Rendell speaks in Hill House

In a dinner and talk, the mayor confirmed he will still teach at Penn. Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, the recently named head of the Democratic National Committee, said yesterday that he will definitely be teaching three classes at Penn next semester despite the demands of his new job. During a visit to Hill College House last night, the popular outgoing mayor said he plans to teach courses in the Urban Studies and Political Science departments, as well as a class in the Annenberg Public Policy Center. He said that because of his schedule -- which will require traveling around the country to raise money for Democratic candidates in the 2000 elections -- he will teach all three on the same day. Rendell, a 1965 College graduate, spoke about politics and the state of the city in front of the group of approximately 100 students. Key themes of Rendell's hour-long talk were revitalizing the city and keeping college students in the area. "We are the biggest college town in America," Rendell said. "I don't think we did a good enough job to reach out [to students]." The evening was co-sponsored by Hill and Stouffer college houses as part of a program to introduce freshmen to Philadelphia. Hill Faculty Master James O'Donnell said he was thrilled Rendell was able to visit. "He's one of the most interesting people going," he said. Before the talk, Rendell had a private dinner with 20 students. The students who attended the dinner earned the privilege by writing essays on about what they wanted to talk with the mayor. Laughter rippled through the room as Rendell joked with the audience. "If you don't ask questions, I have seven or eight stock speeches I can do," he quipped. Students quickly loosened up and asked Rendell about a issues ranging from national health care to the upcoming presidential race. Because of his new role as DNC chairperson, Rendell refused to comment on whether he favored former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley or Vice President Al Gore for president. He is a longtime friend and supporter of Gore -- and had endorsed him before being named to the DNC --Ebut has said recently that he will remain neutral. "Both have a great deal to offer," he said. He did praise the Clinton-Gore administration, though, adding that "Al Gore was the most involved vice president in my lifetime." No one asked Rendell about the Philadelphia mayoral race, now hurtling through its final four weeks. While Rendell has publically endorsed Democrat John Street, he told the crowd that "John Street and [Republican] Sam Katz are both extremely bright fiscal conservatives," a trait he shares. Striving to plug the virtues of Philadelphia, Rendell also advertised this weekend's CollegeFest -- a music and culture festival at the Mann Music Center. The festival is sponsored by the Philadelphia College Students Retention Committee, a group trying to make the city more attractive to students. When the talk ended, O'Donnell presented Rendell with a momento of his visit -- a framed copy of his senior class prophecy and a student government photo from his days as a student leader at Penn. Students responded positively to the speech, applauding Rendell loudly as he left the room.

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