From juggernaut to interestingly situated lame duck, and from ironclad political stability to worlds of possibility. Stay tuned to the Comet, its commenters and its editor's twitter feed through the 11:00 am Mayoral press conference and beyond.
Some commemorating the occasion and expressing a preference for its content have designed T-shirts. *-UPDATE: Speech is done. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl will not seek reelection. Considering the degree of difficulty, it was excellent. Bravo. Bravo!! He cited the accomplishments of which he is most proud, briefly described the toll on his family of the recent allegations against him, and denied any and all wrongdoing. He also revealed that he has his eye on a possible new candidate in the Race for Pittsburgh.
POLITICAL ANALYSIS: We have up to four major candidates: Democrats Bill Peduto and Michael Lamb running in May's primary, temporarily on sabbatical Democrat Jack Wagner running as an independent in Nov, and the Mayor's mystery candidate doing mystery things. Peduto is the favorite due to history, endorsements and indicators as well as positioning, followed closely by Michael Lamb. But all that could change if certain of the potential candidates combine.
Does anyone actually believe that the mystery candidate trope WASN'T a bluff, a way of screwing with the media while putting a pox on both House Lamb and House Peduto?
Let's admit it, for all of Luke's ample shortcomings, that was a pretty impressive announcement and press conference. If only he could have applied as much self-assurance and maturity to the job.
I thought he was referring to the security guard who talked so much to the PG. Seriously, it was in the context of his remarks about him. R. said it was sad, or regrettable, or something like that that the cop said what he did, and R. talked about the possibility of a lawsuit over it. At least that's what I heard.
Somebody should have put out chairs for his parents, and they should have given him a glass of water, instead of a styrofoam cup, or at least moved the cup off of the top of the podium. It's not like his staff didn't have time to plan for this, since he said he's been thinking about it for a couple of years.
Anon 12:53 - Team Ravenstahl has some ardent fans in and around (I said around!) the development community and the financial industry, just to name a couple... though at this point the universities and the unions to name a couple may be happy to move on with less distractions.
Oh no! It's started already. Early Returns ran a tweet speculating that the mystery candidate might be Wagner, Ferlo, Adam Ravenstahl, or COREY O'CONNOR!!!!
Zober for Over Lord! I mean, mayor! Although I guess Ferlo would keep him on as Dark Lord, which, of course, is one step down from Over Lord, but he still gets to keep his pension.
The Mayor said he and his Administration would get to be far bolder than in the past, without worries of alienating various constituencies during an election. Worrisome to me.
I really like the Darlene Harris/Natalia Rudiak billboards on Murray in Squirrel Hill. It's like Lamar puts up a giant sign saying, "We can't find anyone to rent this space."
Still wondering what happens at the ACDC endorsement. Will Luke remain on the March 10 ballot? Will the City Ctte still "endorse" him over Lamb and muck with the results? Then what? What are the rules of the ACDC to replace the endorsed candidate who chooses not to run on the slate card? And Peduto must be feeling sick now about blowing off the City Committee.
Wagner is the wild card. Without Wagner in the race, the unions and their money and workers - with the exception of SEIU - go to Lamb.
Anon 4:45 - She schmoozed with reporters while the Mayor was playing around. And she's in her car all over the district all the time, climbing people's steps. Fancy she's running unopposed.
So, if 800 people jump into the primary, does that help Peduto for the same reason that having three in the race helped Ravenstahl before he withdrew? I'd think that is the case.
Not quite sure why the blogosphere consistently underestimates Lamb and his support. He's been elected citywide and countywide. Peduto couldn't even get elected President of City Council. Fitz' influence within the City is not the same as Fitz' influence in the County. And why would you want a Mayor who owes Fitzgerald?
I don't really think everybody is consistently underestimating Lamb. Everyone is underestimating Lamb to a different degree. Maybe we should all agree to underestimate him by the percentage given in the last two digits of the Daily Number.
