In the days when monarchies ran nations a term that became notable was that of "marriage of convenience."

This element occurred when nations decided that it would be in their respective best interests to have prominent families from different nations join forces in matrimony for mutual political convenience.  It was a way of obtaining a geopolitical foothold into an additional nation at the very least and more through formation of alliances.

An alliance of modern political convenience occurred when veteran Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania decided to switch parties and become a Democrat.  

Since Obama's political team was shrewd enough to catapult a junior  senator of four years of a national political career into the White House,  all essential points were covered in discussions with Specter and his team before the veteran solon made his announcement that has left Washington buzzing with speculation ever since.

I was apparently one of the few viewing Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell's speech at the August 26 session of the Democratic National Convention in Denver.  While at the ensuing Republican conclave in St.Paul we would hear Rudy Guiliani exhort wealthy delegates averaging $500,000 per person and deliver a ringing mantra of "Drill, baby, drill!"

Those same delegates that, on the evening of John McCain's presidential acceptance, would examine every aspect of offshore drilling, conveying to the uninitiated that Big Oil was every bit as lonely as the tallest and loneliest girl on senior prom night.

Why hadn't the "left wing media" of which the Republicans frantically proclaimed have nothing to say of the grim reality described by Rendell that afflicted middle class Americans?

Three succinct paragraphs from Rendell's speech defined what is happening in America today as one group of citizens seek to come to grips with reality while the others, notably Republicans adept at circumventing the truth, present a picture grounded in tunnel vision fantasy that avoids reality.

As America turns its attention toward the upcoming Super Bowl with competition intensifying among the NFL's premier teams, a Hall of Famer who sparked four Pittsburgh Steeler title wins is trading in his college football analyst's hat for an attempt to win the Pennsylvania governor's chair.

Last week former superstar wide receiver Lynn Swann announced for governor with an exploratory committee being formed on his behalf as he simultaneously tests the waters by campaigning throughout the Keystone State.  Swann hopes the effort will culminate with the unseating of Democratic incumbent Ed Rendell.  

The name identification factor and superstar label are reminiscent of a similar name exploitation plunge that bodybuilder turned film action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger took in California, which resulted in the recall of Governor Gray Davis and Schwarzenegger's election.

The Swann move would appear to bear the fingerprints of Karl Rove.  When Rove hitched his consultant's wagon to George W. Bush he knew that the Texan had solid name identification in coming from one of America's two leading political dynastic families, the other being the Kennedys, which Schwarzenegger married into.  

Rove huddled with Schwarzenegger in Washington and urged him to run for governor in California, realizing that his celebrity status gave him an advantage over other potential candidates who would have to be built up over time.