Gov. Ed Rendell

Chris Matthews: Donald Trump Can Be as Dangerous as Saddam Hussein
By Randy Hall | July 8, 2015 | 8:25 PM EDT

During a panel discussion after NBC News reporter Katy Tur's contentious interview of 2016 GOP presidential contender Donald Trump, Chris Matthews -- the long-time host of MSNBC's Hardball weeknight program -- surprised his fellow commentators by asserting that the billionaire can be as deadly as a former dictator in the Middle East.

“He has a lot of information on everybody,” Matthews told moderator and Meet the Press host Chuck Todd. “He’s ready to go after a guy like Charles Krauthammer,” a popular commentator on the Fox News Channel. Trump “has already done the oppo (opposition research) on every journalist around. He’s ready with the worst stuff to throw at you.”

As Gas Prices Tumble, Ed Rendell Calls for Tax Hikes on CNBC
By Julia A. Seymour | December 8, 2014 | 5:16 PM EST

The dramatic fall of gas and oil prices meant relief for holiday travelers and more money in the pockets of shoppers. MarketWatch reported one estimate of the savings that equated it to a $75 billion tax cut for households.

But rather than let drivers enjoy the much needed respite from years of gas prices above $3-a-gallon, former governor of Pennsylvania, Democrat Ed Rendell said it was the time to raise the federal gas tax to fix the nation’s “crumbling” infrastructure. He touted a bill by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., to raise the 18-cents-a-gallon federal gas tax by 12 cents per gallon in the next two years. That would be a 66 percent increase.

Questions to Political Panel From CBS's Schieffer Focus on GOP Problems 6 to 1
By Kyle Drennen | August 16, 2010 | 6:15 PM EDT
Bob Schieffer, CBS In a discussion of the midterm elections on Sunday's Face the Nation, CBS host Bob Schieffer asked members of his political panel a total of seven questions, six of which highlighted Republican difficulties, only one of which actually raised the problems for the Democrats in November.

Instead of acknowledging the greater political challenges facing Democrats, Schieffer began by acting as if both parties were equally in trouble: "You have Democrats on the one hand saddled with a very bad economy, high unemployment....Republicans, on the other hand, have – find themselves suddenly with some very, well, how would I say it, unusual candidates, people who have taken very extreme views on things." Schieffer then proceeded to focus almost exclusively on Republican obstacles.

In his first electoral question to former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, Schieffer asked about one of those "unusual" GOP candidates: "...you have Linda McMahon, who is formally – or maybe she still is part of the World Wrestling Federation." After playing a clip of McMahon appearing at a WWE event, Schieffer pressed: "I expect Republicans are going to be seeing that video a lot this year, and they're going to have to defend it. Is this somebody who's going to be good for the Republican Party? Is this a good image for Republicans to have?"
Rendell: 'Bad Person' Wouldn't Support Obama's Universal Health Care
By Paul Detrick | August 25, 2008 | 6:47 PM EDT

What are you if you don't support Sen. Barack Obama's health care plan? Well, a "bad person" according to Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. Sticks and stones may hurt your bones but words can always be blogged:

"Hillary has fought for universal health-care for all her life. The McCain plan is respectfully a joke. Sen. Obama has a real good plan to bring health care to every American," Rendell told CBS "The Early Show" co-host Harry Smith on August 25. "She cares about that. If she didn't she'd be a bad person and she's a very good person."

Rendell, who supported Clinton in the primary, said Obama's proposal to offer a government-run health insurance program should persuade Clinton supporters to back Obama.

There are plenty of female opponents of Obama's plan who might not appreciate being called "bad."

"I think that a lot of women, when they think about moving towards government run system of health care, which is really what Sen. Obama is talking about, they're going to be a little bit cautious," Carrie Lukas, Vice President for Policy and Economics at the Independent Women's Forum, said to the Business & Media Institute.