Anon 6:33 - The blogosphere is fond of metrics. In evaluating a candidate's strengths we tend to look at attendance at their events, endorsements by organizations and other electeds, the size and depth of their campaign organization, fund-raising ability, and when possible polling data. Does the Lamb camp have any exhibits to present to the blogosophere?
Given, everything just changed, including Lamb's chances spiking way up from this time last week from "none" to "underdog with a decent shot."
lets all remember that inspite of the fact that Bill Peduto is trying to position himself as a " reformer" , that mantle belongs to Mike Lamb. It is Lambs work that eventually brought about the reforms in Allegheny County much too the chagrin of party leaders and committee members whose livelihood depended on the bureaucracy. Yet Mike is vying for the now uncontested mayoral spot . Mikes runs for office have put him in regular contact with the citywide party not just the council district that Peduto represents. As I said in another posting, Mike was head and shoulders above both Luke and Bill in the Q&A sessions held citywide after Bobby O's death. If either Wagner enters the race it only helps Bill and eats away at Lambs support. Ferlo and Harris will only draw attention from the main contenders Mike and Bill. I don't see either of them having the support to win citywide, especially Harris. Ferlo has been gone too long from the burgh scene.Hes the ultimate behind the scenes player, but most voters shrug their shoulders and say, Jim who? His presence hurts Bill.Harris is a phenomena specific to the NS! period! Anyway ya flip it, we get a new Mayor. And as skeptical as I was about Luke and Dennis Regan and the jet to NYC and the Victoria strippers, I don't think he's done that bad a job. At least all the national reviews tout the city...too bad we don't
If the city committee breakfast this morning is any indication, Bill is in trouble. Lamb has tons of support among the committee and they do not seem like reluctant supporters. Mike (with his wife ) worked that room like a confident front runner and I have to admit, I'm starting to wonder myself. Fitz tried to bring in Bill and that did not go over well at all. It only seemed to galvanize support for Mike Lamb.
I prefer to select candidates on my own, without the endorsement of my committee persons (who only vote for Irish or Italians) or the committee as a whole.
Perhaps that is the reason I seem to be the sort of person Bill Peduto appeals to.
I like Michael Lamb, too. And I like him as Controller right now, and while Bill Peduto is Mayor. Later, they can reverse.
If we had open primaries then we could do away with all the committee bs, but we don't. No one is forced to join a party. I expect my elected Democratic office holders to run for the endorsement. You sat in the seat, you availed yourself of the trappings of the party, then have some integrity and seek their endorsement. As for Mr. Peduto, he has never positioned himself as an outsider. I read somewhere in the earlier posting about Mr. Peduto not being able to get 5 votes for Council President. That would have made him he consumate insider?even now he is the senior office holder in the city. Why does he run from his pedigree? I'd like to hear an adequate answer from him or any of his surrogates.
Anon 12:12 writes - "I expect my elected Democratic office holders to run for the endorsement. You sat in the seat, you availed yourself of the trappings of the party, then have some integrity and seek their endorsement."
I'd like to hear his answer to your concerns, too, but they're not my concerns. I don't understand them. "The trappings" of the party like the endorsement are left over from when most voters were unassimilated speaking immigrants or unlettered. Why not accept Sen. Ferlo's suggestion, cancel the endorsement this year, and never hold one again? What exactly do we gain, besides invitations to influence peddling for personal gain that most voters never notice?
All this talk of a flood of new candidates entering the race is making me think that Peduto and Lamb deserve special consideration because they stuck their necks out early. The bar should be set very high for any newcomer--they will have to have a really good reason for having sat it out until now. In the face of Ravenstahl's perceive electoral advantages, Lamb and Peduto were not cowards.
@ Bram ask any democrat office holder, they will tell you that the party typically defeats any attempts at " open primaries". Ask Jim Burn what he thinks. He'll tell you no way. The only way it happens is by a vote of the committee.its self perpetuating and enough of the voters vote for a committee person. I favor an open primary.Until it happens,I believe elected office holders should challenge for their party's nod. Let's see any of these candidates register as an Independent, unaffiliated, and stay independent when they win , It wont happen.
