tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post8177511332608951683..comments2023-12-24T05:26:48.861-05:00Comments on The Pittsburgh Comet: Cui Bono?Bram Reichbaumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-46553228635958795762013-02-11T08:59:59.082-05:002013-02-11T08:59:59.082-05:00Bram - Last time out, in 2005, Ravenstahl won the ...Bram - Last time out, in 2005, Ravenstahl won the committee endorsement with almost 80 percent of the vote--602 to 163--over Peduto. I'll grant you that a "good" showing versus a "poor" one is subjective, as is the degree of coordination within the ACDC. But I'd be surprised if Lamb reaches 300 committee votes--nearly double Peduto's take in 2005--and that Ravenstahl winning any percentage north of 60 percent will be reported as a blowout. In fact, an argument could be made that with a number of high profile candidates snubbing the party by not seeking its endorsement, some committeemembers and ward chairs might want to make a statement by banding together behind one candidate.MG Guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-89090455199344657982013-02-10T15:57:32.512-05:002013-02-10T15:57:32.512-05:00Anon 2:05 - Dowd is too smart to spend very much t...<b>Anon 2:05 -</b> Dowd is too smart to spend very much time angling for anything special to do if Lamb wins.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-57891200231133099142013-02-10T14:05:30.597-05:002013-02-10T14:05:30.597-05:00Dowd is angling for a run at Controller should Lam...Dowd is angling for a run at Controller should Lamb win.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-61600375853546949962013-02-10T12:55:23.931-05:002013-02-10T12:55:23.931-05:00Damn autocorrect! 'Dotted' should read Dow...Damn autocorrect! 'Dotted' should read Dowd. Of course now putting Dowd into my computer's dictionary officially means I spend far far too much time thinking about city politics!SCMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-66203536442720742132013-02-10T12:48:32.063-05:002013-02-10T12:48:32.063-05:00MG Guy - You write, "Stay tuned for nominatin...<b>MG Guy -</b> You write, "Stay tuned for nominating petition challenges and <i>a poor showing for Lamb at the party endorsement.</i>"<br /><br />Do you really think so? Even if the outright #Lambenstahl conspiracy theory fails to the low-end of the correctness spectrum ,and there is <i>no</i> coordination at <i>any</i> level between the political efforts -- the temptation for Ravenstahl committee backers to throw Lamb some support in order to keep him in the race with his head held high would be intense. The committee structure is just organized enough to easily do something like that.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-29219126523108441202013-02-10T12:01:24.073-05:002013-02-10T12:01:24.073-05:00@SCM, "Dotted"? Help out a guy who doesn...@SCM, "Dotted"? Help out a guy who doesn't have a scorecard.<br /><br />And today brings news that Team-Lamb has indeed <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/controller-to-conduct-audit-into-secondary-police-details-674168/" rel="nofollow">set its jaws on the third rail</a>.<br /><br />Vannevarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08513110035186346571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-34688900197381977602013-02-10T11:39:40.561-05:002013-02-10T11:39:40.561-05:00I don't think Dowd is trying to help Peduto so...I don't think Dowd is trying to help Peduto so much as acting as a surrogate for the FOP which is his usual role in issues regarding the Bureau. <br /><br />Indeed I think it clear that Dotted supports Lamb. He brought Lamb to a community meeting in Stanton Heights last summer and just the other day a similar meet in Morningside. I thought it was well known that Dowd and Peduto didnt get along.SCMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-68597932591169274552013-02-10T10:23:36.979-05:002013-02-10T10:23:36.979-05:00As a former Pittsburgh daily newspaper journalist,...As a former Pittsburgh daily newspaper journalist, I read the Harper revelations as largely leaks from within the department and reporter legwork out of the federal courthouse, via the indictments against Harper's cronies. Don't forget, Rich L. is on the Fed Ct beat. All it takes is a close reading of official documents and lots of phone calls to connect some dots. That, combined with Dowd riding shotgun for Peduto's campaign by keeping PD staffing/training/sergeants etc. on the front burner, leads to a relatively good week for Peduto.<br /><br />And it makes good sense for Peduto to expend some effort trying to knock Lamb off the ballot. Stay tuned for nominating petition challenges and a poor showing for Lamb at the party endorsement. On the other hand, Peduto focusing on Lamb could be viewed as an admission that Luke has a 3-way race tied up. <br /><br />MG Guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-56504028577153757682013-02-10T10:01:04.304-05:002013-02-10T10:01:04.304-05:00Its this a terrible week for Peduto? I'm not s...Its this a terrible week for Peduto? I'm not sure. The police info his campaign seems to be leaking might turn out his base among the young and progressive. I expect Lamb will drop out soon, which helps, but even if he doesn't he might help split Luke's major pillar of support - the old. <br /><br />If Harper steps down, Luke is plagued by scandal till May, and if he doesn't Peduto can use council to push policy proposals that make him look reform minded. There still seems to be open paths to victory.