Ok, gang. Sorry we’re a little late with the minute by minute updates. We had a few technical difficulties. But thankfully we watched the debate live earlier, so our comments are ready to go! Welcome to the first mayoral debate on CBS 3, hosted by Larry Mendte. Let’s go….
Also, our buddy Josh at Metro has come up with a drinking game to go along with the debate. If you’re of legal age to imbibe and want to make the viewing process more lively, check it out!
And we’re off. Mendte says the debate will focus on three areas – crime, the city budget and schools. The candidates stand in a row at podiums in alphabetical order. The camera zooms in on each one and shows some biographical info. Brady looks irked, Evans too, Fattah beams, Knox looks stern and then flashes an awkward half smile, Nutter seems composed.
First question: Should the next mayor go outside the police department to pick the next commissioner? Any names in mind?
Playing it safe, Knox, Brady and Fattah all say they’ll try to look within the department first. Nutter says he’ll look “locally, regionally and nationally” to get the best candidate. None of them name names except for Evans, who repeats his campaign promise that he’ll try to bring back former commissioner John Timoney.
Mendte asks if before hiring more cops, the candidates will try to change work rules so more officers are on the street.
Brady says yes, and unsurprisingly notes that he got endorsements from the FOP and DA Lynn Abraham. “We don’t need someone with a gun and a badge sitting behind a desk,” he says. The others follow suit. Knox – who seems strained and nervous – says he wants miniature criminal justice centers around the city.
Bit of a zinger here, Mendte asks Fattah about his support for convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu Jamal getting a new trial. He notes that the FOP has condemned the position and asks how Fattah could work with police if elected.
“He may very well be guilty but there should be a trial that determines that,” says Fattah, who says he’ll be able to work with the FOP. (Note: When the DN broke this story months ago, the FOP said they would actively work to defeat Fattah. )
Nutter, Brady and Evans all dodge the bullet, saying the mayor doesn’t get a say in whether Abu-Jamal shuld get a new trial. Brady even manages to work in the fact that his dad was a cop – he leaves out that he was a Port Authority cop.
Knox says he shouldn’t get a new trial. (Man, DN columnist John Baer’s comparison of Knox to an undertaker seems even more true right now.)
Next on the hot seat is Nutter, who is asked about his crime plan, which features aggressive police tactics like stopping and frisking people for illegal guns. Mendte asks if this could infringe on residents’ civil rights.
Nutter comes back strong: “I believe everyone has a civil right not to be shot. Anyone carrying a legal weapon, I plan to take that weapon away from them.”
No one else backs stop and frisk tactics, but unsurprisingly they all think they can make the city safer.
Evans talks about his work to improve safety in West Oak Lane. Fattah talks about a gun buy back program he set up. And Brady tells an anecdote about senior citizens who fear crime.
Only Knox criticizes Nutter, saying he doesn’t want to take away civil rights.
Next question for Evans: If he couldn’t get gun control laws passed while in the house, what would be different if he were elected mayor?
Evans gives a long answer which basically boils down to “the mood is different.”
Knox talks about how last summer he held a petition drive to get signatures asking the governor to give Philadelphia new gun laws. (Of course this effort also conveniently meant that he could run television ads for weeks to raise his profile.) He says the legislature probably threw it in the trash.
Brady says he supported in congress “every gun control there was.” And Fattah says the city should instead focus locally on reducing crime.
Nutter thinks his crime plan is the answer. He then throws out a dramatic – and presumably rehearsed – phrase. “296 black men were killed in the city last year. If the Ku Klux Klan came in and killed 296 men we’d see a different kind of action going on in Philadelphia right now."
And the crime portion of the debate is over. Now we’re moving on to (yawn) the budget!
Mendte flashes some sexy graphics on the screen showing the city’s projected costs for pension and healthcare for city workers. He asks if the city will have to get tough in renegotiating union contracts and ask for givebacks.
(Note: Talk about a dumb question. Who is going to go on TV and say “Yes, I’m taking all the firefighters’ pensions away.” Jeez.)
Brady says he will be fair with the unions and points out his union support. He also makes it clear he thinks ALL city employees do a great job.
Fattah says he’ll cut the wage tax, cut the business privilege tax, improve workers salaries and control costs. (Great! And everybody gets a car!)
