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| | [[Image:Edward G. Rendell.jpg|right|170px]] | | [[Image:Edward G. Rendell.jpg|right|170px]] |
| − | '''Edward G. Rendell''' was elected the 45th [[Governor]] of the [[Commonwealth]] of [[Pennsylvania]] as a [[Democrat]] in 2001. | + | '''Edward G. Rendell''' (b. 1944) is the 45th governor of [[Pennsylvania]]; he was elected as a [[Democrat]] in 2001. His name is pronounced ren-DELL. |
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| − | Prior [[government]] experience included Chairman of the Democratic National Committee or DNC in 2000. From 1991-1999 he was [[Mayor]] of Pennsylvania's largest city, [[Philadelphia]], a job for which he ran for unsuccessfully in 1987. Prior to this, he was Philadelphia's [[District attorney]] from 1977-1986, when he left to run, unsuccessfully for Governor. As D.A. he was a proponent of [[capital punishment]], including one high profile case which he successfully prosecuted, that of convicted cop killer '''Mumia Abu Jamal''' [http://www.academia.org/store/cop_killer_description.html].
| + | ==Career== |
| | + | Rendell was born on January 5, 1944 to a wealthy Jewish family in New York City. He moved to Philadelphia to attend the U. of Pennsylvania (an Ivy League school) and earned a law degree at Villanova in 1968. He and his wife, Federal '''Judge Marjorie Rendell''' have been married since 1971. They have one son, Jesse. |
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| − | Rendell was born on January 5, 1944. He and his wife, Federal '''Judge Marjorie Rendell''' have been married since 1971. They have one son, Jesse. | + | Rendell served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve from 1968 to 1974. |
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| − | Rendell served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve from 1968 to 1974. | + | Prior government experience included Chairman of the Democratic National Committee or DNC in 2000. After a defeat in 1987 he was elected mayor of [[Philadelphia]] in 1991 and reelected in 1995. He was the elected [[District attorney]] in Philadelphia from 1977-1986, when he left to run, unsuccessfully for governor. As D.A. he was a proponent of [[capital punishment]], including one high profile case which he successfully prosecuted, that of convicted cop killer '''Mumia Abu Jamal''' [http://www.academia.org/store/cop_killer_description.html]. |
| | + | ==Governor== |
| | + | Rendell has tried cutting the state budget to meet the [[Recession of 2008]], and has raised state income taxes 10%. He succeeded in legalizing casino gambling, and also signed a law to sharply increase the salaries of elected officials. (He returned his own increase.) Facing a difficult reelection in 2006, he passed a $1 billion cut in property taxes. He defeated a retired football player for reelection. His numerous financial proposals were rejected by the legislature in 2007-08. |
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| | + | Rendell ran [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]]'s primary campaign in April 2008, scoring a decisive 55%-45% win over [[Barack Obama]]. He of course endorsed Obama when he won the nomination and helped carry the state for the Democratic ticket, 54%-44%. In spring 2009 he persuaded Senator [[Arlen Specter]] to switch from the GOP to the Democrats, promising he and Obama would campaign for Specter in 2010. |
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| | ==Trivia== | | ==Trivia== |
| | Rendell is a renown sports fan and avidly follows the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] | | Rendell is a renown sports fan and avidly follows the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] |
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| − | Rendell has publicly endorsed [[Senator]] [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] for President in January, 2008.
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| | [[category:Democratic Governors]] | | [[category:Democratic Governors]] |
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| | [[Category:United States Mayors]] | | [[Category:United States Mayors]] |
| | [[Category:Reagan Era]] | | [[Category:Reagan Era]] |
| | + | [[Category:Obama Presidency]] |