The "Belle" ad belongs in the U-S Senate race but we are debating tonight over who will occupy the Governor's Office for the next four years. (Hmmm, can anyone think of an animal metaphor for the legislature's and governor's recent work product? Suggestions welcome!) I won't give away the substance of the questions Jim Gardner, Vernon Odom and I intend to address to the candidates this evening. But I will say that we take very seriously our role as surrogates for the voters. You don't get the chance, for the most part, to talk directly to these guys. As members of the press, we stand in for the public and try to elicit from those seeking office the truth about their positions and where and how they would lead Pennsylvania as governor -- the most powerful elective office in the Commonwealth.

Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett andAllegheny County Executive Dan Onorato gave some direct answers on Saturday night in the second debate of the campaign. John Baer, political columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and a frequest guest on Smart Talk, moderated the forum and did a masterful job of covering a host of issues and pinning down thecandidates on their positions. We hope to cover some new territory tonight. So, I encourage you to tune in, live 7-8 p.m., on WPVI-TV, the ABC affiliate in Philadelphia, or watch the station's live stream of the debate at www.6abc.com. You can catch a rebroadcast of the full debate on WITF-TV tomorrow night at 8. Then, let us know what you think about the candidates and who will get your vote. Send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or post a comment to www.facebook.com/witf.org.

I thank the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters, WPVI-TV and WITF-TV for giving me the opportunity to represent all of you at the debate. It's democracy in action. And, it's a heckuva lot of fun!