Corbett "struggled" with University of Pittsburgh students' questions; "unresponsive" to many

[PA Democrat]

This morning Corbett spoke at a "Breakfast and Politics" event at the University of Pittsburgh. The event was hosted by Pitt’s Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and Student Government Board and included a prepared speech by the governor followed by a question and answer session.

Robert Beecher, chairperson of SGB’s Governmental Relations Committee, said he thought Corbett seemed composed while delivering his prepared portion of the presentation, but struggled with the question and answer session.

“His main weakness was his inability to respond to student questions,” Beecher said. “He was unresponsive to many of the questions.”

Pitt’s Dean of Students Kathy Humphrey said she was impressed with the students’ questions.

“In general, I was pleased with the students,” Humphrey said. “They brought real facts for the governor to consider. I thought the questions were well thought out. I hope this will encourage the governor to reconsider his proposal.”

http://pittnews.com/newsstory/gov-corbett-takes-questions-from-pitt-students/

Despite the early hour (7:30 a.m.) the Governor was met by protestors.



More photos at link:

http://pittnews.com/photoshoot/pancakes-and-politics-governor-tom-corbett/

[provis99]

1. come on students, lay off Corbett: he's stupid, after all.

Don't confuse his itty bitty mind with your question!

[livetohike]

2. "unresponsive to many of the questions"

I don't think I can survive any more years of him as our Governor. What's next? Will he try to take my right to vote away (I'm female).

[Politicalboi]

3. If the protesters bother him

He can just close his eyes.

[Curmudgeoness]

12. You have that right!

[PA Democrat]

4. Some video of the event and protestors.

Kudos to the students.

http://www.wtae.com/video/30693601/detail.html

[blue neen]

5. I loved the guy with the drum! Good for Pitt students.

Governor Corporate looked a bit uncomfortable up there, didn't he?

[JPZenger]

6. Corbett said he would understand if Pitt becomes a private university

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_786847.html

Corbett previously said he wanted to eliminate all state dollars to public universities and instead simply rely upon need based PHEAA grants (which by the way he is also cutting)

[blue neen]

8. Maybe he wants Pitt to raise revenue by drilling for Marcellus Shale gas.

Yep...right there in Oakland.

If Tom Corbett's brain was gasoline it wouldn't be enough to run a piss ant on a motorcycle around Grover Norquist's bathtub.

[blue neen]

7. "I don't have the money."

Governor, we realize that you are no Stephen Hawking, but it doesn't take a genius to figure this out: IF YOU TAX THE MARCELLUS DRILLERS, THERE WILL BE MONEY FOR ALL THE THINGS IN THE BUDGET YOU ARE CUTTING!

Tom Corbett is a liar and a crook.

[PA Democrat]

10. Then don't GIVE away OUR state's natural resources, Governor!

What a buffoon. No wonder the natural gas drillers laugh at him.

I demand Corbett submit to a televised IQ test and lie detctor test before he is allowed to make any further policy decisions. Perhaps the governor needs a little help reaching the realization that he is too stupid and too corrupt to make decisions regarding the use of our tax dollars and our natural resources.

He can close his eyes if he doesn't want to see the test results.

[JPZenger]

11. PA only state that doesn't tax cigars and chewing tobacco, plus $250 million business tax cut

!. PA is the only state that doesn't tax cigars and chewing tobacco.

2.Close the Delaware loophole that allows corporations avoid paying PA. taxes. Over 20 other states have closed it, but the Republicans have killed Democratic bills to close it for several sessions of the legislature.

3. Don't cut business taxes by $250 million this year. That alone will cover all of the proposed cuts to public colleges and need-based grants for PA. college students.

4. Cut spending for for-profit cybercharter schools, which are ripping off taxpayers, and have poor results.

[blue neen]

15. Those are all excellent points.

What makes us the laughingstock of the nation, though is that Corbett won't tax the Marcellus Shale drillers.

Oh, yes. We're also a laughingstock because Governor Depraved tells women to "just close their eyes" while being probed by a machine.

Worst. Governor. Ever.

[badhair77]

20. I did not realize this info about the cigars and chewing tobacco.

The Delaware loophole is getting a bit more coverage but he'll never do it, just like he'll stay away from taxing the gas companies.

A friend of mine works in administration for a cyberschool. Corbett is a longtime personal friend of his so that cyberschool relationship will remain strong for Gov Crony. Corbett has friends in high places - I don't think he makes a move without the promise of an influential or financial benefit.

There are days I think my mind is going to explode. The words "for the good of the people" do not exist in his world. When he finally does get kicked out he'll walk into a lucrative position courtesy of those he's helped while hurting the rest of us.

