John Baer: That 'resign to run' talk is just background noise

BECAUSE THERE IS no nuance in elective politics, the question of whether Republican state Attorney General Tom Corbett should resign while running for governor isn't likely to draw an affirmative answer or have much lasting impact.

It is insider chatter unrelated to who's best equipped to next lead the state.

For one thing, Corbett squarely addresses it and says he's not resigning.

"I was elected to go after people who've done wrong," Corbett said again last week, while announcing more charges in his ongoing legislative probe, "I have a job to do."

It's a consistent, unequivocal position. To resign now or (absent some bombshell) at any point during his campaign would raise questions about his personal beliefs and political judgment.

Yes, there are calls for, and arguments made in favor of, his stepping down.

Democrats called Corbett partisan for charging a dozen in their party and no Republicans during Round 1 of his investigation in July 2008.

That call is now hollow. Corbett just charged 10 Republicans, including Philly's own John Perzel and former Perzel chief of staff Brian Preski.

Next came barking from the other side of the fence.

Corbett's GOP primary opponent, Philly suburban Rep. Jim Gerlach, tagged Corbett for conflict of interest, saying that he can't investigate Republican lawmakers as he seeks their support for the gubernatorial nomination.

Yeah, see, except for the fact that he can, has and does.

And, if Gerlach is so interested in political purity, maybe he should resign from Congress rather than ride the benefits of incumbency while he runs for governor.

Democratic candidate Tom Knox, who thinks that anyone holding office should resign if running for a different office, targeted Corbett specifically last week, claiming that there's a "perception" that Corbett's actions are "calculated to benefit his campaign."

What politician's actions are not calculated to benefit their campaigns?

And Corbett's defense on timing is simple: "Justice doesn't have a timetable" (excluding, I assume, certain statutes of limitation).

I'm not arguing that Corbett's squeaky clean.

My Daily News colleague Chris Brennan reported - on the day that Corbett charged Perzel and Preski - that Corbett had met privately with Perzel in a hotel in October 2007 during the investigation and that Preski arranged a fundraiser for Corbett shortly thereafter.

No question, this is problematic. It gives the appearance of just-too-cozy, with a side dish of inappropriateness. And Corbett's answer that at the time of the meeting "we didn't have all the facts" frankly clanks.

When this probe began in February 2007, anyone with an ounce of awareness figured that any sweeping investigation would likely touch Perzel and Preski.

Corbett and aides say that the meeting was unrelated to politics or the probe. That, too, clanks. And if any more information similar to this kind of meeting surfaces, Corbett has problems.

But the notion that he should resign because he's investigating, or because his campaign benefits from the timing and publicity of his investigation, is nothing but nuanced background noise.

Here's what statewide voters know: The Legislature is corrupt and inept and spends its time spending or stealing tax dollars, and somebody named Corbett is trying to send some of this crowd, regardless of party, to prison.

That plays a lot better than the subtleties of arguments over who should resign one office to run for another and why.

The focus of the race for governor ought to settle on who can deal with ongoing economic and health-care issues, a looming pension disaster, increasing electric rates and the ever-present problem of trying to build public faith and confidence in Pennsylvania government. That's a tall order. But voters deserve to hear plans to address it - rather than political noise unrelated to public problems.