Delegate Judy Lynch, the former Erie County executive, said she also was impressed with the speech from U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.

Lynch said Casey criticized Sen. John McCain, but with a smile on his face. "He did a nice job.He has a winning disposition that comes off when he talks to people,'' he said.

Casey said McCain calls himself a maverick. "But he votes with George Bush over 90 percent of the time. That's not a maverick. It's a sidekick,'' he said.

Casey said the country couldn't afford four more years of what he said would be more of the same.

"Not four more years. How about four more months?'' he said, referring to President Bush's last months in office.

By the way, Casey gave a nice shout out to Erie Bolt Co., now called EBC Industries, 1325 Liberty St., during his speech.

Sen. Barack Obama toured EBC with Casey and company officials during Obama's visit to Erie on April 18.

EBC is a specialty manufacturer of fasteners, forgings and machined parts.

-- John Guerriero