@ MH...wrong why...cuz you say so..,have you been to any of the committee votes calling for changes in the primary process? I have and listened to them be voted down. The committee expects it leaders to honor the process. Even those in the liberal leaning, 7th, 11th or 14th wards.
To be clearer, there's a set of laws about what you need to do to run as a Democrat and it doesn't include seeking the committee's endorsement. That's just something the committee has set-up to get their endorsement. If you don't want the endorsement, don't ask for it. If you do want their endorsement, follow their process. Like sometimes newspapers have a questionnaire for seeking their endorsement and if you don't want it, you don't fill out the form.
If the Democrats want to pass a law to not just close the primaries but to require all candidates seek endorsement, they can go do so. If the committee wants to go ahead a rate everybody regardless, that's their business.
Anon 10:46 am writes - "All this talk of a flood of new candidates entering the race is making me think that Peduto and Lamb deserve special consideration because they stuck their necks out early. The bar should be set very high for any newcomer".
Yes!
Anon 11:23 am writes - "Until it happens,I believe elected office holders should challenge..."
I can respect that, but I don't agree. It's too expensive in too many ways, and more importantly as presently employed the endorsement enables too much patronage to occur. That's a sensitive issue but that's how I see it on my side.
MH 1:09 pm That's about right. That aspect of the party structure as a system of formal middlemen between citizens and candidates and citizens and Government is a little pre-war for my taste, not very artfully applied.
candidate Peduto booted from Dem function at the Ruvers Edge Casino Sunday.Vice chair Eileen Kelly asked Peduto to please leave.Peduto was there with Raging Rich Fitzgerald!
I always blamed Luke and hated his whole administration but, in hind sight I think that it was the nasty people in his office that caused his downfall. From Zober, Huss, Doven, Regan, Burgess... In the end they did not serve him. The whole one up-manship, combative ways was in the end, how they elected to govern. Everyone was their enemy to be destroyed. Sad really.
Anon 3:15 - "Nastiness" is relative, and not as noticeable on your own side. But yes, they seemed always on the defensive, and always something to be defensive about.
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*-UPDATE: Speech is done. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl will not seek reelection. Considering the degree of difficulty, it was excellent. Bravo. Bravo!! He cited the accomplishments of which he is most proud, briefly described the toll on his family of the recent allegations against him, and denied any and all wrongdoing. He also revealed that he has his eye on a possible new candidate in the Race for Pittsburgh.
So what is Wagner going to do?
ReplyDeleteI can't figure if T-shirts are sold-out in extra large or if extra large was never made.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone actually believe that the mystery candidate trope WASN'T a bluff, a way of screwing with the media while putting a pox on both House Lamb and House Peduto?
ReplyDeleteI think that he and that whole snake pit should go now.
ReplyDeleteLet's admit it, for all of Luke's ample shortcomings, that was a pretty impressive announcement and press conference. If only he could have applied as much self-assurance and maturity to the job.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the whole press conference as great. He seemed relaxed. Did anyone catch who he said he wanted to "jam up" and got a laugh?
ReplyDeleteI thought he was referring to the security guard who talked so much to the PG. Seriously, it was in the context of his remarks about him. R. said it was sad, or regrettable, or something like that that the cop said what he did, and R. talked about the possibility of a lawsuit over it. At least that's what I heard.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference who he "supports" in he race? Is he worth any votes?
ReplyDeleteIt was Fred Crawford, the bodyguard. Ravenstahl said he wouldn't consider legal repercussions, but other options were open.
ReplyDeleteCorrection - I believe he said "Hadn't considered legal options."
ReplyDeleteAs regards "jamming up" I must say I imagined Fred Brown feet being jammed into concrete shoes.
