And I scratched my head and I looked at the history of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania and realized that they've lost 14 straight US Senate elections since 1964. The last one who won, in 1962, was Joe Clark, who was progressive. And I said to myself, this party is not going to choose a candidate who can beat Rick Santorum, I'm sure of it. And it's come to fruition. That's the reality: They've chosen a guy, Bob Casey Jr., who, is as contrary to Democratic core principles and values - at least the values that I think of when I associate myself with the Democratic Party... He's as contrary to those principles and values as anyone they possibly could have scrounged up anywhere or any place within the boundaries of the Keystone State. They've tried to go with this person who can not beat Rick Santorum; I'm absolutely convinced of that. So, in that sense, the thinking of November 2003 has been competely validated by a party that does not know how to win.
Article comments
1 - Dave De Vetter
I truly believe that Chuck Pennacchio is our only hope of beating Santorum in November. He will actually represent the people's interests instead of giving in to the corporations and righ-wing religious extremists. I hope everyone who reads this visits his site and contributes to his campaign or signs up to volunteer (even if you don't live in PA, there's much you can do). We're an all volunteer campaign fighting for the future of democracy.
2 - Austin
that site is www.chuck2006.com
3 - Natalie Davis
Chuck's name in the essay, as does the Pennacchio button graphic, links to the campaign Web site.
4 - Brenna Lorenz
If you have a chance to hear Chuck speak, absolutely do go. He will have you jumping out of your seat ready to do battle. You can't imagine how wonderful it is to hear a candidate talk sense!
When people ask him tough questions, he doesn't hedge, waffle, change the subject, flinch or dodge. He answers head-on, decisively. He's going to make mincemeat of Santorum.
This man is a true leader.
5 - Natalie Davis
Yes, Chuck is a principled, empowering presence. And a straight shooter. But the fact remains that the Democratic powers that be, including a lot of the major Democratic blogs (Kos, MyDD, etc.) are pushing the centrist-conservative Casey. That makes it crucial for progressives to spread the word far and wide throughout Pennsylvania: Casey is nothing more than a pale image of Santorum. He does not support the basic issues so crucial for Pennsylvania and that represent core Democratic values. I understand that people are used to caving in to the right wing; they're accustomed to bending over for the conservatives and losing for their self-degradation. But come on - a progressive can win and god knows, a change is needed YESTERDAY. It's time for a real progressive, a real people's candidate. If Santorum is destined to win (and I maintain that he is NOT), isn't it better to lose standing tall rather than on one's knees? Casey is the candidate for the acquiescent, the cowardly, the weak. Pennacchio is the candidate for the courageous, for those who want power to rest in the hands of the PEOPLE rather than the fatcat, money-motivated pols. Spread the word.