2 I The Behrencl Beacon
McCain rally aims
increase community
involvement in
Republican campaign
Lynn Swann, Tom ridge, Phil
English and Jerry Coffee speak in
support of McCain-Palin ticket
By Matthew Schwabenbauer
continued from page 1.
By 9:10 a.m., many Erie offi
cials were present, including
Ridge, English and Erie County
Coroner Lyell Cook.
"All the elected Republican
officials were asked to appear,”
said Cook. “But I am a McCain
supporter at any rate, so I would
have been here regardless.”
Veterans were prominent at the
event, as McCain’s service in the
Navy during the Vietnam, and
time spent as a RO.W. have
gained the senator much support
from former servicemen.
“When we’re talking about the
leader of the free world, we have
to look at character and personal
things," said John Nelson, a vet
eran of the Vietnam war. “From
my way of thinking, Mr. Obama
just doesn’t cut it.”
At 9:15 a.m., Congressman
Phil English started his speech.
He began with the usual saluta
tions and gratitude toward the
organizers of the rally.
His formalities were short
lived, as his focus quickly shifted
to the election.
“The speech I was going to
make when I agreed to make this
appearance is now probably
'rtiaot,” >sh\d‘English. “A lot of
things have‘happened in the last
couple of weeks.”
The first topic the congress
man touched on was Sen. Barack
Obama’s (D- 111.) experience
MATTHEW SCHWABENBAUER / The Behrend Beacon
John McCain supporters congregated in Perry Square Wednesday.
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compared to McCain’s
“This election is going to be
about change, but it is also going
to be about electing the kind of
people who can achieve change
and who have a proven track
record of achieving change.”
Toward the end of his speech,
English began to tout himself as
well as McCain
“In
the House of
Representatives, I’ve been an
advocate for reform; I’ve been an
advocate for health care reform;
I've been an advocate for eco
nomic reform; I’ve been an advo
cate for trade law reform; and
I’ve been an advocate for build
ing the economy of the future
right here in Northwestern'
Pennsylvania,” said English.
The rally’s next speaker was
former Pennsylvania Governor
and first Secretary of the
Department of Homeland
Security, Tom Ridge.
“It’s nice to be back home,”
Ridge said. “I never thought I’d
be opening for Lynn Swann.”
Before speaking on behalf of
McCain, Ridge spoke in favor of
English.
“Phil English is a very widely
respected member of the
Congress of the United States,
respected for his independence of
thought, his intellect and his will
ingness to reach across the aisle
and try to solve problems,” said
Ridge. “People used to run for
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Election 2008
DANIEL. SMITH / The Behrend Beacon
Above: Tom Ridge, former Pennsylvania Governor and
former Steelers 1 Super Bowl M.V.P Lynn Swann
Right: Captain Gerald Coffee and
Pennsylvania Congressman Phil Eglisli
public office in order to solve
problems. You’d run to win. then
you win to govern. Lately, we've
been missing the second half of
the equation. People run to win,
then run to win again. We don't
have too many problem solvers
anymore. Phil English and John
McCain are problem solvers."
Ridge then spoke about the
economy, specifically the current
financial crisis.
“As McCain stated, the chal
lenge in terms of foreign rela
tions and in terms of connecting
America's economy to the global
economy is the toughest chal
lenge we’ve had, perhaps ever,"
said Ridge. “If you’re going to
pick an airline and the weather is
bad, would you want someone
who just got their license to fly.
or someone who’s been around
20 or 30 years?’’
Ridge claimed Obama would
increase taxes, due to his new
program proposals.
“I don’t believe that in his brief
career in the senate of Illinois
and his even briefer career in the
senate of the United States, that
Senator Obama has ever met a
tax increase he couldn't support,"
said Ridge. "When people are
struggling [financially], it's not
the time to take more money out
of their pocket."
Ridge concluded his speech
with more Obama criticisms.
“I don't think the White House
is a good place for on the job
training”
"Pennsylvanians aren't bitter.
were proud.”
Following Ridge was Lynn
Swann, former Pittsburgh
Steeler.
"They tell you you should
never start with an apology. I'm
gonna break that rule." said
Swann. "I want to apologize
because (Ridge] shouldn't be the
warmup for anyone in
Pennsylvania."
In the early parts of his speech,
Swann focused on the local
Pennsylvania government and
related it to Obama's plan for the
nation.
"Here in Pennsylvania since
we've had a Democratic
Governor for the last six years,
we started out with a budget of
twenty billion, six million dollars
and it's risen to twenty eight bil
lion. four million dollars said
Swann. "When you take a pro
gram like we've experienced
here in Pennsylvania and stretch
it out over the United States,
that's what Barack Obama is."
Swan's speech largely mir
rored Ridge's and lambasted
Obama for his lack of experience
and youth
When the former Steeler was
finished speaking, retired Navy
Captain Gerald Coffee spoke.
Coffee is one of the longest held
P.O.W.'s of the Vietnam war.
Coffee arrived at the event on
the "Straight Talk Express." one
of a fleet of tour buses travelling
across the country in support of
McCain.
The majority of Coffee's
speech focused on McCain's
time spent in a P.O.W. camp.
"1 was in Hanoi for a year and
a half before John got there and
when I first heard his name, it
sounded like this." Coffee then
tapped "McCain" in morse code
on the microphone.
"I met John McCain face to face
in about 1970."
After Coffee spoke of their histo
ry. he spoke of McCain's presi
What’s Inside
Students meet in Brunos to watch
Presidential Debate
Brunos Cafe was flooded with students Tuesday
night for the 2nd Presidential Debate of this
year’s election. The debate, hosted by former
NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brockaw, aired
promptly at 9 p.m. as students from a diversified
range of majors packed the cafe, leaving little to
no seating. PAGE 3
Penn State to change football ticket system
According to The Daily Collegian Online, Greg Myford, assistant athletic
director at Penn State University, stated that they will be progressively shifting
toward a web-based ticket management program which will permit students to
buy their football tickets online. PAGE 4
Women’s Tennis team moves to 14-2
mm&jk gw Behrend's Women's Tennis team continued its incredible
season this week with three decisive victories at home. Penn
State Altoona, Waynesburg, and Pitt-Bradford all fell to the
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Lady Lions. PAGE 8
dential campaign.
"Never in my wildest dreams
could I imagine that I'd be stand
ing here on these steps before
you this morning, talking about
my friend John McCain."
‘John said. ‘When 1 went to
Vietnam 1 was my own man.
When I came home, I was my
country s.
In a one-on-one interview with
The Behrend Beacon, Ridge stat
ed the importance of college stu
dents in this election.
" College students are the gen
eration most affected by this
election." said Ridge. "The price
of college is an incredible bur
Friday, October 10, 2008
den, and McCain will live up to
his promise of easing that bur-
Ridge then touched on how
the economic downturn will
affect college students.
■'Finding jobs after college is a
bigger crisis for young people
than health care." he said.
"McCain is the man who would
be best for the nation."
Phil English had similar senti
ments when he spoke one on one
with The Behrend Beacon.
ucation funding remains a priori
ty." he said. "McCain has the
ability to build coalitions and
build a vibrant economy."