And here's how the events at City Committee unfolded, according to Daily News staff writer Dave Davies.
PS: At the end - I kid you not - you find out who Bob Brady voted for, and it's a doozy.
From Dave:
The suspense is over.
Democratic ward leaders gathered at noon Friday and in an overwhelming voice vote endorsed their chairman, U.S. Rep. Bob Brady for mayor.
It was the first mayoral endorsement in a contested primary most ward leaders had ever seen. The last time the party did that was 36 years ago, when the party endorsed Frank Rizzo for his first mayoral run.
Brady faced the media after the vote, surrounded by dozens of smiling ward leaders.
“The party thought at this particular time that this city needed healing, and they needed somebody who was a unifier,” Brady said.
Neither Brady nor other party leaders could explain why the party had written a $20,000 check to Brady’s campaign fund in December, which was more than a month before his endorsement.
“I can’t answer that,” Brady said.
When the question was directed to party treasurer State Rep. Frank Oliver, who was standing next Brady, Oliver replied, “I have no comment.”
“Did you sign the check?” a reporter asked.
“I sign many checks,” Oliver said.
“Including that one?,” he was asked.
“Evidently you didn’t hear my answer,” Oliver said. “I said I sign many checks.”
At that point, Brady interrupted.
“That issue is over and done with,” Brady said. “Thank you Frank, for all the support you’ve given me and are going to give me again. Now, if you would care to sign any more checks in my name, you can do that without hearing that question.”
Three other mayoral candidates, State Rep. Dwight Evans, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah and former City Councilman Michael Nutter appeared before the city committees policy committee.
Evans said afterward he told city committee they should vote for an open primary, and that the endorsement of the chairman was exactly the kind of insiders’ game that turns voters off.
“You’re ever going to bring more people into the political process unless you begin to open up the doors,” he said.
Asked if he thought the ward leaders endorsement would be a major factor in the election, he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter,” he said.
Brady said the vote for him might have been unanimous except for the fact that Nutter is leader of the 52nd ward in Wynnefield.
“I actually told Michael Nutter that he was voting for himself,” Brady said. “I voted for Michael Nutter for himself. I was his proxy. Because Michael Nutter is a part of this body. He’s a ward leader, he’s somebody that’s a part of this body and we’re not here to embarrass anybody.”
Comments (4)
"“The party thought at this particular time that this city needed HEELING, and they needed somebody who was a unifier,” Brady said."
LOL, I think you captured Brady's true sentiments in that typo.
Sounds like Brady's trying to smear Nutter by associating him with himself. That's pretty funny.
Posted by Anonymous | February 9, 2007 5:02 PM
The Democratic City Committee officially endorsed my vote for another candidate. Bob Brady is more of the same. Backroom politics. Cronyism. No reform. No action for growth. No Brady!
This committee almost makes me want to become a Republican!
Posted by Jim | February 10, 2007 6:16 PM
Are the Dem city committee votes recorded. And if so, are they public information? Trying to track down if my ward leader attended and voted for the endorsement (I'm in the 8th Ward)
Posted by Stu | February 10, 2007 11:32 PM
I have a question.
It says that Fattah, Evans and Nutter appeared.
If Nutter was there, why did he need a proxy?
Posted by Phaedrus | February 11, 2007 12:11 AM