ON THE SIDE. . .

ON THE SIDE. . .
This and that from the world of Valley politics.
ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER: Youngstown Mayor George M. McKelvey isn't the most sedate man. When it comes to President Bush, though, he kicks it into overdrive.
McKelvey served as the emcee of the president's Wednesday rally at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. Among his first comments was that he was "not going to tone it down today." He certainly didn't.
During his speech, McKelvey, who screamed most of it, essentially used the same script he used at last week's Bush rally in Canton, and what he's been saying on national TV and radio programs.
McKelvey works himself up so much during these stump speeches that journalists not familiar with the Youngstown mayor ask me if there's something wrong with him.
Try explaining to reporters, who give me incredulous stares while McKelvey is speaking, what's going on. They've never seen anyone like him; most of us haven't.
Although if ex-U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. wasn't in a federal prison cell and still the area's congressman, I'm sure he'd be on the stump with Bush. If the out-of-town reporters are confused about McKelvey, imagine what they would think about Traficant.
One of McKelvey's funniest moments was when he introduced country singer Sammy Kershaw to the audience, and said, "Let's rock this joint." A funny comment that's even funnier because McKelvey admitted to me a day before the event that he's never heard of the singer. [I had to admit I'd never heard of him either.]
skolnick@vindy.com