One gutsy move by Fattah (The Next Mayor)

What do a U.S. Congressman and a guy with a Mohawk running a write-in campaign for mayor of Philadelphia have in common?

That’s what Chaka Fattah and Larry West looked like they were wondering when they wound up on stage together at the Trocadero Wednesday night after a free screening to celebrate the DVD release of Tigre Hill’s “Shame of a City,” a documentary examining the controversial 2003 mayoral election.

Fattah was clearly in unfriendly territory in front of a crowd that had just watched him on film help boost John Street to re-election while attacking a federal investigation into City Hall’s “pay-to-play” political culture.

Fattah arrived after the screening so he must have missed the guffaws at some of Street’s on-film 2003 campaign pronouncements. His continued attacks on the U.S. Department of Justice of the investigation seemed to have little impact.

West, his Mohawk at its most upright, turned to Fattah to shake hands on stage and announced, “I can honestly say after seeing that film that I remember why I’m running against you.”

Yet Fattah gamely pressed forward, suggesting someone should do a documentary about poverty in Philadelphia, drawing groans by saying he thinks Street is an honest mayor, and asserting that anyone upset with what happened in 2003 and after should try to change the city’s pay-to-play political culture.

“If you’ve got a hang-up on John Street, you need to get over it,” Fattah told the crowd. “We’re getting ready to move on.”

(Thanks to Chris Brennan of the Daily News for this report -- Wendy)

Comments (10)

Dave

great movie:

http://www.shameofacity.com/

it's also available for purchase locally (from TLA, Borders and Barns & Noble, I think).

Posted by Dave | April 12, 2007 12:51 AM

Liz:

This is an amazing documentary that is a ralling point for change in this city.

Fattah has alot of nerve to even show up there, let alone tell the crowd to "get over" what has happened to our government under Street. Talk about disrespect. Do we need any more proof that Fattah will be Street part 2, he is practically saying it himself. Was he there to cover his a*s or just to be provocative to a crowd that is likely to be offended by what he had to say?

Furthermore, he could not be more hypocritical in telling the crowd to work to end pay-to-play. Did he mention he has a law suit pending to take away Philly's legal rights to do so?

Fattah is so old school Philly politics it hurts just to read this stuff. Hopefully, after 5/15 we won't have to anymore.

Posted by Liz | April 12, 2007 9:58 AM

Liz,

I showed up for that, and must say Fattah's both a brave guy and a smooth talker. I think he showed up in hopes that he could change some people's minds about him, which he deserves some credit for.

He didn't mention his lawsuit, but did boast of signing on to Seventy's ethics agenda, which includes eliminating no-bid contracts (never mind that his lawsuit, if successful, would eliminate the city's law barring large campaign contributors from getting contracts -- he obviously isn't above breaking promises if it would be beneficial to him).

Possibly even more interestingly, he responded to somebody in the crowd who asked about the BPT stifling economic activity and keeping the poor jobless and poor by saying that he planned to completely eliminate the BPT. Not sure if he forgot what his policy paper says or was just pandering in the heat o the moment, but I believe that was an outright un-truth.

Regardless, I do give him credit for showing up and arguing his case in person.

Posted by Dave | April 12, 2007 10:42 AM

Keri:

All I'm going to say is, I SERIOUSLY hope that NEITHER Fattah or Bob Brady win this election. If either one of them do, Philly is in BIG trouble!

Posted by Keri | April 12, 2007 1:18 PM

citizenthomas

I agree with Dave, The Shame Of a City is an amazing film, brilliant, extremely well done. Last night's forum after the film was a disgrace. Was there any thought put into how it was going to unfold? I give credit to Fattah for showing up but where in the living hell was Michael Nutter???? Instead we were treated to Larry West who looked like a deer caught in the headlights and a goofball conspiracy theorist grilling Tigre Hill about San Diego politics and people unwilling to confront Fattah about all of the crap he was spouting in the movie.This includes me who did not stand up and ask a question but I was so frustrated with the format I did not bother.

Posted by citizenthomas | April 12, 2007 2:14 PM

Yeah, I was also wondering where Nutter was. Maybe he had something more pressing to do (it's not like he's a habitual forum skipper). Or maybe he anticipated the lack of planning and organization and decided not to attend based on that. Who knows.

Posted by Dave | April 12, 2007 3:07 PM

bradybradybrady:

no doubt there are serious problems in philly politics. however, 'the shame of a city' did nothing to fix them, much less help anyone understand them.

it simply re-aired and sensationalized some old tv footage, mostly of white crowds booing katz then went on to pretend that mayor street and everyone he knows were somehow guilty of something because they were the subject of (yet another) politically motivated fbi bugging.

the film was nothing short of high melodrama at every turn with nearly zero original investigation. katz gets a pass as 'the shame of a city' demonizes the democratic party and paints him the victim.

at the q and a afterwards, hill was totally out of his depth when it came to answering any of the audiences questions, even to the point of confessedly knowing nothing about the rove us attorneys issue.

it would have been nice to see a doc on these issues that had some depth, instead we got 'the shame of a city.'

Posted by bradybradybrady | April 12, 2007 6:34 PM

bradybradybrady, a couple observations:

- over 30 people have been convicted or plead guilty as a result of that FBI investigation

- Republican Curt Weldon was just investigated by the FBI last year right before he was up for re-election (he also lost)

- As I think Hill was trying to point out, the San Diego allegations that the person in the audience was bringing up might have merit. The claim that the bug in mayor Street's office was some kind of ploy to get George Bush re-elected was and is bunk, as evidenced by the aforementioned convictions and guilty pleas.

- Bob Brady appeared in that video more than three times.

Posted by Dave | April 12, 2007 10:29 PM

I just got finished watching all the special features of the dvd of "The Shame Of A City" last night. The Brady Brady guy in the previous post is a pathetic apologist for corrupt Philadelphia poltics. He has been writings posts on other blogs attacking the film and Tigre Hill. First, the film is great. The hallmark of a great film is when you are not spoonfed what you are suppose to think and to think for yourself. "Shame" does just that. I don't know how Hill could have included extensive investigation and still made an entaertaining movie. I am a big film buff and the pace of the film was perfect. Now, if this guy wants to complain about the lack of depth in the film pick up the DVD. There is a fascinating interview with the FBI agent who planted the bug plus Hill has two FBI wiretaps that are astonishing and sickening when you hear Street and Ron White plotting strategy after the bug was found.
Brady Brady, I look forward to the day when the corrupt politics you defend are gone but I still fear philly is still far too cotented to make a change.

Posted by citizenthomas | April 13, 2007 6:40 AM

Wendy:

I asked the Nutter campaign yesterday where he was. Here's what they said:

Nutter truly wanted to be there but ran out of time, said a spokeswoman. There were a series of events before the screening and a meeting afterward, that apparently he was still 45 minutes late to.

Posted by Wendy | April 13, 2007 9:25 AM

Comments (10)

Post a comment