Nutter is cautious also, saying it will be a challenge.
Ha! Mendte just referred to Evans as “Assemblyman Evans.” Bet he LOVES that!
Evans says he’s not Ronald Reagan (well that’s a good thing) and says he won’t make savings on “the backs of the workers.”
Knox doesn’t appear to have heard Evans, because he parrots him, saying “I’m not going to balance the city’s budget on the backs of the hardworking men and women.” Then he says that he’ll balance the budget by getting rid of pay to play politics.
Next question is on Fattah’s proposal to privatize the airport. Who wants to lease it? And why can’t the city run it effectively?
Fattah says he wants to privatize to end the city’s poverty problems. “The way to grow the city’s wealth is to take the people who are in the shadows of prosperity today and give them an opportunity to have productive lives.” He doesn’t say who would lease it.
Watch as the others try to knock him down!
Nutter: “I’m certainly not building the foundation of my economic revitalization of the city based on whether or not we can lease the airport.”
Evans: “I think that’s one of those voodoo economic kind of ideas.”
Knox: notes some federal restrictions on airport privatization and says “I don’t believe we can lease the airport.” (Note: While it’s true that currently only one hub airport can go private, there is a proposal to expand the the number of airports allowed. If that goes through, then Philly might be able to do this.)
Brady mostly talks about how we need to reduce the wage tax and create more vo-tech high schools.
On to property tax. Mendte notes that Nutter supports increasing the amount of property tax revenue going to the schools. He asks if there will be aggressive property reassessment once he’s in office.
Nutter, who has been very collected throughout, says: “Our property owners deserve a fair system that gives them an assessment notice that reflects the true value of their property.” He also says he would want to protect senior citizens.
Evans says he’ll freeze taxes for senior citizens and try to reform the property tax system.
Knox says the taxes are going to go up. He says he wants a safety net for the elderly.
Whoa, Brady switches gears from property tax and asks the other candidates on the stage to join him in asking the governor and the mayor to not pick a new schools CEO until after the primary election, so the winner can have input.
Mendte says he’ll ask that question later anyway.
Fattah also skirts property tax and starts talking again about airport privatization. “Maybe Tom Knox has forgotten, but you told the phil business journal you wanted to sell the airport. The issue for me is we have this poverty that no one who has ever run for mayor has said they wanted to deal with and none of the other candidates in this race has said they wanted to deal with.”
Sadly there are no rebuttals in this debate, so no snappy comeback from Knox – although he probably couldn’t come up with one anyway…
Now everyone’s favorite topic (if you live near the Delaware River anyway) casinos! Mendte directs the question at Evans, who supported gaming in the state house. He cites the ballot question that would ban casinos near homes, schools, parks and rec centers. If it passed, he asks, would you do all you can to support the effort and stop the construction of the current casinos?
Evans doesn’t really say yes. He says the casinos will help reduce the wage tax and help him pay for more cops on the street. ‘The reality is this gaming will bring additional revenue to the city. I voted for it and I stand by my vote.”
Knox says “I belive there are other locations in Philadelphia that are very good for the casinos.” Then he haltingly tries out a joke, saying the casino should be located at the naval base. “there’s lots of water there, I’m sure of it.”
Brady then gives a shout out to NJ. Gov. Corzine, who was injured in a car accident last week. Fattah says there will probably be casinos and Nutter says he’ll be voting for the ballot question.
Ah, Mendte brings up Knox’s $5 million loan to his campaign and asks if he can make assurances that he won’t fundraise to repay himself when in office.
“That 5 million loan has been forgiven and I’m not going to get it back,” Knox says.
Moving on to Brady, who says “I don’t have any millions of dollars to loan myself.” (Tell us about it, Bob.) Mendte rephrases the question to ask if donors have undue influence. Brady says his name has never been associated with pay to play.
Fattah says he’s concerned about the millions Knox says he will cut from the city budget – if it will affect people’s lives.
By the time we hit Nutter he goes “What’s the question at this point?” Mendte says it’s about pay to play and whether any donors will have unfair influence.
Nutter notes his ethics reforms in City Hall and calls himself the true reformer in the race.
Yikes, Mendte calls Evans Assemblyman again! How does he not know his title?
Schools! Mendte asks the candidates if they think the next mayor should get some say in Vallas’ replacement.
Basically all say they think they should get input into the decision.
