Senator Casey Serious About Gun Control

Senator Casey is holding Sarah Brady's book.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has already noted that Senator Bob Casey, who was previously a vocal supporter of the NRA, has had a change of heart about gun control. A group of concerned citizens, including Lower Merion Democratic Committeeman David  Broida and activist Betsy Sheerr, recently met with him to discuss the issue. This is Broida's account of the meeting, which was confirmed with other participants. 

Casey started out the meeting by saying that he had never had an experience like this, The television news reports from Newtown, Connecticut after the massacre of 20 children, 6 teachers, and the shooter's mother had a major impact on him. 

Casey said, " Don't think that TV news can't influence you.  I watched NBC's Pete Williams walk in the halls of the school, with arrows on the floor, showing the path of the  gunman.  Moving down the hallway.  That is when I realized that he didn't intend to kill just students in 2 rooms - he intended to kill every child in that school."

It seems that gun control advocates owe a debt of gratitude to one of Casey's daughter. Casey indicated that his it was daughter's prodding that caused him to change his mind. 

Casey said, "I was haunted by the reality of 20 kids dead and the possibility of an entire school dying. My daughter asked me, Dad, you have a vote. What are you going to do about it?"

For the first time, he questioned the existence of militias and the unlimited rights of gun owners. 

"I do not know how many of my constituents are in the militia category, but as someone who loves his country and sees the government as a force of good for its citizens, I am clearly alarmed by this segment of our society," said Casey. 

Some of Casey shift on gun control can be attributed to the changing demographics of Pennsylvania. The state is becoming less rural and more suburban. But he does seem sincere about the need for gun control. 

In a lighter moment during the meeting, Casey joked about the red hot celebrity of the new senator from Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren.

"When I was a party for Elizabeth Warren's swearing in party, someone handed him the camera and asked him to take the picture. The first time that has happened. I am usually the one in the picture," laughed Casey. 

Casey,Meehan, Brady Performing Stand-up For A Good Cause

Senator Casey during his turn to solicit laughs from the audience. 

In this era of bitter partisan politics, Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky achieves the impossible. For 22 years, he is organized a candidate's comedy night at Finnegan's Wake that is a must show for those running for political office in southeastern Pennsylvania. Throughout the years, the event, which is held at Finnegan's Wake has raised more than $475,000 for the Variety Club, a charity that helps disabled children. In a gracious gesture, Congressman Brady promised to solicit all the candidates to make sure this year's total would bump the event's total dollars raised to over $500,000.

Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky

Senator Bob Casey, his challenger Tom Smith, Congressmen Mike Fitzpatrick and Robert Mansfield were among the politicos that performed stand up. Congressmen Jim Gerlach, Chakkah Fattah, and Allyson Schwartz, whose stand in said she could not come because she was busy getting a mani pedi with Nancy Pelosi and Deborah Wasserman Schultz, were the only candidates that did not to attend this year.



This year, I have to declare two winners for best stand-up routine. John Featherman, a Republican Congressional candidate running against incumbent Bob Brady, received the most laughs for his routine about his marriage to a Chinese woman. When he asked for a sexual position that slang users refer to by number on the night of his fourth wedding anniversary, he joked that "his wife asked why he wanted chicken and broccoli."

Bykofsky with congressional candidate Kathy Bookvar.

The award for the best G rated comedic routine goes to Republican Congressman Pat Meehan. He asked, "Why did Anthony Wiener have to apologize to Bill Clinton over a sex scandal? Was it patent infringement?"

He also good-naturedly ribbed his challenger George Badey, who is a proud Philadelphia Mummer, that J. Edgar Hoover has already done the men in "rouge, red lipstick and tight pants with sequins" dance.

Badey returned the favor by poking fun at Meehan's prep school education. He joked, "When Meehan graduated, he got a horse. When I got graduated, I got a picture of a horse."

Several of the candidates used props in their routine. The Republican candidate for Attorney General David Freed has been criticized for being too close to Governor Tom Corbett so naturally he "took" a call from the Governor during his routine. Republican Senatorial Candidate Tom Smith, who grew up on a farm, prepared an elaborate slide show to introduce himself to the audience. It included a photo-shopped picture of he and his wife in the famous Grant Wood painting "American Gothic". Indian American Manan Travedi, who described his sixth Congressional District as between Philadelphia and fracking, promised not to make any ethnic jokes and then proceeded to answer a call as if he was working at Dell customer service.

Professional comedian Joe Conklin suggested that the dancers from Club Revue were there so that "Congressman Brady would not have the biggest boobs in the room"

Despite his hard work to organize the night, Bykofsky, who is no spring chicken, was the butt of a few jokes. Congressional candidate Badey cracked, "Wasn't Bykofsky the reporter that broke the story about the crack in the Liberty Bell?"

For one night, it seemed that everyone forget the political issues that divide them and united to make the audience laugh. We need more nights like this.