Not that the political rhetoric in Philly has quite sunk to the level seen in D.C. (I can't believe I just wrote that), but there's still the fear that this campaign could get ugly. I've written before about how all of us would be better served by a high-minded campaign that emphasizes ideas and issues. But we all know how easy it is for candidates to fall into "message" and "sound bites" and "jabs" at their opponents.
Penn President Amy Gutmann has written about the problems with the public discourse and has this possible solution:
Gutmann suggested that divisive rhetoric that surfaces during political debates could be curtailed with a "B.S. buzzer" that sounded when candidates went beyond the pale.
With that awesome plan that Penn unveiled for the Schuylkill's western front and now this idea, I'm really impressed by Dr. Gutmann. Any chance she may want a shot at City Hall?
Comments (3)
Does anyone else think that Dr. Guttman would make a much better mayor than any of the potential candidates?
Posted by MB | June 29, 2006 5:51 PM
Interesting...hope this doesn't sound snotty, but do we know what she's done? Wasn't the 30th St deal was in the idea stages long before she got there? I just don't know much about her.
One thing about the mayoral candidates -- with the exception of Knox, and in some ways of Dougherty, you have a record to look at.
Posted by Wendy | June 30, 2006 12:04 AM
Wendy,
I don't think that someone's "record" needs to be restricted to work done as an elected official. Look at Bloomberg. He never held elected office before and you'd be hard pressed to find people who don't think he's done a good job in New York.
I'm not pushing Gutmann, Knox or Dougherty but they're all clearly very successful at whatever it is they've done. One doesn't just become the President of Penn or have millions handed to them when they start a business or take a union that was pretty down in the dumps and make it the most powerful one in the city without being able to mobilize people, make deals and work hard. All of these are qualities that would make a mayor successful.
(In fact, Wendy, you've done a pretty darn good job over there at the Daily News... mmmm... Double Double-U for Mayor?)
Posted by Dan | June 30, 2006 9:54 AM