Here's an open thread on our LIVE candidate forum, brought to you by The Next Mayor. Tune in online, on WHYY's TV12, or WHYY's 91FM -- tune in and start commenting!
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And we're underway!
Comments (33)
OK, folks, any forum that starts with pension plans is serious about issues. Just saying.
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:08 PM
I hope that Fattah gets called out for his dishonest attack ad and for promising tax cuts.
Posted by Aardhart![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 6, 2007 8:11 PM
All of them basically said they wouldn't balance the budget on the backs of the city workers. And yet, the point that a made is an essential one...we've got a budget crisis looming...
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:16 PM
Did Fattah lead the efforts against an Edison takeover or is that hot air?
Posted by Aardhart![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 6, 2007 8:21 PM
They are so intent on attacking each other...how many times can they interrupt each other?
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:23 PM
Ok, fighting poverty is good. Got it. What I want to know: HOW?
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:26 PM
I doubt if Nutter will speak tonight without Fattah interrupting him.
Posted by Aardhart![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 6, 2007 8:27 PM
Knox is looking bad.
Posted by Aardhart![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 6, 2007 8:30 PM
Dang.
"I make laws. He breaks laws." (That was Brady to Knox.)
Knox: I've been successful in business for many years "and I have the bankroll to prove it."
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:31 PM
Sorry, Aardhart. Yes, Fattah was opposed to Edison and actively stirred up opposition to it.
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:34 PM
These guys are desparate. This is the worst debate so far. Ideas?
Posted by mdcphilly | May 6, 2007 8:39 PM
Excellent exchange on guns and Nutter's stop and frisk plan. Nutter defended it while others were hammering away at it.
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:40 PM
Brady sees the state house and the federal government as our piggy bank?
Plus, nice to hear regionalism addressed.
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:43 PM
Sorry, I just have to note:
If Paul Vallas is a beancounter, then I'm Bob Brady.
Second, did Knox just make a reference to upsetting people's "gravy carts"?
Do the gravy carts go with the beans?
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:50 PM
On the other hand, that was a good comment from Knox about jobs being key to integrating the neighborhoods.
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 8:54 PM
Thank goodness, the interruptions have settled down and they ARE on the issues.
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 9:02 PM
Ah, specifics. Good job to the students of Edison High School and the Student Voices project for asking a smart question -- about how the candidates would improve local parks and rec centers -- and demanding specifics.
Nutter: Sets a number: $30 mil for parks
Fattah: Every child in the city should have access to an after-school program
Brady: Takes a detour to crime, but says the rec centers should "be open all the time" and that kids should be too "tired" to be out on the corner.
Evans: Calls for a dedicated funding stream for the parks.
Knox: Should be opening rec centers, including 24-hour ones. "We could fund all of this if we could get rid of pay to play politics in Philadelphia."
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 9:09 PM
And that's that. Goodnight, everyone -- I'll post details about how you can re-watch this on the blog tomorrow.
Posted by Wendy | May 6, 2007 9:12 PM
Wendy, you missed the part of Fattah's response to the Edison kids on parks where he basically said that only rich people care about parks and that we should instead think about our kids.
I thought Evans did a lot better. He seems to be getting the message that he needs to make his point quickly (but is he learning too late?).
Nutter also did a lot better once Fattah stopped interrupting him every few seconds.
Knox sounded best when he wasn't trying to recite his memorized lines ("back-room deals where the big bosses hire cronies instead of jobs... uh, hire cronies instead of police... uh...").
Brady was smart enough not to talk about nurses and cosmopolologists along with his vo-tech bit this time around.
In case Steve W from the Northeast is reading, Nutter pointed out that there are still 1300 manufacturing companies in the city that could expand and create more jobs if the city reforms its business taxes and reaches out to them the way the Rendell administration reached out the the hospitality and tourism industry.
Posted by Dave![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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May 6, 2007 10:13 PM
Frankly, the only candidates who seem qualified to be mayor are Nutter, Fattah and Evans. Brady and Knox are full of rhetoric and not much else.
