Ed: This isn't about gambling!

You gotta hand it to Ed Rendell!

He handed "60 Minutes" the promotional material that very simply epitomizes the casino cheerleaders.

In Pennsylvania, legislation was passed at midnight on the Fourth of July, removed local control, and Oops! They weren't even informed enough to include the wee little matter of child abandonment that has been a major issue elsewhere. And Oops! They omitted some silly stuff about crime.

Like all casino cheerleaders, high on KoolAid, Rendell carefully dismisses crime, when statistics prove otherwise, and hasn't quite figured out that Gambling Addiction has the lowest rate of self-referral and the highest rate of suicide of all addictions.

A Middleboro friend reminded me after "60 Minutes" aired that Governor Ed Rendell sounded just like all the Middleboro Slot Barn Cheerleaders who were forced to resort to name-calling and losing their tempers when asked questions to defend Predatory Gambling.

Although the Industry minimizes the rate of Addiction and community degradation, 6% is often their figure. That's 6% of the population they must believe is disposable.

This isn't about gambling.

This is about a business model based on creating Gamblers - New Gamblers.

This is about creating Gambling Addicts.

Do you ever hear of Slot Barns refusing to allow patrons to play because they can't afford it?

If Harrah's determined that 90% of their profits originated from 10% of their patrons, many of whom could ill-afford the funds, did they turn them away when they gambling until they were destitute? Do they turn them away when they're playing with stolen or embezzled funds?

This isn't about Gambling.

Maybe it's time to have a dialog about impoverishing those who can least afford it. Maybe it's time to listen to the statistics.

And maybe it's time for Beacon Hill to conduct an Independent Cost Benefit Analysis.

'60 minutes' using angry Ed to promote show

GOV. RENDELL's glowing praise this week for the media and legalized gambling fell into place yesterday like the spinning reels of a slot machine.

First, Rendell freaked out on reporter Lesley Stahl during a taped interview about gambling addiction for "60 Minutes" that will air tomorrow on CBS.

Then Rendell on Monday held his final news conference in Philadelphia as a public official, saying that the press can be irritating but vital for democracy.

Now CBS is teasing out details about Rendell's tantrum to drum up interest in tomorrow's show.

Rendell, who leaves office in 10 days, called Stahl an "idiot" and a "simpleton" in the interview.

Rendell spokesman Gary Tuma yesterday explained: "The governor feels strongly about many issues, and is usually willing to express his opinions."

Rendell, in Monday's news conference, admitted with no prompting that he sometimes gets angry and irritated with reporters.

Rendell, also unprompted, said his push for casinos in Pennsylvania is a "terrific success" with "fairly minimal" social costs.

Rendell was a bit more blunt with Stahl when she asked about gambling addiction.

The governor said that gamblers will gamble regardless of whether it's legal in Pennsylvania.

"You guys don't get that," Rendell exclaims, gritting his teeth and waving his hands at Stahl. "You're simpletons. You're idiots if you don't get that."

Did somebody at "60 Minutes" just say "Jackpot"?

Here is the conversation on gambling that set Rendell off:

_ Rendell: "It is a decent way to raise revenue where the upsides that are produced are significantly better than any downside that comes from it."

_ Stahl: "You said there were downsides to gaming. What are they?"

_ Rendell: "The biggest downside is some people lose their paychecks. But understand, Lesley, they're not losing their paychecks because Pennsylvania instituted gaming. Those people were losing their paychecks in Atlantic City, in Delaware at the racetracks . . . "

_ Stahl: "So why not lose it here?"

_ Rendell: " . . . or in West Virginia. You're not getting it. Those people would lose that money anyway. Don't you understand?"

Rendell, in his Monday farewell news conference, said casinos in the state have been a "tremendous success" that created jobs with minimal impacts by way of crime or addiction.

"We have literally only a handful of people coming into our free treatment programs, where they can get therapy and the state picks up the costs," Rendell said. "Those programs are dramatically underutilized." [Do you notice he doesn't talk numbers? His statement isn't true.]

On the media, Rendell offered this: "It's actually been a pleasure dealing with the press. I get angry with them at times but our press does a very good job of keeping people informed. As irritated as I get at times, I always remind myself that this is the way that democracy was intended to work."