A PolitickerPA.com interview with Gov. Rendell

Gov. Ed Rendell delivers opening remarks at the NGA meeting with Gov. Tim Pawlenty, left, and Mayor Michael Nutter, rightPHILADELPHIA -- After his brief opening remarks kicked off this weekend's centennial meeting of the National Governors Association here Friday, PolitickerPA.com caught up with Gov. Ed Rendell for a brief interview on the famous Art Museum steps.

Rendell is poised to assume leadership of the NGA this weekend from current chair Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota.

In his opening remarks, he thanks the NGA for choosing Philadelphia, and made sure to point out the scenery of the steps, where Sylverster Stalone's "Rocky" famously trained in the movie.

"You're welcome to try it; there's no liability to the city or the state if anyting happens going up the stairs," he cracked, "but you're welcome to try it."

Here is PolitickerPA.com's interview with Rendell.

PolitickerPA.com: "You spent a lot of time in the limelight in the late 1990s and into the current decade, first as 'America's Mayor' and then as chair of the Democratic National Committee. Then you were out of the spotlight for a while before being thrust back into it recently during the Democratic primary and now as the incoming NGA chair. What's it been like to be back in the limelight?"

Gov. Rendell: "Well a lot of it was during the seven-week run up to the Pennsylvania primary. And for me that was a true labor of love. I'm a great admirer of Sen. [Hillary] Clinton's, I thought she would have been a fabulous president, and I was willing to do anything necessary to get her to win. I talked to NBC, I talked to little radio stations in towns of 5,000, and I was just dedicated to getting her to win. If my profile nationally has been raised because of that it's good because I want to bring the issue of the desperate need to repair and revitalize this nation's infrastructure to the nation's attention. Time's running out for us ... we've got to move and move fast."

PolitickerPA: "You recently said on TV that if you were to be offered a cabinet position [in an Obama adminstration] that you would have a preference between transportation and energy. Why those two?"

Rendell: "Because two of the greatest challenges facing the country right now are our need for energy independence ... and the need to do our infrastructure. Transportation's about 70 percent of our infrastructure."

PolitickerPA: "There's been a big thing going on in Harrisburg withGov. Ed Rendell grabs a bite to eat with his wife, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Midge Rendell, at the NGA opening ceremony 'Bonusgate' and the continuing attorney general investigation. With all the things that happened under Rep. Bill Deweese's watch, to what extent do you think he bears responsibility for what's happened?"

Rendell: "Well if you read the indictment and believe the details of the indictment, this was carried out mostly by Mike Veon, the leader at the time, not by Rep. DeWeese. Some people could say well he should have known and he should haev stopped it. I don't know enough the facts to know whether that's true. But clearly the indictment is focused on Mike Veon's leadership, not Bill DeWeese's."

PolitickerPA: Last question, what'd you whisper to Mayor [Michael] Nutter while he was giving his remarks?"

Rendell: "I told him to mention something about these strange dudes [the costumed Mummers on the scene]."