PA Gov Ed Rendell: Livin' The American Dream

MSNBC blowhard Chris Matthews's political mentor and staple guest on 'Hardball' - Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell - is denying reports he's having an affair with a former beauty queen.

Kirstin Snow - now a high-ranking state employee media maven - also denies the story in Philadelphia Magazine hitting newstands Friday.

Philadelphia Daily News has some key bullet points:

-"Absolutely not," Snow replied when asked if they were having an affair. "No way. And if I had a nickel for everybody who told me that, or told me they heard that, I wouldn't have to come to my job.
- Snow says she was surprised it took this long for the rumors to become public, and she worries about the gossip hurting Rendell's wife, Midge, a federal judge
- Snow seems surprised to hear that people are claiming that Rendell is describing her as his "soulmate" and "the love of his life."
-Rendell says he values Snow's media insight on political issues and that her attractiveness helps add some "pizzazz" when he brings her to fundraisers. He says his recent weight loss - he's down 60 pounds - has nothing to do with a new romance.
-"You know, like a lot of people in politics, I get hit on by women all the time," Rendell says. "There are political groupies just like there are sports groupies. I got hit on when I was 260 every bit as much as when I'm 200."
-Rendell scoffs at the notion that he would ever use the phrase"the love of my life." He speculates that people probably heard him joking about Snow, saying something like: "Oh, yeah, she's great. She's hot as can be; she's the cat's meow."

Snow earned a PhD in business administration, and was Miss Pennsylvania 1994, Mrs. Pennsylvania 2007, and Mrs. American Dream 2007.

It wasn't so long ago that speculation surfaced Rendell was dicking around with KYW TV Philadelphia anchoress Alycia Lane.



H/t Vinney