Friday, February 20, 2009

14 comments:

  1. So your backing Dowd?

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  2. As of this moment, yeah. Remember, relatively speaking, we go way back. I'm hideously late to become familiar with the Robinson campaign, though.

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  3. I am backing Dowd. This Ravenstahl clown has to go.

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  4. I'm down w/ Dowd. It's time for Principal / Dad to take on the Kid w/ the (Snoop)Dog-Eaten Homework. How about his self-invite to the White House with his buds? Will we see him next at the Oscars?

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  5. "That's the first time I have ever been there. ... I told [Mr. Obama] I looked forward to coming back with the Steelers when they visited the White House" in the traditional Super Bowl victors' visit.

    -Mayor Steelersteel

    This kid will never learn, will he?

    Luke, you are not a member of the Steelers organization. You had absolutely nothing to do with them winning the Superbowl. You had no business riding in the parade with Big Ben and you certainly have no business going to the White House with the team.

    This kid is really an embarassment to the city. Do other mayors travel to the White House when a team from their city wins a championship?

    There is little doubt. Ravenstahl will never change. He has no vision for the future and Pittsburgh will continue its decline with him as our mayor.

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  6. I heard a random person at Blogfest yesterday make this comment. I thought it was astute:

    "Dowd will have to really go after the Mayor for anyone to take him seriously. If he doesn't, we'll know he's doing it to get his name out there and wait his turn."

    In my opinion, it would also help if he led the charge, as it were, because I really don't think "St******er" is the way to proceed.

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  7. Starf***er-

    A person who obsessed with and seeks out personal interaction with celebrities.

    I'd say that is a pretty accurate description Bram.

    When the behavior of our mayor matches that of preteen girl in search of the Jonas Brothers, he needs to be called out on it.

    Now, I understand your point. Surely there is a more politically correct way to say it - and I'm sure Dowd will - but there is an opportunity cost to consider here.

    Our Mayor is out spending his time star****ing, while the adults who lead other cities are out pursuing federal stimulus money. Money that we all know Pittsburgh desperately needs. Simply put, the megalomaniacal behavior of our mayor has gotten to the point where it is compromising the future of our city.

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  8. I have to agree with the duck. I am sorry, I have had enough of the SteelerStahl show, and to say that he will be back when the Steelers visit the President, I have to ask why? Maybe I am wrong but please if anyone knows of a Pittsburgh Mayor that attended when the Steelers won their other superbowls please speak up.

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  9. Bram, I am not so sure Dowd can wait his turn. Ravenstahl is young and I cannot imagine he would have great success in a County wide election where there is a larger republican base. So Mayor may be his ceiling. Provided he does not completely screw up he will continue to get re-elected and will be harder and harder to unseat. Dowd needs to be very aggressive.

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  10. To compete he will need to be aggressive, but not negative; innovative, but not ideological. He will have to engage the conversation on the issues and not simply debate them. A victory will not come with a knockout punch, but a consistent barrage of blows.

    To win, his support will need to come from something more substantial than the burgosphere. He will need the support of the constituent groups (the unions) and the territories (the 14th ward) that have the greatest impact on city-wide elections.

    Councilman Dowd has his work cut out for him. He will be lucky to capture 35% of the vote.

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  11. You are probably right on the 35% figure. If I remember correctly, didn't Desantis get approximately 35% of the vote? Of course, that was a two candidate race while this will be three. It will be an uphill battle in a very short time frame.

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  12. DeSantis was a Republican, a Bush supporter and an instrument of the Club for Growth, remember? Dowd isn't going to have half those problems. Also, he may be ending-around toward picking up more significant establishment support that you give him credit for. He'll get his first 35% sleepwalking, but from there his campaign needs to perform.

    It's the swing vote that's everything; folks who want to vote for a Democrat but only "have a sense" about the incumbent or the challenger.

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  13. Bram don't forget that DeSantis was running in the general election where what independents and Republicans there are in this city can vote. I'm guessing that few people in these groups are fans of Luke, but getting them to vote in a Democratic primary will be very hard.

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  14. I certainly hope you are correct, Bram. But to think he could end up in the neighborhood of 45% and win is quite optimistic. I am not sure Robinson will siphon enough votes to make 45% enough. He will need something to shake things up fairly quickly (i.e establishment support). MH is correct in that Desantis picked up 35% in the general election which was shocking. The primary is a lot different. However, you have your finger on the pulse more than I so I hope you are correct.

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