Honestly, Bob Brady may be doing as much good in the world on Capitol Hill as he could have accomplished as mayor. Check this story from WUSA9 in D.C. out - and note the defense of pastrami patronage in the last graph:
WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- When Republican Indiana Congressman Mark Souder left a Capitol cafeteria after a twenty minute wait and without the sandwich he had ordered, he didn't know the man who tried to make his sandwich was about to be fired.
Souder ordered a grilled pastrami on rye. Cafeteria worker Kennison Battle reportedly offered up a pastrami on rye, but toasted instead of grilled. In the confusion that followed, Souder ran out of time and left without his meal.
Someone apparently reported the exchange, and Battle was fired. Souder's office says Souder never complained about Battle and never asked that he be relieved of his job.
That's where the Chairman of the House Administration Committee, Democrat Robert Brady of Pennsylvania entered the picture. "I don't think that grilled or toasted should be a reason for someone to lose their job," he told 9NEWS NOW.
The company that hires cafeteria workers told 9NEWS NOW that Battle was fired simply because he was no longer needed. Brady decided to act.
"I went down to talk to all the people who were involved. They told me he (Battle) was courteous. They said he was extremely courteous. People who worked with him said he was a very courteous man, and I just didn't think it was right for him to lose his job. I went to our House Administrator and I told him we should be doing something for this man, he shouldn't be getting fired. I understand his manager in the cafeteria right there liked him a lot and said he was courteous. And then it went to the district manager, I guess, it is next in the chain of command and they said he should be dismissed. And I went to our House Administrator and I told him he needs to reverse that and he did, " Brady said.
Battle will now get a new job working for the House of Representatives with full pay and benefits, but not in the cafeteria. Souder's office says Souder supports the decision to hire Battle.
Brady is happy with the outcome. "I'm never going to lose sight of where I've come from (and will) reach out to help people the same way people reached out to help me," he said.
Comments (10)
That is the difference between Brady and these other idiots; he understands the common man and woman. Great job Congressman Brady!
Posted by A New Philadelphia | November 17, 2007 4:22 PM
The only thing Brady understands is when a sandwich is in jeopardy.
Posted by Patricio | November 18, 2007 3:27 PM
You are an idiot
Posted by Anonymous | November 18, 2007 7:28 PM
Why don't you tell Brady to his face you punk. You wanna hug a thug when they are beating your head in? Go have a cup of coffee with yourselg in your room you idiiot.
Posted by A New Philadelphia | November 18, 2007 7:30 PM
This is the kind of thing that, unfortunately, did not come out durring the election. Was this a relatively small act? Yes. But, it is indicative of Bob Brady's character. I've known Bob for a few years now, and everytime a good person needs help (actual help, not patronage) he is the first one to deliver, and the last to take credit. If half of Philadelphia got to sit down with Bob for 15 minutes, Bob would be mayor in January. One person who is not upset at Brady's loss is Bob himself, who is standing behind Michael Nutter 100%. Bob will deliver whatever Nutter needs to make sure we fix our great city.
Some of you may laugh, but that simple act of keeping a man employed made the world of a difference for that man, and his family. A small, but significant act.
Posted by Tim Dixon | November 18, 2007 11:10 PM
Excellent comment Tim. Comments like Patricio's are divisive, unnecessary and inflammatory.
While I would not say it the same way as "A New Philadelphia", I would agree that if you intend to make comments like that, simply approach Brady and tell him. He is easy to see and of course, Patricio you would not be dumb enough to do that,because you cannot hid behind a computer screen.
So if you want to make fun of people you can get your own stand up comedy routine or better yet, you can always have the courage to run against him-the primary is coming up!
My guess if the computer screen provides you the comfort that you really need...
Posted by Josuha Rosenberg | November 19, 2007 7:23 AM
Good lord Patricio am I going to have to send a squad from my cavalry area to assist you :-)
Why is everyone so upset because Brady only understands when a sandwich is in jeopardy. lol.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | November 19, 2007 9:49 AM
I find it interesting when certain pols are brought up because you get these lackeys with little or no history of posting only to give a one dimensionial "glory bl*w" to their politician of choice. So of course it doesn't surprise me that virtually every post on this story hasn't even been on "this story" but one little sentence I wrote.
Deep down everyone knows when they read the headline to this story "Brady saves a sandwichmaker's job", they thought of some Turkey Reuben on rye that was going to succumb to an overflown, inconspicuous trashcan but Bob Brady diligently saved the day by lunging head first into the deep catacombs of Doritos bags, apple cores, and (if some Fishtown kids were having a field trip to the nations capital) Arctic Splash.
So if only one thing is apparent in life...why not let it be a sandwich.
Posted by Patricio | November 19, 2007 11:00 AM
Geez all of the cafeteria sentence fragments and responses have made me hungry. See you in a few.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | November 19, 2007 11:23 AM
It's funny, because that whole time I thought I had been watching Patricio shove that microphone with the bright red P into the face of several local politicians in real life. But now I know he was merely doing it from the safety of his hiding behind my computer screen. It's a miracle what they can do with online video these days! Like with those new iChat backdrops. Crazy.
But in all seriousness: "Go have a cup of coffee with yourself?" What the f- kind of insult is that?
Awesome.
Posted by aww yeah | November 19, 2007 5:11 PM