Brady calls it a victory, saying he has four votes to ask the mayor and governor to wait until after May 15.
On to school safety. Should there be armed police officer in schools? What schools and how many?
No one names a particular school or a number of officers. All say they want safer schools.
Last Question. Should the state takeover of the schools continue?
Knox says no.
Fattah says yes, but would like to get the city another seat on the commission.
Evans says yes.
Brady: same as Fattah.
Nutter says no.
Closing statements.
First up Knox, who talks about growing up in public housing and becoming a successful businessman as an adult. He stumbles on his words a lot. Says he’s running for his mother and his brother
Apparently reverting to his childhood role of defending others, Brady tells Knox to stop beating up on Michael Nutter and Chaka Fattah. (Note: his people later say this is a joke.) Then he gives his standard stump about how families should have decent homes, jobs and be able to walk their kids to school in safety.
Fattah hits the opportunity note hard again, talking about how he wants to invest in Philadelphians.
Nutter talks about his record in City Council of passing ethics reform and getting more cops on the street.
Evans starts by saying “Fateem Childs Thomas” (he means murdered youth Faheem Thomas Childs) and talks about how Faheem can never run for mayor because of the violence gripping the city.This leads into how he will make the city safer.
Ok, that's a wrap, I think. If I come up with any more analysis, I'll throw it up later.
Comments (38)
I just watched this debate and read your commentary. I have to say, I was really impressed by how well Congressman Brady did. Somehow, when he answers the questions, his answers make sense. I also believe that he cares, and will do what he says. I was also interested to see how Tom Know would do, and I thought his performance was awful. It's clear that guy is not ready for prime time!
Posted by Andy Daven | April 14, 2007 8:19 PM
Andy, how many no show jobs has Bob Brady given you to say that? Brady appears to be semi-literate at best and nothing he says makes any sense whatsoever. I thought Knox was bad, too. But Brady was clearly the worst of the group (and that is not an easy task).
Posted by Patronage Boy | April 14, 2007 8:40 PM
Haha, I agree with patronage boy.
The clear winner was Nutter. I think "composed" is the right word to describe him. All of the other candidates had their deer-in-the-headlights moments, but Nutter seemed to be the most comfortable, concise, and cogent in his responses. I think this debate--provided anyone watched it--will boost his numbers. As it should; he's the best candidate in the bunch.
I was irked that towards the end the moderator rushed the candidates' responses because he claimed they were "running short on time." What, CBS can't start "Cold Case" 5 minutes late to allow the most important issue facing the city of Philadelphia to get its rightful time in the spotlight? God, am I tired of the profit-driven infotainment that dominates the local news.
Posted by jordon | April 14, 2007 8:57 PM
But I like Cold Case. This was a great introduction for people that haven't yet learned much about the candidates beyond the news chatter. Each had stumbling moments, some more than others, but we're starting to see more substance beyond a few 30 second spots. It was also interesting to see who was taking shots across who's bow and who best memorized their stump lines. I like the way some of the questions challenged some sensitive spots of the candidates (ie Fattah and MAJ's trial, Brady and his unions, Evans and the casinos, Knox and.....) I think Nutter had some composure, but this format did not give him nor the other candidates a chance to show their warmth. When's the next one?
Posted by TedP | April 14, 2007 10:15 PM
Nutter wins yet another debate
Posted by Anonymous | April 14, 2007 11:47 PM
I kind of doubt that Nutter said he wanted to take away "legal" weapons. In fact I heard somebody specifically ask him about that at a campaign event and he said his proposed program wouldn't target legal weapons. If that's a typo, it might be a good idea to correct it.
Posted by Dave![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 15, 2007 12:01 AM
So Fattah doesn't "back" stop and frisk even though it's in his crime plan? Interesting (actually I've written about how I don't think he really knows what's in his policy proposals before, so it doesn't surprise me much).
Posted by Dave![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 15, 2007 12:05 AM
Evans' property tax proposal of freezing taxes for seniors sounds good, but it also sounds illegal. While I'd actually rather have them frozen, I think the legal route would be to send a rebate check the way the state does -- of course it's very possible that Evans was, in fact, referring to this and just didn't want to go into detail. Still wanted to point that out, though.
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April 15, 2007 12:14 AM
Thanks for the summary. I missed watching this, unfortunately, but will try to catch the re-run tomorrow.
