(Wendy edited to add: Apparently, Brady disputes the claim that he's allowed ward leaders to vote for Nutter. I will bring you the latest as soon as we get it.)
Today's Clout says that candidate and party boss Bob Brady has let it be known that, if ward leaders don't deliver votes for Brady himself, Nutter would be OK.
From the column:
"We can live with [Nutter]. He's smart, he understands the system and he always asks the right questions," said one ward leader who is backing Brady. "God forbid, if it's not Bobby, he can live with Michael Nutter."
This ward leader said, "If my committee people have trouble for some reason [with voters] who don't like Bob, I'm telling them, 'Give me Nutter!' "
Said another Brady-loyal ward leader: "A [party worker] grabbed me and said, 'It's OK.' I said, what do you mean, 'It's OK'? He said, 'If you have to do some Nutter, it's OK with Bobby.' "
West Philadelphia ward leader Ralph Wynder said that Brady had given him the OK to endorse Nutter, "although he is still asking for whatever votes he can get. He hasn't given the go-ahead to send his votes another way."
"Bob showed me the respect to let me make the decision I wanted to," Wynder said.
Comments (23)
Interesting, because in his Inquirer interview, Nutter clearly indicated that he wouldn't be supporting Brady to remain as Party chairman.
Has a deal been cut? Or, is Brady really as much of a stand-up guy as he says he is?
Posted by D.E. II | May 11, 2007 8:48 AM
I predict that the not-so-simple act of actually electing a guy like Nutter will create a dramatic shift in the way outsiders and citizens feel about Philly and its future. Residents that were on the verge of moving will stay. Businesses looking outside the city will give Philly another look. Investment dollars that could go to New York, DC or Atlanta will now have Philly in its sights. College students who didn't see a future in Philly will want to stay to be part of a great emerging city. Okay, I know this is all rhetoric, but I think optimism about the future has a way of translating into tangible assets. I think Nutter will be received like a cool breeze on a hot humid day.
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 9:12 AM
It is all rhetoric. There is only one thing that keeps businesses out... and that's taxes (the BPT specifically).
There is one thing that gets families to move, schools (and to a lesser extent crime).
Lower taxes for businesses and improve the schools. Those are the two basic things you have to do to keep the middle class here in Philly.
There's two candidates that lead in that area, Nutter and Brady.
Fattah would raise everyones taxes to fund another great society. Knox has gotten into bed with the queen of poverty herself, Jannie Blackwell. No doubt if elected Knox will act based on self-preservation and not the greater good of the City. Evans is irrelevant.
Brady has leadership skills, Nutter is an intellectual.
When it comes down to the bargaining table, who do you think can get the job done?
Posted by Jill | May 11, 2007 9:32 AM
Nutter and Brady will make a great team for Philadelphia. Nutter, if he wins, will need Brady and visa versa.
The bottom line is they are both committed to see philadelphia do better and they are both good leaders.
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 9:39 AM
Nutter will be like Rendell, only better. Believe.
Posted by PhillyDeservesBetter | May 11, 2007 9:43 AM
Pretty funny, Jill, since you accused me of shilling for Nutter (which couldn't be farther from the truth).
Tell me, why do you suppose that some 8% or so of the voting public agrees with your assessment of the candidates?
Posted by D.E. II | May 11, 2007 9:49 AM
Actually, if you combine my assessment, you are looking at over 41%. (Nutter 30%, Brady 11%)
The other 3 candidates are a waste of time. Also, I agree with the above statement, I think Brady and Nutter need each other either way.
My chief concern with Nutter, from Day One, is that he is too intellectual to deal with the street level negotiations you need to have as Mayor. You need to be strong and not easily intimidated.
The press declared a clandestine love fest for Nutter early on, and then let that love be known in the homestretch.
Its just unclear to me that the strengths that Nutter displayed in City Council will transfer to the office of Mayor.
Brady has been locked in a steel cage match with the Millionaire Aristocrat for several months now. His negotiation skills will be badly needed over the next 8 years.
Posted by Jill | May 11, 2007 9:58 AM
You know, Brady is a real stand-up guy. It was clear from the first day that he was in this for the good of his city, and to stop other candidates he knew, whom he knew would be bad mayors. Back then, people thought Nutter couldn't win.
He's had to deal with the milionaire putting $10 Million in to run against him (although Knox found out he's now running against the wrong guy). He also got an unfair shake from the press, who did seem commited to removing anyone who could challenge Nutter. Almost every story had a negative Brady comment in it, and I'm not sure there's been even one negative Nutter comment in any story, let alone a negative story. But media bias is nothing new.
Brady may yet pull it out, but Nutter seems to continue to surge, and Knox continues to fall as people find out who the true Tom Knox is.
Only Bob Brady would have the maturity to say, I want your vote, but if you or anyone can't support me, there are other qualified candidates, and one stands out among that field. So, use your judgement, and do the right thing for Philadelphia. That's Bob for ya.
