At the last minute, I decided I’d drive to Harrisburg for the Swearing In ceremony of Bryan Lentz and the other new legislators in the PA House. Not only would I be able to savor the hard-won victory of November among friends, but I could also make a surprise visit with my dad and brother in the area.

I’ve never been to an event like this. I grew up in the area, and I used to visit the Capitol cafeteria one summer when I did a College internship with the PR office for a State agency. But it was something else entirely to be around town for big goings on.

By now, the results are not really news. Neither DeWeese nor any other members of the Majority party was able to assume the Speakership of the House thanks to a defection from the ranks. But they were able to catch the Republicans off guard and install a more cooperative Philly Republican as the new Speaker with the help of a handful of Republicans breaking ranks. You can read more at Mario Cattabiani’s insta-blog on the Speaker election nominations.

What Mario’s account doesn’t adequately convey was just how crazy and bizarre the whole event was as it was happening in real time. DeWeese sprung the nomination out as a surprise, but slightly out of turn. For the following hour, there was a bizarre parliamentary exercise in which the Republicans, knowing they’d probably been bested, seemed to be stalling while (I assume) some of the numbers worked the floor trying to make a last ditch appeal to count their votes, cut deals and twist arms.

Brief skirmishes over rules of order and bizarre ramblings by Dem. Leader DeWeese punctuated long spells of silence while the two parties worked every tactical angle they could think of.

While it was all going on, I had two ideas in my head. One was that for politicial junkies, this was amazing event to witness first-hand. In all my years, I may never see an event this bizarre and amusing.

The other thought was that the display of behavior on the part of this body, especially Perzel and DeWeese, was a perfect example of the shenanigans that the voters have gotten so sick of. It wasn’t that there was a leadership battle, it was that they were playing every silly procedural game in the book as part of an elaborate show with an almost certain conclusion. It certainly wasn’t an event filled with taste and decorum.

It reminded me of my old days as a high school debater when a borderline team would run what’s lovingly called a “squirrel case.” While you’re talking about serious environmental policy, the other team would mockingly make up a silly case with absurd evidence. It was essentially an elaborate, nerdy joke. Part of you thinks it’s funny, but the other part of you is resentful that they’re wasting your time.

In the end, the CleanSweepers got what they wanted, more or less:

In other notes, Lentz had a nice gathering for his supporters downtown after the ceremony. I met some nice folks from back home in the district. I also note that Bryan’s sharing an office suite in the capitol with fellow newcomer Rick Taylor. They’re in the same little neighborhood with the gang of other young, suburban superstars Vitali, Gerber, and Shapiro. I assume that they’ll have lots of chances to work together as a block on regional interests and issues. There is a heck of a lot of can-do and dynamism in that gang of five.

With Governor Ed in office for four more years, and a new Speaker from Philly, I have to assume that this bodes well for the prospects on issues critical to the Delaware Valley region, especially transportation.