I knew Hugh would find a way to make a Steeler victory in the championship into a silver lining somehow. Hugh noted that Lynn Swann got a thunderous ovation from Steeler fans -- and Pennsylvania voters -- when he ran onto Detroit's Ford Field in pre-game introductions:

[The worst Superbowl moment] had to be Ed Rendell's when he saw Lynn Swann run on to Ford Field with other past Superbowl MVPs. Swann got a thundering reception from the pro-Steelers crowd. Let's see --tired, old party hack versus fresh face superstar with charisma. Rendell's got a money advantage, but Swann is already pulling ahead in the polling.

It is the Arnold effect --someone new, someone not defined by the battles of the past dozen years. Unlike Arnold, Swann's also liked by the GOP base.

Swann's been charging past Rendell in the polls for some time, and the Steeler victory certainly won't hurt the former Pittsburgh great in his run against Rendell for the governor's seat. Swann will also help Rick Santorum campaign in the Philadelphia area where he faces some tough numbers. So far, Santorum has a hard task ahead of him, but with Swann gracefully ascending over Rendell, he may be able to ride that momentum for a victory as well. The two of them in combination may even make the Keystone State go red in 2008, a feat the Republicans nearly accomplished in 2004.

No wonder, then, that Hugh seems so cheerful in this photo:

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