HOUSE DEMS DECIDE TO CONTINUE THE SOAP OPERA

A Captain Renault post: It's official. We all know by now that the House Democrats voted on their leadership posts for the upcoming session yesterday. Incredibly (to the rest of the world), they decided to continue the state's longest running soap opera show with it's main character -- Bill DeWeese -- for at least another two years. Or is it at least until DeWeese is indicted? Either way, the show goes on!

The Democrats made the decision to give DeWeese a slight demotion from Leader to Whip but made sure the ratings will continue to be high. Reporters and editorial writers who love to cover and opine about chaos in the House Democrat caucus will still have lots of material to use. Republicans, who successfully hammered some incumbent House Democrats into submission and defeat in the election using DeWeese's antics as ammunition, will still have DeWeese to hang around the necks of more Democrats for a while longer. Reading through some articles on DeWeese over the weekend I was reminded that DeWeese was a walking and talking soap opera before there was a Bonusgate investigation. Now he is a like an aging, diminished soap star they just can't quite write out of the script yet.

Democratic activists all over the state are no doubt disappointed that this show was not yanked from the lineup -- and Republicans have to be thrilled.

Speaking of Republicans, it looks like the House Republicans wisely and finally retired their own retread soap star. Speaker Emeritus John Perzel looked foolish as he mounted a weak challenge against Sam Smith for Republican Minority Leader. I wonder if all of those big contributors to Perzel will ask for their money back now. After all, the word was that Perzel promised them he would soon be back in charge and the big man on campus again after the November election. The House Republicans may be in the minority by a few votes but they sure know how to give the hook when someone is doing far more damage than any good for the members of their caucus.

The hot rumor is that Speaker Emeritus Perzel may just become plain old Representative Emeritus by resigning from his seat now that he has been roundly rejected by the members in his Republican caucus.

More commentary on the leadership elections coming soon....