Posted by Dave![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 15, 2007 12:22 AM
Nutter said he would take away illegal guns, not legal ones...an important distinction.
Nutter and Evans were clearly superior. Brady is like a cartoon of some old-time machine politician and Fattah says he can end poverty as we know it -- ridiculous. I had higher expectations of Knox...I'm surprised a CEO is so uncomfortable in public.
Nutter is so obviously the best candidate...and no, I don't work for the campaign, but this debate made me think maybe I should.
Posted by phillyc | April 15, 2007 2:14 AM
I watched most of the debate with my wife and our neighbors. Bob Brady is one of us. He is like the guy you've been sharing a step with your whole life. I thought the other fellows were fine. But calling Bob "semi-literate" it is an insult to working people. We may not have time to "blog" all day, but show some respect to the Congressman. He's done good with himself and most folks I work with are supporting him.
Posted by Port Richmond Policeman | April 15, 2007 7:04 AM
Fatah has been in public office for 25 years and points to one piece of legislation he's gotten passed. How could any employer reward such non productivity?
Evans has not been able to pass gun legislation while he's been in Harrisburg. Why should we expect that harrisburg will pass gun legislation when he's no longer there?
Posted by Keith Newman | April 15, 2007 8:23 AM
Ask yourself a question, do you like John Street?
If the answer is no, then why on earth would you support Bob Brady??
Brady LIED to every Philadelphian, simply to ensure Street got re-elected.
Posted by Anonymous | April 15, 2007 11:35 AM
look at Bob Brady's tax returns he made about a quarter of a million dollars last year, made the 2nd most of all the candidates...Brady is one of us??? He's one of the top 1%.
Posted by Anonymous | April 15, 2007 11:42 AM
Bob Brady comes from the row houses and constuction sites of Philadelphia. He reminds me of my dad, but he really made something out of himself. Yes he is one of us, a blue collar man. So he makes a couple hundred thousand a year these days, he's a congressman, it is not even one percent of what Tom Knox makes, but Bob Brady seems not to have forgot where he came from. I'm for him.
Posted by Joanne | April 15, 2007 11:49 AM
Good point about Brady, Anonymous, but be fair and post a name next time. For all we know, your name may be, "I love Tom Knox." :)
Policeman, it's not Brady's articulation that's problematic, it's the record behind the rhetoric. Brady hasn't gotten powerful by chewing the fat with salt of the earth types on our stoops; rather, as head of the democratic party in Philadelphia, by that very association he is part of continuing problems with the waste and corruption that keep us one step away from being the sort of city that, for example, might get an olympics one day.
Posted by jordon | April 15, 2007 11:52 AM
Bob Brady was clearly the winner in last night's debate. He was composed and on the ball. He spoke loud and clear and he sounded great. And he looked fabulous. He's an awesome dresser. (credit his wife?)He and Fattah are the most polished of all. Evans looks and sounds angry and Nutter looks and sounds whiny. The biggest surprise was Tom Knox. He was just awful. He kept stumbling over his words and clearing his throat. He looks bad too. Not a nice dresser and he needs to comb his hair and get his teeth fixed. I am surprised a CEO spoke and looked the way he did. It was clear to me that he would not make a good Mayor. I'm for Brady all the way.
Posted by Love 2 Dance | April 15, 2007 12:05 PM
You know, I wish Knox would stop talking about pay to play. The handful of people involved in that are now gone from city government. Those other gentlemen have never been associated with pay to play. Their names were never mentioned in pay to play. So he should stop assuming that they are. Not every politician is a crook.
Posted by Love 2 Dance | April 15, 2007 12:11 PM
Jordon. Articulation? What? Whoever said that was a problem? But more to the point, I don't get this Democratic Party bashing. I'm a proud Democrat. Bob Brady is a proud Democrat who has served his party. And all he has done is helped Democrats win. That is his job. He gets things done. That's why my brothers and sisters in blue endorsed him. He gets things done. That is what we need in this f-ing town.
Posted by Port Richmond Policeman | April 15, 2007 12:19 PM
Thanks for the excellent summary. You referred to Nutter’s composure. Well, there's a reason that he is “composed.”
Nutter knows how city government works and it shows. His responses were the most specific, most focused, and most likely to actually relate to the question.