Somebody should have put out chairs for his parents, and they should have given him a glass of water, instead of a styrofoam cup, or at least moved the cup off of the top of the podium. It's not like his staff didn't have time to plan for this, since he said he's been thinking about it for a couple of years.
ReplyDeleteAnon 12:53 - Team Ravenstahl has some ardent fans in and around (I said around!) the development community and the financial industry, just to name a couple... though at this point the universities and the unions to name a couple may be happy to move on with less distractions.
ReplyDeleteOh no! It's started already. Early Returns ran a tweet speculating that the mystery candidate might be Wagner, Ferlo, Adam Ravenstahl, or COREY O'CONNOR!!!!
ReplyDeleteCould the mystery candidate and Wagner be one and the same?
ReplyDeleteTo clarify, the O'Connor tweet was not generated by Early Returns or McNulty, but by some North Hills politico.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to bet, I'd bet Wagner.
ReplyDeleteThat is, I'd bet Wagner is the mystery candidate that Ravenstahl hasn't talked to.
ReplyDeleteZober for Over Lord! I mean, mayor! Although I guess Ferlo would keep him on as Dark Lord, which, of course, is one step down from Over Lord, but he still gets to keep his pension.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU, Mayor Luke, for sparing us a Darlene Harris move across the hall. Would have made the past few days seem like a stroll through the tulips.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking Ferlo is a strong favorite for Mystery Candidate, followed by Theresa Smith.
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor said he and his Administration would get to be far bolder than in the past, without worries of alienating various constituencies during an election. Worrisome to me.
ReplyDeleteI really like the Darlene Harris/Natalia Rudiak billboards on Murray in Squirrel Hill. It's like Lamar puts up a giant sign saying, "We can't find anyone to rent this space."
ReplyDeleteThe billboards should be applied to Bill Peduto! He voted for that thing!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what kind of permit you need to stick a billboard on a person.
ReplyDelete@MH
ReplyDeleteHA!!!
ST will make an exception.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realized Ferlo's district was so much of the city until I just looked it up now.
ReplyDeleteWelcomed the world. Lit up Downtown. Hauled the pension & legacy burden b4 the People w the parking lease. Began scholarships. #goodthings
ReplyDeleteStill wondering what happens at the ACDC endorsement. Will Luke remain on the March 10 ballot? Will the City Ctte still "endorse" him over Lamb and muck with the results? Then what? What are the rules of the ACDC to replace the endorsed candidate who chooses not to run on the slate card? And Peduto must be feeling sick now about blowing off the City Committee.
ReplyDeleteWagner is the wild card. Without Wagner in the race, the unions and their money and workers - with the exception of SEIU - go to Lamb.
And still the City is stuck with McDonald, Trosky and Holmes.
ReplyDeleteIf the Mayor truly wants to act boldly, he would fire the lot of them on Monday.
seiu is not the only union who's on team peduto.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the rehab ???
ReplyDeleteYou really mention Theresa Smith? That would be awful. How would she even physically be able to go out and run a city wide campaign?
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:45 - She schmoozed with reporters while the Mayor was playing around. And she's in her car all over the district all the time, climbing people's steps. Fancy she's running unopposed.
ReplyDeleteI like all of the other guys running. We win.
ReplyDeleteDan Onorato may want a new job. North Sider.
ReplyDeleteNone can say Wagner is a mystery candidate.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteCertain unsubstantiated anonymous claims about public officials are best deleted, no matter how illuminating the surrounding comment.
ReplyDeleteSo, if 800 people jump into the primary, does that help Peduto for the same reason that having three in the race helped Ravenstahl before he withdrew? I'd think that is the case.
ReplyDeleteMaybe now we can get the citizens to pay attention to the election, get out and meet the candidates, learn what they need to know, and vote wisely.
ReplyDeleteMaybe.
Not quite sure why the blogosphere consistently underestimates Lamb and his support. He's been elected citywide and countywide. Peduto couldn't even get elected President of City Council. Fitz' influence within the City is not the same as Fitz' influence in the County. And why would you want a Mayor who owes Fitzgerald?
