Demagogue

Former pro football player Lynn Swann is running for governor of Pennsylvania as a Republican. His website declares:

Being able to govern effectively requires that you know exactly what you believe in and where you want to take the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

It's hard to argue with that. So exactly what does Swann believe in and exactly where does he want to lead the state? Your guess is as good as mine. The following mush is as close as Swann comes to answering this question:

Creating Economic Opportunities
The greatest challenge of the next Governor is to put Pennsylvania’s economy back on track.

Preparing Our Children to Compete
The most basic job of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is to provide an education that will lead to opportunity for our children.

Pennsylvania Values
Pennsylvania values have always been about hard work, determination, and the will to succeed.

Well, I guess we cleared that up.

Swann has already put a lot of time and effort into building a campaign, seeking endorsements, making speeches, and so forth. For a candidate at this stage to have so little to say means one of only two things -- either he's too ignorant to have genuine positions, or his positions are so whacky that he's trying to gloss over them.

Neither of these options should reassure Pennsylvania voters.

(P.S. -- In the latest poll, Gov. Ed Rendell leads Swann 48-to-36 percent.)