In response to Sally Kalson's March 26 column, "Will the Real Bob Casey Please Speak Up?"

It is often an easy and trite excuse for candidates to blame lazy journalists for unflattering or nonexistent coverage. In turn, journalists (or in this case, a columnist) will complain candidates are ducking the issues. Often times the truth is somewhere in the middle. But Sally Kalson's column this week is completely off base.

		Jay Reiff is campaign manager of Bob Casey for Pennsylvania.

Contrary to Ms. Kalson's claims, Bob Casey has actually answered most of the questions she raised, ironically in this very newspaper. Since announcing his candidacy, Bob Casey has given speech after speech, granted every reasonable interview and delivered six major policy plans (with more on the way), including a plan on veterans benefits, an economic plan, a plan to cut corporate welfare, a general education plan and a specific early childhood education plan.

Ms. Kalson asked where Bob Casey is on "meaningful reform of lobbying regulations." His ethics reform plan was announced at a press conference on Nov. 14, 2005, well before the Jack Abramoff scandal exploded. At the time, the Post-Gazette reported, Mr. Casey "called for stricter rules governing the contact between elected officials and lobbyists." These detailed policy plans, Bob Casey's positions on dozens of issues, and numerous news interviews can be found on our campaign Web site, www.bobcaseyforpa.com.

In response to several specific issues Ms. Kalson raised, Bob Casey does not have a litmus test for judicial nominees. And unlike Sen. Santorum, he supports federal funding of family planning, opposes federal mandates on abstinence only sex education, and supports the availability of emergency contraception. Furthermore, Bob Casey opposes the required teaching of intelligent design in science classes, while Sen. Santorum supports it.

All these positions have been repeatedly covered by news media across the state.

When compared with his peers, Bob Casey has answered more questions, delivered more speeches and announced more policy initiatives than most (if not all) other U.S. Senate candidate this cycle -- Democrat or Republican. He is taking no votes for granted and will continue campaigning on a positive agenda for change because Pennsylvania needs a new U.S. senator and this country needs a new direction.

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