Nutter was also the least likely to over promise.
Brady may have been the worst in terms of throwing out extravagant promises—-everyone will be safe when he is mayor. How he is to perform this magic was unclear.
Knox seemed to think that getting rid of pay to play would solve all our budgetary problems. Sure we pay a corruption tax, a waste of resources which the city can ill afford. But getting rid of pay to play alone is not going to pay for the 1,000 new cops, make up the pension shortfall etc.
Fattah again pledged to end poverty through all sorts of new programs, make the city safer through among other things a police officer in every school and to do all this through the magical solution of leasing the airport.
The other candidates ripped into him to him for this. The best answers were from Nutter and Evans. Nutter said, “I’m certainly not building the foundation of my economic revitalization of the city based on whether or not we can lease the airport.” Evans dismissed the idea as voodoo economics.
It’s clear that if we want to address poverty on a municipal level, we need a realistic plan to improve public education and create jobs. Michael Nutter has the most achievable anti-poverty program.
The resources to really combat poverty are of course at the federal level. Think what Fattah could do in Congress to marshal the resources to end poverty nation wide, not just in Philadelphia!
Supporting Michael Nutter for Mayor
Posted by karen | April 15, 2007 1:01 PM
Based on the Debate...
Nutter: confident, composed, aware of the issues and on point.
Brady: not bad, but a little too much of the used car salesman shtick
Fattah: I find it hard to believe that he has been elected to the U.S. congress 6 or so times and is not more engaging. There is nothing interesting or exciting about this man. He did, however, have the line of the night. "Knox has made his career turning around companies. I’ve made mine turning around lives." (paraphrase)
Evans: Rule #1. The mayor of Philadelphia has to be able to pronounce the word "judiciary".
Knox: Good god. He better hope no one watched this debate. It was an hour long train wreck capped by a borderline incomprehensible closing statement. I have no sense whatsoever of his vision for the city. Somewhere Joe Trippi is weeping.
Posted by darkstar | April 15, 2007 1:02 PM
Brady one of us??
He's been getting rich off the working mans back!
Quit pissing on my back and telling me its raining.
Posted by Anonymous | April 15, 2007 1:10 PM
Why bash Brady and the local (emphasis on LOCAL) Democratic party? Here's one reason:
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20070323_Can_Bob_Brady_run_this_city_.html
Posted by Dave![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 15, 2007 3:43 PM
Ok, that link I just posted was broken. Here's one that works:
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20070323_Can_Bob_Brady_run_this_city_.html
Posted by Dave![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 15, 2007 3:44 PM
For the past 8 years Philadelphia has been run by a mayor who was elected based on the color of his skin and kept the people of this city divided by ethnicity, class and sexual orientation. The last thing Philadelphia needs is another man elected due to what he looks like or because voting for him was a way to stick it to someone else.
Philadelphia needs someone who is going to able to unite everybody--white ethnic, Black, liberal, yuppie, immigrant, and gay. It looks like that man is Brady. He comes across as a blue-collar Irishman that certain smug intelligentsia types look down on; and I don't agree with everything he's ever done. But he can reach across racial lines, he has pledged to promote the culture and the arts, and he's tolerant of gays; and those are things the intelligentsia are supposed to support. This city has so much going for it, and if Bob Brady is the man who can bring us all together and really move this city forward, than dammit I'm voting for Brady.
Posted by Jay Gaultieri | April 15, 2007 4:26 PM
Once again people need to be reminded that if you like what John Street has done -then -vote for kNOx or Chakah. The same man that gave you John Street on a silver platter, also offers to the electorate these candidates - Eddie Rendell.
BY the way, kNOx is now exposed as an idiot. He cannot discuss the issues and unless Trippi uses the robot control box -kNOx falters. He looks bad, looks sick and is very lost..
Posted by eddie | April 15, 2007 4:32 PM
I can't believed how many people are fooled by Brady's "I'm the uniter" crap. It's nothing but lip service! He doesn't give a crap the Afro-American community. He just pretends too just enough to get the votes, then funnel all the city contract money to his cronies.
Posted by Anonymous | April 15, 2007 5:25 PM
Brady must have really done well in the debate the way "Anonymous" keeps bashing him.