Posted by Andy Daven | May 11, 2007 10:05 AM
And that's what I mean about leadership. Could you imagine any of the other candidates doing something as "stand up" as that?
Can you imagine Knox? Heck, he would probably pay a for a few thousand people to come down from New York City and work the polls for a day to intimidate Philadelphians ...
oh wait, a minute
Posted by Jill | May 11, 2007 10:12 AM
Speaking of Knox, why is the Inquirer not reporting his deal with John Street via John Dougherty? I've seen multiple posts about it on here and elsewhere..
Posted by Andy Daven | May 11, 2007 10:28 AM
I think Brady finally realizes times are a chagin' and he wants find a place in the new era. I also think Nutter realizes he needs a labor ally to help him with union negotiations. Knox chose Doc and I think Nutter is choosing Brady. Brady will still be an important player in a Nutter Administration. He'll be a nobody in a Knox Administration. I give Brady credit for recognizing the change coming to Philly politics and for his apparent willingness to be a part of it instead of working against it. Brady won't win the election but his stock will go up.
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 10:33 AM
Brady and Evans will lose the election but will come out of it as winners in the minds of the voters. They will come out of this with a bright future.
Knox, Fattah, Blackwell, Doc and Street will be the big losers. They will slink into obscurity, thank god.
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 10:37 AM
Brady is just trying to cover his ass because hes about to be kicked out of his job.Its all b.s.Time for change .Out with all the incumbents
Posted by jim | May 11, 2007 10:38 AM
This is a free country - individuals can vote for any candidate without having to get permission from a party boss or broken down machine!
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 11:32 AM
This election is about electing Brady or Nutter. Knox has been dead for a while, except he did n't know it--look at the faltness of his numbers.
Once again--if the ground forces of Brady get out the vote he is 1 and Nutter 2; otherwise Nutter 1, Brady 2. Knoxious is three at best (what a waste of $10M).
I feel bad for Fattah and Evans, but they have done great service to theri constituents for years in their current positions, and will continue to do so for years to come.
Posted by Voice of the People | May 11, 2007 11:43 AM
Hey - I know Jim -he mixes the kool aid for our boss Johnny Doc in the morning and dispenses it to the union members!
No - Brady does not need to cover his ass -he will remain party chairman no matter what...
We will be putting on our fake allegiance to Doc faces on Tuesday and sticking it to him in the booth!
Vote for Brady - anybody but knox
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 11:46 AM
Ah. According to the update, maybe Brady isn't a stand-up guy afterall.
So, despite his belief that Knox is the devil incarnate, and his lifelong history of fighting for the little guy, he's willing to risk Knox getting elected by demanding allegence of ward leaders?
Ya' gotta' love the Dem Party Machine.
Posted by D.E. II | May 11, 2007 12:43 PM
The comments I most take issue with are the protrayals of Brady as "heroic" and "tough" - that's laughable. His entire career has been about patronage and backroom deals and that way of working - giving everybody a little piece of the patronage pie is the all too typical "coward's way" in Phily politics. If anybody remembers the fight over reducing the BPT and wage taxes, the fight over the smoking ban, the fight to ethics reforms passed, the fight to get a Police Advisory Commission passed, the fight to get domestic partnership passed, the fight to keep our libraries and fire departments ope - if anyone remembers even one of these "epic battles" in City Hall you will remember Nutter's pursuit of his goals as nothing short of dogged.
That's real "courage". In the case of Nutter, being an "intellectual" has given him some extra tools in terms of being able to put across the point of why it actually makes sense to do the right thing - even when at first glance it doesn't seem politically expedient.
Being an "intellectual" when put in the service of a clear moral compass and ethical clarity is a strength, not a disadvantage.
Posted by seand | May 11, 2007 3:25 PM
I don't know how anyone EVER can see being an intellectual as a negative quality. Couple that with an important position to our city, and it is just foolish to not want the smart guy working for you, the citizens.
Posted by M | May 11, 2007 3:36 PM
Just saw Brady on the news, stated he would NEVER turn loose his ward leaders, and let them make their own choice.
D.E. is correct. Brady is willing to turn the city over to Knox, rather than admit he can't win.
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 6:28 PM
Brady has to say that publicly Anonymous; he's still in the race. However, privately is a different story altogether. If he's serious about not having Knox elected, then he certainly can't let him nor the public know the game plan. He's been getting people elected, successfully, for years. I am sure he knows what he's doing.
Posted by Kim | May 11, 2007 7:04 PM
If you can't fill out a form, you shouldn't be mayor!
Time to get this illiterate hack removed from the Democratic City Committee as well as from Congress!
Posted by Anonymous | May 11, 2007 10:44 PM
Our Gestapo Johnny Doc and Local 98 idiots not for our union brother Brady are psoting as anonymous - GUTLESS!
Posted by Electricians for Brady | May 13, 2007 8:53 PM