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Year of the Democrat

When I graduated high school in 1985, I went to the movies that summer to see “Year of the Dragon,” which starred Mickey Rourke and dealt with organized crime in Chinatown. One of my favorite scenes is when Rourke’s character, Captain Stanley White, lines up his weary police force to scold: “You look like the Chicago Cubs. Like you already lost.”

With all deference and respect to my friends who happen to be Cubs fans, the quote resonates with me. With all of the talk about polling, trends and “voter enthusiasm,” way too many pundits are basically playing “taps” for Democrats. The last time I checked, there were no crystal balls in Harrisburg or anyplace else in Pennsylvania. As someone who has been around politics for more than 20 years, one thing I know for certain is that no poll ever took the place of good, old fashioned turnout efforts and organization. Polls take the temperature of the voters at a specific time given a specific set of circumstances—that’s all.

I know it looks bleak for Democrats right now. But we’re several days away from Labor Day and families are still at the beach enjoying their last few days of tranquility before the summer season wraps up. The polls will tighten, the ads will fly, the mailings will be sent and the candidates will debate. I don’t know too many Democrats in any campaign who are strapping on the Cubbies pinstripes for a home game.

If anything, the dismal polls should energize people even more to work harder, smarter and more efficiently. I have yet to hear a compelling argument to elect Republicans in Pennsylvania. Their message is either negative or nonexistent.

Democrats will be like the Fightin’ Phillies. They’ll be there in the end.

September 1, 2010 at 11:50 am

--Abe Amoros

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