Posted by Anonymous | May 6, 2007 10:21 PM
Cann't wait until E-Day
Posted by Stuggle For Truth | May 6, 2007 10:26 PM
It seems Fattah's strong point is interrupting Nutter. He reminds me of Milton Street.
Evans and Nutter are the only ones who who actually have ideas.
Knox and Brady are seem like they have NOTHING, unless you are on their pay roll.
Posted by Anonymous | May 6, 2007 10:36 PM
Can anybody tell me if you have seen or heard from Tommy the Loan Shark. Last known site was in front of City Hall around Friday,April 27, 2007.
Posted by Struggle For Truth | May 7, 2007 12:02 AM
From the town meeting: which 2-3 candidates showed up for the "meet the mayor" events held by the city youth commission, the anti-homelessness event, and the arts and culture event? I didn't know why the disgruntled spokespeople for these events didn't name names...
Posted by curious | May 7, 2007 3:07 AM
Yes, I did miss that, Dave. I did hear Knox mis-state the number of manufacturing firms in the city, though, which was a stat he didn't really need.
As to the loan shark: He's been absent since the Keel flap. His friend Jim Nixon says he's "taking exams." (It's referenced in this column.)
Posted by Wendy | May 7, 2007 6:57 AM
Nutter and Evans did pretty well and made a lot of sense. Fattah was more focused on proving that Nutter doesnt care about poor people than making a case for himself. He did defend his plan pretty aggressively, but Fattah only has ONE plan. You need more than one big idea if you want to be mayor. He basically says making anything other than poverty reduction the cornerstone of your administration is a waste. He is trying really hard to make sure he wont get ANY white votes on May 15. I just dont get his strategy. Since Knox has more black support than Nutter wouldnt it make sense to attack Knox?
Posted by sj | May 7, 2007 8:21 AM
PS.
I didnt see the Channel 6 debate but last night I thought Nutter did a solid job of defending himself against Fattah's attacks. I like the part where he said he has 12 different ideas to combat poverty as opposed to one. I think that kind of summed it up nicely. Fattah has yet to say what he would do if the airport dream falls through.
Posted by sj | May 7, 2007 8:36 AM
Fattah's trying to take Nutter's liberal white votes by making them feel guilty about poverty.
Posted by Anonymous | May 7, 2007 8:50 AM
Word is ... House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pulled interim operation duties from mayoral candidate Bob Brady as secondary chairman of the influential committee on House Administration and appointed Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama to fill the position due to Brady's Mr. Mayor moniker.
Brady sure enough has troubles. He's about to lose his bid for mayor of Philly on top of that he isn't Nancy's flunky presently.
Jasper
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | May 7, 2007 9:13 AM
Anonymus -
Is bouncer Michael Nutter still attending exotic dance clubs providing his regulations and pressing proposals.
In another time and if Nutter was appealing , had a opinion on corruption balloting , well informed , eloquent , fearless and not given to fantasy , he may hav had a styling chance as Philly's next top clerk.
Jasper
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | May 7, 2007 9:21 AM
Here's some simple truth. Dwight Evans is trailing other candidates very badly with no reform measures in place. Perhaps Dwight should have had Kate Phillips , mayoral candidate Bob Brady's spokeswoman manage his poorly untoward effect of becoming the next mayor.
Jasper
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | May 7, 2007 9:28 AM
You can thank me later for the heads up !!! Before debate forum details tonight at the National Constitution Center sponsored by WHYY and NBC10 , there is a new accurate opinion poll suggesting - Nutter's platform availability is really at 18 percent in this mayoral " BALL OF CONFUSION ".
Of course Michael Nutter is SALTY.
Jasper
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | May 7, 2007 11:14 AM
Gangs controlling the streets , no witness to a crime and the community and politicians hiding in the closet and the only thoughts of experience Brady , Evans , Fattah and Nutter utter is - Stop The Killing.
Well ... Just saying - Stop The Killing Isn't Working.
Candidates how do you stop the killing before the coming mayoral inauguration.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | May 7, 2007 1:46 PM