ReplyDeleteI don't really think everybody is consistently underestimating Lamb. Everyone is underestimating Lamb to a different degree. Maybe we should all agree to underestimate him by the percentage given in the last two digits of the Daily Number.
ReplyDeleteAnon 6:33 - The blogosphere is fond of metrics. In evaluating a candidate's strengths we tend to look at attendance at their events, endorsements by organizations and other electeds, the size and depth of their campaign organization, fund-raising ability, and when possible polling data. Does the Lamb camp have any exhibits to present to the blogosophere?
ReplyDeleteGiven, everything just changed, including Lamb's chances spiking way up from this time last week from "none" to "underdog with a decent shot."
lets all remember that inspite of the fact that Bill Peduto is trying to position himself as a " reformer" , that mantle belongs to Mike Lamb. It is Lambs work that eventually brought about the reforms in Allegheny County much too the chagrin of party leaders and committee members whose livelihood depended on the bureaucracy. Yet Mike is vying for the now uncontested mayoral spot . Mikes runs for office have put him in regular contact with the citywide party not just the council district that Peduto represents. As I said in another posting, Mike was head and shoulders above both Luke and Bill in the Q&A
ReplyDeletesessions held citywide after Bobby O's death. If either Wagner enters the race it only helps Bill and eats away at Lambs support. Ferlo and Harris will only draw attention from the main contenders Mike and Bill. I don't see either of them having the support to win citywide, especially Harris. Ferlo has been gone too long from the burgh scene.Hes the ultimate behind the scenes player, but most voters shrug their shoulders and say, Jim who? His presence hurts Bill.Harris is a phenomena specific to the NS! period! Anyway ya flip it, we get a new Mayor. And as skeptical as I was about Luke and Dennis Regan and the jet to NYC and the Victoria strippers, I don't think he's done that bad a job. At least all the national reviews tout the city...too bad we don't
If the city committee breakfast this morning is any indication, Bill is in trouble. Lamb has tons of support among the committee and they do not seem like reluctant supporters. Mike (with his wife ) worked that room like a confident front runner and I have to admit, I'm starting to wonder myself. Fitz tried to bring in Bill and that did not go over well at all. It only seemed to galvanize support for Mike Lamb.
ReplyDeleteWill Ravenstahl still be on the ACDC endorsement ballot next Sunday? If he is, I urge all Peduto-supporting committee members to vote for him.
ReplyDeleteSome pro-Peduto wag needs to start a My Clam (say it fast) Twitter account, akin to the hilarious Lou Kravenstahl account.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to select candidates on my own, without the endorsement of my committee persons (who only vote for Irish or Italians) or the committee as a whole.
ReplyDeletePerhaps that is the reason I seem to be the sort of person Bill Peduto appeals to.
I like Michael Lamb, too. And I like him as Controller right now, and while Bill Peduto is Mayor. Later, they can reverse.
without the endorsement of my committee persons (who only vote for Irish or Italians)
ReplyDeleteI guess maybe they aren't all bad, but I can't see many people I know being swayed by a committee member either.
If we had open primaries then we could do away with all the committee bs, but we don't. No one is forced to join a party.
ReplyDeleteI expect my elected Democratic office holders to run for the endorsement. You sat in the seat, you availed yourself of the trappings of the party, then have some integrity and seek their endorsement. As for Mr. Peduto, he has never positioned himself as an outsider. I read somewhere in the earlier posting about Mr. Peduto not being able to get 5 votes for Council President. That would have made him he consumate insider?even now he is the senior office holder in the city. Why does he run from his pedigree? I'd like to hear an adequate answer from him or any of his surrogates.
I'm sure he does it to piss off anonymous cranks on the internet.
ReplyDeleteAnon 12:12 writes - "I expect my elected Democratic office holders to run for the endorsement. You sat in the seat, you availed yourself of the trappings of the party, then have some integrity and seek their endorsement."
