by Tribune-Review staff

Arlen Specter's "All Apologies Tour" is in full swing.

Specter, R-Foot-in-Mouth, spent last week issuing mea culpa after mea culpa after telling several Polish jokes at a luncheon in New York.

Among those receiving an "I'm sorry" were Tim Kuzma, president of the Polish Falcons of America; Michael Blichasz president of the Polish American Congress; Rick Pierchalski , president of the Polish Cultural Council and Frank Spula, president of the Polish American Congress in Chicago.

The Don Rickles of the U.S. Senate proceeded with the ill-advised comedy routine even after asking if anyone in the audience was Polish -- and receiving affirmative responses.

During the recent Pennsylvania Society festivities in the Big Apple, Specter addressed the Commonwealth Club, an influential group of state Republicans.

According to the New York Post, which broke the story, Specter began by telling the old joke about a person who tells another person that he knows a good Polish joke. The person being told that responds, "Hey, careful, I'm Polish."

Specter delivered the unfunny punch line: "That's OK, I'll tell it more slowly."

Several similar "jokes" followed.

"No one walked out, but it was offensive," a person who attended the luncheon told the Post. "I was offended, and I'm not Polish."

Reviews of Specter's performance were far from kind.

Opined Newsmax.com: "When Pennsylvania Congressman Jack Murtha recently said many of his home-staters are 'racist' and 'rednecks,' he may have been referring to the state's longtime U.S. senator."

Alex Storozynski, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who heads the Kosciuszko Foundation -- an organization promoting Polish-American relations -- was incensed. In a letter to Specter, he wrote:

"Polish Col. Tadeusz Kosciusko was not slow in your state of Pennsylvania when Benjamin Franklin asked him to build forts in 1776 to protect Philadelphia from the oncoming attack from the British."

He added: " Casimir Pulaski was not slow in Pennsylvania when he quickly organized a team of dragoons to help Gen. George Washington escape unharmed after the Battle of Brandywine."

Think Specter may have offended a few people?

A GOP LAMB FOR THE SLAUGHTER? With 2009 marking the 70th anniversary since Pittsburgh last elected a Republican mayor, speculation already has begun as to who the GOP sacrificial lamb will be in next year's mayoral race.

One possibility we're hearing is that Kevin Acklin may be the man to square off against Mayor Luke Ravenstahl . Barring a comet striking his Summer Hill home, Ravenstahl almost certainly will be the Democratic nominee.

Acklin, 32, is a Squirrel Hill attorney who heads RenewPittsburgh, a volunteer group that focuses on neighborhood revitalization efforts.

You may recall Acklin lost to Chuck McCullough in the 2007 GOP primary for Allegheny County Council's at-large Republican seat.

Acklin hasn't made any public pronouncements about a mayoral bid. But he recently debuted a Web site, kevinacklin.com, which is blank save for the promise "Coming Soon!"

DECISIONS, DECISIONS ... . Many of us spend time debating whether to lunch at McDonald's or Wendy's. Jack Wagner is debating whether to run for governor or senator.

It hardly was a secret that the state auditor general was mulling a gubernatorial bid in 2010, when term limits will give Ed Rendell much more time to devote to being a Philadelphia Eagles TV commentator.

But Wagner recently revealed he also is considering a run for the Senate seat currently held by Arlen Specter, R-Foot-in-Mouth (see breakout item above.)

Wagner obviously was buoyed by the 3.3 million votes he received in last month's re-election bid. That's more votes than any candidate running for any office received in Pennsylvania -- including a fellow named Barack Obama.

Other Dems reportedly considering a Senate run include MSNBC talk-show host Chris Matthews , U.S Rep. Allyson Schwartz of Philadelphia and U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Bucks County.

Given the staggering number of votes Wagner received, we bet Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato -- who has done everything but formally announce a gubernatorial bid -- opts to run for the Senate seat.

MEMORIES . Chairman Tom Balya of Westmoreland County commissioners was mum earlier this month when asked by a reporter for comments about a 2.8 percent cost-of-living salary increase he and other county officials will be receiving in 2009.

Balya just remarked that he was disbursing his annual $250 donations. The money comes from a 1996 salary bump of 15 percent that he voted against.

Beneficiaries of the commissioner's largesse this year are the Alle-Kiski Learning Center in Arnold, Bethlehem Project at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, vocational-technology schools in New Kensington, New Stanton and Derry Township, Douglas Education Center in Monessen, Humane Society of Westmoreland County, New Kensington youth projects, Westmoreland Cleanways, ParentWISE Inc., Toys for Tots, Union Mission in Latrobe and the Westmoreland County Food Bank.

Balya has donated some $45,750 through the yearly donations.

With this year's salary bump, he will earn $72,819.

OPEN UP. Sewickley Township officials in Westmoreland County had a unique response when asked recently who the township's new public information officer would be.

The naming of an officer is required under new state open record laws going into effect in 2009. What did the township have to say about it all?

"No comment!"

MORE DISCLOSURE . After a state Ethics Commission report this year revealed some expensive activities at the Western Westmoreland Municipal Authority, Penn Township commissioners stood up to make their appointed representatives more accountable.

Irwin Council isn't ready to join them.

Penn Township was frustrated by news that authority board members overspent their conference budgets several times this decade. In 2004 alone, they spent $63,000 on seminars.

The township is requiring its reps to make an in-person presentation annually about WWMA's operations.

Penn Township asked Irwin to do something similar. But Irwin council members said they aren't sure what they're supposed to ask for because they already receive a written annual report from WWMA.

"We tell you everything that goes on down there," said Irwin Councilwoman Pat Altman , an appointee on the WWMA board.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---