Inky Gets in on Pennacchio

The Inquirer just got around to printing/posting a profile of Chuck Pennacchio's candidacy for Rick Santorum's (R) Senate seat in 2006.

Don't be surprised if you [PA bloggers] are contacted by Tim Tagaris or someone else on Pennacchio's staff. They're going to be extremely blog-heavy.

Pennacchio, who hopes to raise $3 million for the primary, has asked his supporters to start their own blogs. He spent $5,000 on his first ad buy. But that kind of money wouldn't buy a few seconds on TV or radio, so he blanketed 18 national and local blogs. Pennacchio held his first conference call in late February. But instead of gathering print and broadcast media, he discussed his campaign with 10 Pennsylvania and New Jersey bloggers, including a 16-year-old.

"They are opinion leaders and they need to be respected," Pennacchio said.

Feels nice to be appreciated.

Pennacchio is not part of the established politicians, but rather, an academic with a political background.

"They can't touch me," said Pennacchio, 45, a Plumsteadville, Bucks County, resident and history program director at Philadelphia's University of the Arts. "They have nothing I want. I want a rebirth of the Democratic Party as a whole. I am not looking for patronage, a job, a career."

A Rebirth... a Renaissance... I'm on board.