Fox Chapel backs Bush, Squirrel Hill likes Kerry

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Sunday, July 18, 2004 | Bill Toland

[Willie Green]

Checkbooks are doing the talking

Squirrel Hill's Aylesboro Avenue is distinguished by half-million-dollar homes, neatly trimmed hedges, sweeping front porches and one-car garages. But for Sen. John F. Kerry, Aylesboro's distinguishing characteristic is that it just may be the friendliest street in all of Pittsburgh.

Since last year, when the nomination campaigns began in earnest, through May 1, at least 26 people who call Aylesboro Avenue home have written checks and sent them off to presidential candidates, including the handful of Democratic also-rans who are no longer in the race.

Kerry alone raised about $9,000 from the homes on Aylesboro, which runs east-west from Schenley Park's golf course to Smithfield Cemetery, which sits across Dallas Avenue from the larger Homewood Cemetery.

[Willie Green]

ping

[Willie Green]

As a result, we're leaving out some of the city's largest party contributors, such as Benjamin P. Barton, a student from Pittsburgh who gave $25,000 to the Republican National Committee in mid-March. Where does a student get that kind of money? From his father, Dick K. Barton, a Fox Chapel banker with PNC Financial Services who gave $25,000 to the same committee on the same day -- March 16.

Didn't PNC just purchase Riggs?

Feds Fine Riggs Bank a Record $25M
Riggs sale would end era for bank to presidents
US Regulators, Saudis Slammed For Riggs

[OldFriend]

A $25,000 donation from someone clearly not able to make that donation is illegal if I am not mistaken.

Squirrel Hill is primarily orthodox jewish famiies. Is it likely they are democrats?

[buzzyboop]

Squirrel Hill is primarily Jewish as you suspected. However, here is an interesting aspect:

And if you're Bush, you charge straight into Kerry's home away from home, Fox Chapel, where Teresa Heinz Kerry's farm estate is surrounded by friendly Republican donors -- about 80 of the 115 total Fox Chapel contributors through May 1 wrote checks for Bush. Many of those came from Fox Chapel Road, the most politically active of the borough's winding, secluded streets. Fox Chapel Road connects Squaw Run Road, where Heinz Kerry lives...

[OldFriend]

Still doesn't explain Squirrel Hill unless it's not as orthodox a community as it once was. Haven't been there in about 8 yrs. so I may be out of date on the community.

[Willie Green]

Squirrel Hill is primarily orthodox jewish famiies. Is it likely they are democrats?

Squirrel Hill does have a reputation for having a greater than average proportion of Jewish residents. I don't know if it is true that it is "primarily" Jewish, nor would I believe that they are primarily "orthodox". Squirrel Hill is an older, yet more affluent section of Pittsburgh that is located adjacent to the cultural attractions of Oakland (Carnegie-Mellon and Pitt universities, the Carnegie Museum and Library, etc.) as well as the artsy-craftsy shops along Walnut Street in Shadyside, No doubt the area has heavy liberal tendencies, and perhaps Jewish-liberal as well. But I think it would be a mistake to automaticly assume "primarily" orthodox, Jewish liberals.

Similarly, Fox Chapel's reputation is primarily that of a conservative, country-club WASP community. But while that may be the stereotype, it doesn't really describe the more diverse backgrounds of Fox Chapel residents.