<br /><br />Also, not to sound naive but why 'wall street' willie?SCMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-68048137864255335812013-02-10T02:50:27.098-05:002013-02-10T02:50:27.098-05:00If Wall Street Willie wanted to position himself a...If Wall Street Willie wanted to position himself as the true challenger and not just another apparatchik, he oils have taken his lead from Booby O and ran and ran and ran for mayor until he won! Instead he bowed out when the numbers looked bad. Not seeking the endorsement is a slap in the face of every committee member who has ever supported him because they still believe in the party system.<br />He's called himself a Democrat these almost 20 years he's been running around the fith floor. You either wear it with pride all the time or not at all. Get some balls Bill!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-27240754687212032092013-02-09T23:00:50.731-05:002013-02-09T23:00:50.731-05:00I'd like to hear more messaging on why he'...I'd like to hear more messaging on why he's forgoing the machinated endorsement. It's clear to insiders but not so much to people who only hear tell of this "Democratic party".Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-31342267809183471422013-02-09T21:56:22.261-05:002013-02-09T21:56:22.261-05:00Good week for Peduto??? Proving that his legislati...Good week for Peduto??? Proving that his legislation is useless and ducking the endorsement because he would come in a distant third. This is more likely the beginning of the end for team Peduto.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-64172857200550214302013-02-09T20:36:14.070-05:002013-02-09T20:36:14.070-05:00Actually I would ask, who benefits from the steady...Actually I would ask, who benefits from the steady stream of disclosures about the police dept? Its a been a very good week for Team Peduto. Are they lucky or did they set out to make this the Week of Long Knives? <br /><br />In a zero-sum three way race, bad week for Lamb, bad week for Ravenstahl =good week for Peduto. Question: is that luck? Why is the dog not barking?Vannevarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08513110035186346571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-67102405520021036952013-02-09T17:29:15.350-05:002013-02-09T17:29:15.350-05:00But anyways, Vannevar you are asking: "Who pr...But anyways, Vannevar you are asking: "Who profits from Nate Harper remaining Chief?"<br /><br />First we should examine what Nate Harper brings to the table as Chief. Then we'd have to consider the costs of a transition (though Deputy Chief Paul Donaldson seems an immediately capable interim.) Only then should we really need to hazard guesses at who profits from a somewhat leisurely continuation of the Harper regime.<br /><br />Or can it just be just a matter of, Mayor Luke resistant to going back on his word from before? Thereby avoiding a "flip flop"? Or maybe going back on his word spoken directly to the Chief? And what would <i>that</i> be about? End unacceptable situations, don't putschky around.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1588280325775325323.post-67843089061826863272013-02-09T14:10:03.780-05:002013-02-09T14:10:03.780-05:001. On Fitzgeraldism: I think the P-G got it right ...1. On Fitzgeraldism: I think <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/editorials/come-fly-with-me-fitzgerald-now-puts-his-stamp-on-airport-service-673880/" rel="nofollow">the P-G got it right</a> recently. Not everything Rich puts forward is gold, but it seems like the system does a quick job curbing his enthusiasm. I don't consider his leadership nearly as much of a crisis as I do a huge opportunity. He's willing to move the pieces and has shown decent instincts on why he should move them. But by all means, you know, keep earning your bread Chelsa et al.<br /><br />2. It breaks my heart a little that the press releases emerging from the Peduto campaign right now are not directly related to a brilliant vision for the City or a cogent attack on the incumbent's leadership. We're being fed a story about politicians raising money and trying to regulate themselves. Now, that may be the way it has to be now. And I don't doubt that the campaign finance regs the city passed were for the better. And I don't even doubt that Michael Lamb's need to find a way around these campaign finance rules is illustrative of his campaign in some ways. I'm especially amused at how the attorney Lamb tries to defend his legal positions, and how well that would go. But in general, it would be more optimal to be talking about Pittsburgh, about operations, about stewardship.<br /><br />3. #Harpergate: You think it's partially about "no show jobs"? Huh, yeah I guess I partially disregarded that. But yes, it's certainly destined to remain a political issue, and I'm not sure why our mayor insists that despite everything "the Chief is the Chief". Just because it sounds like a Mike Tomlinism doesn't make it a sustainable situation.Bram Reichbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620172942925293407noreply@blogger.com