PITTSBURGH - In a Market Square campaign rally downtown Pittsburgh before an enthusiastic crowd last night, Governor Ed Rendell pledged that he would "continue to be a prudent and responsible steward of your hard-earned tax money." Then he climbed a ladder with a basket filled with money and began tossing bills to the delighted, grasping hordes of onlookers. "Let's spread some of this hard-earned tax money around to the voters," he yelled. Police estimate that the Governor gave away in excess of $1 million dollars.
At one point a step on the ladder appeared to be bending beneath Rendell's considerable girth, but he simply moved up a step, which seemed more secure.
As the bills gently floated down in the cool October night air, Rendell's spirits soared. "You've heard of trickle-down economics," Rendell roared to the crowd, "well, this is float-down economics."
Some called Rendell's largesse a blatant attempt to buy votes in the election three weeks away. Rendell disagreed. "At no time did I suggest to this crowd that there is a quid pro quo to vote for me in exchange for this money," he said. "These good people can reach that conclusion on their own."
