Former Guvs & Future Mayors

Among the hotel lobby talk and sidewalk encounters during Pennsylvania Society weekend in New York, I get predictions on the presidential race from two former Guvs (both national figures) and thoughts on the future from two would-be mayors.

First, I ask former Gov. Rendell if he sees any chance Hillary Clinton ends up on the national ticket as President Obama's running mate instead of VP Joe Biden.

"No," says Ed, "unless they're behind eight or nine points in June or July. Then you go to Biden and say, `You always wanted to be Secretary of State and we need Hillary to pull us through.' But I don't think they'll be behind eight or nine points in July. I think they'll be behind maybe one or two points."

Then I see former Gov. Ridge and ask about the state of the GOP. He endorsed his friend and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman early and is still pushing him and planning to go to New Hampshire to help Hunstman's efforts in that state's early primary.

But, like most serious GOP insiders, he can't believe Newt will be the nominee and thinks ultimately the party picks Mitt. He admits, however, GOP power boys are "worried."

At the future mayoral level, I ask Philly Councilman Bill Green if he's running to be the city's next executive. He calmly notes that if he answered that question he'd have to resign Jan. 2 (under City Charter provisions banning an elected official in one from running for another while holding that office) but adds, "What I've been saying is WHEN I run for mayor in 2015...."

And from the other end of the state, former state senator, former Pittsburgh city council member and current state Auditor General Jack Wagner says he's looking at a run for mayor of the Steel City in 2013.

Wagner, who is term-limited in his current post, which officially ends in January 2013, says he's also looking at some other options but that running his hometown is a challenge he's drawn to because "that's where my heart is."