Feb 8, 2016 3 min read

With the state budget crisis between Republican legislators and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf still simmering and another fiscal standoff looming, state Rep. Peter Daley knows where the real controversy lies.

Daley, a 17-term Democrat from California who is retiring at the end of the year, didn’t mince words when sharing his thoughts about Weather Channel meteorologist Stephanie Abrams.

“Your negativity was appalling and demonstrated your ignorance toward this popular American tradition, the people of Pennsylvania, and the loyal viewers of the Weather Channel,” Daley wrote in a tersely worded message to Abrams on his state letterhead. “With that said, I am requesting you publicly apologize for your remarks,”

Was Daley taking Abrams to task over a story about climate change, or was her prediction about last month’s blizzard horribly wrong?

Not even close.

No, Daley was publicly shaming Abrams over her referring to Punxsutawney Phil as a rodent during the network’s Groundhog Day coverage. A rodent, by the way, is exactly what a groundhog is, and also known by other names such as woodchuck and (did you know?) even whistlepig.

“She took a negative tone on something that’s very festive, saying, ‘Oh he’s just a rodent, what does he know?’ It was kind of beneath her to do that,” Daley groaned in an interview Thursday with the Observer-Reporter.

In reality, isn’t it “beneath” Daley to spend a single minute of state time complaining about how a television meteorologist refers to a groundhog, even one as beloved as Punxsy Phil?

Fortunately, The Weather Channel’s public relations team did not take the faux outrage as seriously as Daley and offered a retort about having “nothing but respect for Punxsutawney Phil and all rodents including Mickey Mouse, Speedy Gonzales and Stuart Little.”

As we speak, Phil is bedding down for his long winter’s nap in preparation of next year’s Groundhog Day. Daley is heading into a different type of hibernation with his impending retirement.

But this groundhog controversy shouldn’t define Daley, nor should he spend another minute dwelling on it. Hopefully, he can use his final days in office to focus on issues that really matter to Pennsylvania and his Mon Valley constituents.

It’s doubtful Daley will want his 34-year career serving his district to be defined by remarks about a rodent.