Wilkes-barre Rec Dept Holds Tennis Camp

Aldo Russo 
Aug. 9, 1996 
Aldo Russo, 88, Of New Hancock Street, Wilkes-barre, And Formerly Of Scott 
Street, Parsons, Wilkes-barre, Died Friday At Home.

Sunday, August 11, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





Get ready for the San Diego antics of local GOP gang &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Seeing them walk into the newsroom spooked me almost as badly as the grim
day last year when I came face to face with the ghostly white marble bust of &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Richard Nixon in the basement outside the U.S. Senate dining roomAt least
he was a lone, dead Republican. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Still, the urge to cross my index fingers and drive a stake though his
vicious Watergate vampire heart was overwhelming. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But this time, just days before the start of the 1996 Republican National
Convention in San Diego, a whole gang of GOP-ers surprised me on my home court
with all the subtleness of a rural militia sneak attack. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Every Republican convention delegate except one from the 11th Congressional
District stood looking at me. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even as a wild anti-smoker, I felt like asking for a last cigarette from
their favorite tobacco lobbyist. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Only big vote-getter Marc Holtzman (who friends swear is not a CIA agent
stationed in Budapest although he once roomed with the late Reagan
Administration CIA chief, William Casey) was missing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Paul DeFabo, Bruce Phillips, William Quinn, M. Scott Burnside and Susan
Parrick Cox appeared wearing the kind of smiley faces that prison wardens wear
on lethal injection day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Officially they came to the paper to pose for a photograph. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But I knew better. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This political posse on the prowl looking to pull a drive-by on democracy
craved my soul. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Because I, too, once had been one of them -- a card-carrying member of the
Grand Old Party. Although I rue the admission, I voted for Reagan in 1980. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Forgive me. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But that was then and this is now. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Now I am a model citizen; a law and order man setting out to chronicle a
defining moment of the 20th century's last presidential campaign. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Like many Americans I am disillusioned. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Both major parties are engaged in egocentric missions of success, driving
toward the White House with a zeal normally reserved for a redneck Red
Man-spitting NASCAR driver. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Actually, conservative Bill Clinton is the best Republican thinker of them
all. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At any rate, against my better judgment, I agreed to stalk our local
delegation at the convention. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's why I am in San Diego at this very moment, preparing to see if
recently acquitted Congressman Joe McDade believes me when I knock on his room
door (we're both staying at the same hotel) and tell him, "I love you, man." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Democrats will get theirs in a few weeks. As an equal opportunity
hatchet man, I'll be chasing them in Chicago as well -- where my cousin's
married to the mayor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But first things first. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Starting Monday, I'll give you a column a day detailing the journalistic
whos, whats, wheres, whens and wahoos from what cigar-sucking Chamber of
Commerce types bill as "America's Most Conservative City." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As an added treat, thanks to Leadernet, "Real Audio" will be added to the
on-line version of my stories. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For those of you who don't know what that means, don't worry about it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'm not sure I know what it means. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 However, all you cyber-convention-computer-commandoes must call up The
Times Leader on-line and simply click on the links for Real Audio -- a
high-tech way for the whole world to actually hear my voice telling you more
stuff about "Beach Blanket" Bruce Phillips and our trip to Sea World, DeFabo's
bad back and the elephant rides at the beach party the wealthy are throwing at
Mission Beach. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Anyway, I'm looking forward to covering this "debacle for democracy" and
hope you E-mail me at "stevec@ccabc.com" so I know how you feel about American
politics. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So, for this week, consider my column as a Republican nude beach where we
let it all hang out. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Eat your heart out Slick Willie. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Get Ready For The San Diego Antics Of Local Gop Gang 
Seeing Them Walk Into The Newsroom Spooked Me Almost As Badly As The Grim Day 
Last Year When I Came Face To Face With The Ghostly White Marble Bust Of 
Richard Nixon In The Basement Outside The U.s. Senate Dining Room.

Get Ready For The San Diego Antics Of Local Gop Gang Seeing Them Walk Into The Newsroom Spooked Me Almost As Badly As The Grim Day Last Year When I Came Face To Face With The Ghostly White Marble Bust Of Richard Nixon In The Basement Outside The U.s. Senate Dining Room.