Posted by Jay Gaultieri | April 15, 2007 5:45 PM
For a sort of funny parody of the typical substanceless blog candidate bashing we see with increasing intensity these days, please check this thread:
http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/showthread.php?t=34855
Posted by seand | April 15, 2007 6:21 PM
You are seriously joking that Brady is "one of us." Unless being one of us involves getting every one of your relatives on the city payroll although they have no qualifications. The men in my family are firemen and the women teachers from way back, and I can tell you every penny a hack like that takes for his own family and lackeys comes out a hardworking fireman, teacher, or policeman's pocket, then he slaps you on the back and calls you brother. Don't be a sucker!
Posted by phillyc | April 15, 2007 9:56 PM
Why is Shady Brady trashing our neighborhoods with his campaign "litter"ature?
Posted by Anonymous | April 15, 2007 10:13 PM
Sounds like Johnny Doc's idiots are on here.. OK Here is what they are up to...they get paid to press on Brady and go to church and pray that Dwight wins...what a great union guy that Johnny Doc is -all for himself. I wish I di not have to pay dues for this crummy union
Posted by Anonymous | April 15, 2007 10:14 PM
I thought Brady spoke well but he is overpromising and sorely lacking in details. Knox was a poor speaker overall and Fattah was OK. I thought Nutter and Evans did pretty well overall. I am amazed by all the support for Brady because I'm sure 90% of the people who support him hate John Street. Brady (or Fattah) is guaranteed to give you eight more years of Street but with better press relations. You will see few major proposals to move the city forward, little in the way of reform and plenty of give aways to the unions. It's amazing how race affects how voters view a candidate. If Brady were black there is now way all of these white rowhouse voters would be so enamored with him. He seems like a decent guy, but he is not the best man for this job. I fail to see how his parent's occupation or his coziness with the FOP makes him the best candidate for mayor.
Posted by Sj | April 16, 2007 9:59 AM
Port Richmond Policeman, your comments concern me the most because they're indicative of how poeple are being lured by the same old trick. Sure, Brady came across well in the 'debate' but he doesn't offer anything tangible or propose anything that might offend any voting block. Everyone wants to reduce crime, support crime fighting efforts (thanks!), improve education, reduce taxes, clean up the city, and balance the budget - but you can't be all things to all people and the hard issues are in the details that he avoids. He relies on his "I'm one of the working guys" demeanor and "Democratic Party leadership" to make people feel like he's their favorite uncle. The Democratic Party will run Phila until the polar ice caps melt, so I'm not concerned about the strength of the party. What concerns me is that his political power comes with all the baggage that is at the core of the city's problems - no vision, no new ideas, no real push for change. Politicians amass and keep their power by maintaining the general status quo while doing special favors to those selected groups that can make them more powerful and keep them in office - and this is the only thing Brady does superbly well. Philadelphia's problems are his doing. Brady has had plenty of opportunities to make things better, and he failed.
For me it's Nutter (who I think would be great but don't think can get elected, for now anyway) or Knox. And yes, Knox was not very polished but that's because he's not a career politician and has never run for office. So, my instincts tell me that someone who has successfully run a large public business and doesn't have any political baggage is our only chance for real improvement. I'm voting for Tom.
Posted by KJ | April 16, 2007 4:31 PM
kNOx comes with the ultimate political baggage - he gave gobs of money to Rendell and in turn he wanted to be hired as a Deputy Mayor for a dollar. His ego was temporarily satisfied and most people that I know, who worked with him found him difficult and condescending...that is who he is!
With Brady you get Saidel too! What Saidel forgot, kNOx will never achieve in a lifetime. He looks bad, because he is not scripted. He is a total phoney
Posted by eddie | April 16, 2007 6:15 PM
Wasn't Saidel being investigated by the FBI not too long ago? He's a smart guy for sure, but I'm not sure of his ethics.
Posted by Anonymous | April 16, 2007 8:19 PM
Ok look I think Brady is a good guy but he should not be mayor of this city. He simply cannot move this city forward economically. The programs that he advocates are not for the 21st century. Tom Knox MIGHT be able to do the job and Michael Nutter could DEFINATELY do the job. The other 2 aren't even worth considering.
Posted by philly on the rise | April 17, 2007 12:09 PM
Brady can't read and Fattah can't count. Both idiots.
Posted by Anonymous | April 18, 2007 11:01 PM