I haven’t a clue why NBC would devote three minutes to this on its flagship news broadcast — slow news day plus free promo for tonight’s Eagles/Vikings game, I guess — but this guy’s about to become the most popular Democrat in America among Republicans. When was the last time a prominent liberal, even of the blue-collar center-left variety, lamented the public’s reluctance to take risks and assume personal responsibility for the outcome? By the third minute, I half-expected him to open a beer and take a swig while Brian Williams was asking him a question. Good lord.

Exit question one: Is this guy really a Democrat, or is he a “Democrat” the way Mickey Kaus is a “Democrat”? Exit question two: Dude, fusion ticket — Christie/Rendell 2012?

Update: Man, he’s not holding back:

“If this was in China, do you think the Chinese would have called off the game?” Mr Rendell said.

“The people would have been marching down to the stadium. They would have walked and they would have been doing calculus on the way down.”

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Update: I missed the Factor tonight, but luckily FNC has posted the video of the opening segment. Alas, my friends — it seems we are indeed a nation of wusses.