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear his answer to your concerns, too, but they're not my concerns. I don't understand them. "The trappings" of the party like the endorsement are left over from when most voters were unassimilated speaking immigrants or unlettered. Why not accept Sen. Ferlo's suggestion, cancel the endorsement this year, and never hold one again? What exactly do we gain, besides invitations to influence peddling for personal gain that most voters never notice?
They've never done endorsements like that in any other place I've lived. Or if they did, I never noticed despite reading the news every day.
ReplyDeleteAll this talk of a flood of new candidates entering the race is making me think that Peduto and Lamb deserve special consideration because they stuck their necks out early. The bar should be set very high for any newcomer--they will have to have a really good reason for having sat it out until now. In the face of Ravenstahl's perceive electoral advantages, Lamb and Peduto were not cowards.
ReplyDelete@ Bram ask any democrat office holder, they will tell you that the party typically defeats any attempts at " open primaries". Ask Jim Burn what he thinks. He'll tell you no way. The only way it happens is by a vote of the committee.its self perpetuating and enough of the voters vote for a committee person. I favor an open primary.Until it happens,I believe elected office holders should challenge for their party's nod. Let's see any of these candidates register as an Independent, unaffiliated, and stay independent when they win , It wont happen.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 10:46 AM is right.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 11:23 AM is wrong.
From what I can see, Peduto is Irish or Italian too...maybe both.
ReplyDelete@ MH...wrong why...cuz you say so..,have you been to any of the committee votes calling for changes in the primary process? I have and listened to them be voted down. The committee expects it leaders to honor the process. Even those in the liberal leaning, 7th, 11th or 14th wards.
ReplyDeleteThe 14th Ward has isn't own committee or something.
ReplyDeleteTo be clearer, there's a set of laws about what you need to do to run as a Democrat and it doesn't include seeking the committee's endorsement. That's just something the committee has set-up to get their endorsement. If you don't want the endorsement, don't ask for it. If you do want their endorsement, follow their process. Like sometimes newspapers have a questionnaire for seeking their endorsement and if you don't want it, you don't fill out the form.
ReplyDeleteIf the Democrats want to pass a law to not just close the primaries but to require all candidates seek endorsement, they can go do so. If the committee wants to go ahead a rate everybody regardless, that's their business.
@ mh...true not required...14 ward independent Dems ...they even have cross over....
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:46 am writes - "All this talk of a flood of new candidates entering the race is making me think that Peduto and Lamb deserve special consideration because they stuck their necks out early. The bar should be set very high for any newcomer".
ReplyDeleteYes!
Anon 11:23 am writes - "Until it happens,I believe elected office holders should challenge..."
I can respect that, but I don't agree. It's too expensive in too many ways, and more importantly as presently employed the endorsement enables too much patronage to occur. That's a sensitive issue but that's how I see it on my side.
MH 1:09 pm That's about right. That aspect of the party structure as a system of formal middlemen between citizens and candidates and citizens and Government is a little pre-war for my taste, not very artfully applied.
*-Correction: a little pre-war for my tastes, AND not very artfully applied.
ReplyDeletecandidate Peduto booted from Dem function at the Ruvers Edge Casino Sunday.Vice chair Eileen Kelly asked Peduto to please leave.Peduto was there with Raging Rich Fitzgerald!
ReplyDeleteDid they kick out Bram also? Historically, that correlates with withdrawing from the race.
ReplyDeleteI always blamed Luke and hated his whole administration but, in hind sight I think that it was the nasty people in his office that caused his downfall. From Zober, Huss, Doven, Regan, Burgess... In the end they did not serve him. The whole one up-manship, combative ways was in the end, how they elected to govern. Everyone was their enemy to be destroyed.
ReplyDeleteSad really.
Anon 3:15 - "Nastiness" is relative, and not as noticeable on your own side. But yes, they seemed always on the defensive, and always something to be defensive about.
ReplyDelete