[blue neen]

22. Governor Corrupt certainly does have friends in high places:

"This is an excerpt from an article by Jason Fagone in the August issue of Philadelphia Magazine. According to Pennsylvania's Campaign Finance Reporting website, Mr. Gureghian has made over $1.3 million in political contributions since 2007 and was the largest individual donor to Governor Corbett. He also served on the Governor’s Education Transition Team."

"The way Gureghian's charter school in Chester works, the school itself is public. It receives taxpayer money. But a private, for-profit company—Gureghian's Charter School Management Inc.—manages the school's finances. It owns the buildings, leases them to the school, pays the teachers and, according to a 2008 report by the Inquirer, has collected $60.6 million in public funds since the school was started in 1999. Gureghian wanted to make sure the bill (SB 904) would exempt charter-school management organizations like CSMI from state sunshine laws. According to Republican State Representative Mike Vereb, who considers himself a friend of Gureghian, "The language that Vahan was looking to do had to do with vendors of a school … contractors." The effect of such language would be to hide details of the financial operations of charter schools from public scrutiny. Presumably, this would make it harder for Gureghian's competitors to copy his financial "recipe.""

http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2011/06/follow-money-contributions-by-vahan.html

[JPZenger]

23. Big front page investigative report in tomorrow's Sunday Inquirer on this charter school

It is on sale today, but I don't think it will be on the web until tomorrow.

[blue neen]

27. Great! Thanks for the info.

I'll be looking forward to seeing that!

[montanacowboy]

9. This A Hole is getting right up there with Scott Walker

Rick Scott and the rest of the nobrain Repukian governors. How the hell did the people of PA elect this shit stain?

Wasn't he the DA that did not prosecute Sandusky?

[blue neen]

17. He is the Attorney General that did not prosecute Sandusky.

Corbett's been just as bad, if not worse, than Walker and Scott. It's just that he's managed to fly under the radar.

Until now. Thank God, the rest of the nation now knows what a POS Pennsylvania has for a Governor.

Believe me, some of us did not vote for him.

[Curmudgeoness]

13. I wish they would have covered the Q&A part

more in this article. I would love to know what was asked of him, and what his answers were.

And as to Pitt and PSU privatizing, I am sure that is exactly what he wants----the Republicans seem to have a high affinity for privatization of everything.

[PA Democrat]

16. I found a little more information on actual questions in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

One question noted that on Thursday -- when announcing plans by Shell Oil Co. to place a $1 billion industrial plant in Beaver County -- Mr. Corbett said the international firm was attracted to the Pittsburgh region's educational offerings. Shouldn't that mean Pitt and other schools deserve more support, rather than less?

"The simple answer is yes. The true answer is I have to look at everything," the governor answered. "I would love to put more into education if we had a more robust economy."


Zoe Samudzi, a 19-year-old political science major and student government board member, complained the governor avoided her question on the budget affects on lower-income and scholarship students.

"He referred back to his numbers in a way I feel did not make sense," the sophomore said after the session. "I think that the governor did not do a very good job of addressing concerns that real students, real people are having."

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/education/corbett-defends-proposed-cuts-to-pitts-funding-466211/?p=1

[Curmudgeoness]

26. What a shocker....

he did not address concerns of real...people! I am shocked, who would have expected that!



And thanks for the article with more info.

[MisterP]

14. what you get for trying to out-Christie Christie

[JPZenger]

18. Corbett's just close your eyes video made MSNBC today - the worse part was his George W. smirk

The worse part of the video was his George W. smirk and giggle while he said it.

[PA Democrat]

19. Yeah, he looked like he was amused by the idea. He is just repulsive on so many levels.

Did I hear him correctly when he was talking about the ultrasound? It sounded like he said "obtrusive" when describing the transvaginal ultrasound. Obtrusive would describe his attitude; intrusive would describe the procedure.

[blue neen]

21. He did say "obtrusive."

Maybe it was a Freudian slip as the whole damn thing is complete interference with women's bodies.

[JPZenger]

24. I believe what he meant is that PA would not require an internal probe, just an external one.

[blue neen]

25. That's probably true, but it doesn't change anything.

Tom Corbett is a complete jackass, and he's ruining the state of Pennsylvania in every way.

Just like everything else he does, this whole anti-women agenda of his is motivated by money:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002435789

[JPZenger]

28. Pre-Screened Questions - and he still could only keep going back to his pie chart

"Before the event Jeremy Woodruff, 38, who is studying for his Ph.D. in music composition, publicly criticized how questions were being vetted and was taken aside by a Pitt administrator. "It's a clear kind of gagging of the students," Mr. Woodruff told a reporter."

----
No matter what question anyone asked, Corbett apparently kept going back to his color pie chart.

"No, you don't understand, THIS goes up to 11."