Copyright (c) 2006 Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News (PA)
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October 13, 2006
PEOPLE, POWER AND
POLITICS
Brady gets earful
from passel of progressives
CALL IT "Brady's breakfast with bloggers."
A coalition of progressives, who rage against the machine, met with the man who runs the machine, Democratic Party Chairman Bob Brady. |
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The sitdown was last Friday morning at Sabrina's in South Philly.
Representatives of Neighborhood Networks, Philly for Change, Young Philly Politics, the African American Heritage Coalition and other reform-minded interest groups pounded Brady for an hour and a half.
The gripes? Unresponsive committeemen. Corrupt judicial elections. Undemocratic selection to fill City Council vacancies. Weak voter-turnout efforts. Patronage. Nepotism. Politics as usual.
There were roughly 20 progressives. Brady came alone. Bottom line? The burly boss bewitched them.
"Bob went by himself into this group of 20 people, about 10 of whom had real issues with him," said Hannah Miller of Philly for Change. "He sat there and took it. I have nothing but respect for the man."
"He was kind of in the hot seat," said Jen Murphy, chairwoman of Philly for Change. "It's the start of a conversation."
Ray Murphy of Philadelphians Against Santorum said, "I think Bob Brady is a nice guy. I had a good time, but that doesn't change what a lot of us are doing."
Marc Stier of Neighborhood Networks gushed on his blog: "Congressman Brady was charming, articulate, incredibly quick on his feet and well prepared."
Miller concluded, "You don't get to be boss of this zoo of Philadelphia politics without having social skills."
Said Brady, "A lot of them want to get active in the party and I welcome that. I don't want to ostracize them. Why should I? We're out there for [U.S. Senate candidate Bob Casey] and they're out there for Casey."
The first response of a political machine to reformers is to ignore them. The second response, when they become too noisy, is to accommodate them. The final response is to absorb them.
Will we eventually see a merger of progressives and city committee?
"Hey, I'm in with this blog stuff," said Brady.
Brady's worst moment came at the end of the meal. A waitress announced the tab was being paid by insurgent Vern Anastasio, who's likely to run against Brady-backed City Councilman Frank DiCicco in next May's primary.
"I said, 'I don't even know the guy,' " Brady said. "I had toast and coffee so I left $5 for that and a $5 tip."
Said Anastasio: "He was meeting with some of my closest friends and I wanted to welcome him to Bella Vista."
A Nutter bad day
OK, let's review what's happened to mayoral hopeful Michael Nutter in the 24 hours beginning Wednesday evening.
He was voted out as first vice chairman of the African-American Democratic ward leaders.
He was removed as head of the political action committee created to beef up the party's bank account. Ernie DeNofa, a contractor and friend of party chairman Bob Brady, replaces him.
Next, the Inquirer revealed that he's been working since August for Econsult, a firm he helped get a city contract.
That prompted Mayor Street to wonder whether Nutter, Mr. Ethics, might have had an ethical lapse.
Are you having a nice day, Mr. Nutter?
Nutter's woes can be traced to a clumsy attempt to derail ward leader Carol Campbell's nomination to City Council a few weeks ago.
The goo-goos (good-government types) see Campbell, the soul of the machine, as the enemy of good government.
Nutter has positioned himself as the candidate of ethics and reform, so the move played well with this base.
But Nutter owes his career, in part, to help he's gotten from Campbell, including his posts with the ward leaders and party PAC.
"He wants the benefits of the system and also appear to be squeaky clean," said Campbell.
There have been times in the past, she said, "I have forced Michael down ward leaders' throats when they didn't want him."
The goo-goos still love him, but does that translate into votes? Clout recalls the quote from Stalin, when faced with a similar moral dilemma: "The Pope? How many divisions has he got?"
Fattah: Hit on 21?
Has U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., been tipped off about U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah's mayoral plans?
"I don't know what he's going to do with all this money he's raising," Obama said slyly at a congressional fundraiser for Fattah Wednesday night at the Lucky Strike Lanes bowling alley. "I don't know what he's going to do with the e-mail list he's making . . . the thousands of volunteers . . . the infrastructure he's building."
As Fattah beamed, Obama added coyly, "No matter what Chaka Fattah decides to do, he's got me behind him."
Fattah strongly hinted on Mary Mason's WHAT-AM radio program yesterday that his decision will come on Nov. 21, which also happens to be his 50th birthday.
We suggest a cake baked in the shape of City Hall.
Introducing Neg-O-Matic
TV is clogged with ads for the candidates running for governor and the U.S. Senate.
A bunch of them use newspaper headlines to make their points, positive and negative.
We envision some poor campaign intern poring over back issues, trying to find just the right headline to hammer the opponent.
Clout now provides relief. With Neg-O-Matic, you get the headlines you need, ready for reproduction in your next TV ad with that little tagline that reads "Philadelphia Daily News, Oct. 13, 2006." Here we go:
Rendell kills dogs
Gov. Rendell yesterday rejected a proposal to serve hot dogs at the annual Christmas party when the governor opens his mansion to the general public.
"I think the people deserve a bit more than a hot dog," he said. "We'll serve Christmas cookies, sandwiches and punch."
Swann favors Rich
Republican gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann yesterday endorsed state Rep. Rich Geist's re-election. Geist is a Blair County Republican.
Casey attacks elderly
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bob Casey Jr. told a group of retirees yesterday that he thinks the term "elderly" is not as respectful as "senior citizen."
Santorum admits perversion
U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., in a speech to church women last night, admitted that sexual perversion has become far too pervasive in American culture, despite efforts of conservatives like himself. * |
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Sen. Obama (left) joined Rep. Fattah at an event Wednesday, vowing support however Fattah turns. |
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Copyright (c) 2006 Philadelphia Daily News |