Lastly, that philly mayoral race was AMAZING! Total watershed in political culture. The guy who won, a sort of black technocrat of legislation, progressive, with some green sympathies, Michael Nutter, has like zero political machine. <snip>
I'm totally baffled. But ready to be pleasantly surprised.
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Agreed. A really important event in the city's political history.
For the first time in a long time, I was actually interested in the outcome for more than purely practical reasons.
And while I'm sympathetic to Mr. Fattah, I find myself very attracted to Mr. Nutter's sharp eye for technical detail and low key approach. My suburban operatives report high levels of interest in a Nutter administration amongst citizens of the McMansion Empire ("at last, a real professional" people say admiringly).
I received a phone call from a Philly expat - a television writer now importing cheese steaks to Los Angeles: "this guy Nutter looks like the real thing." he said.
Excitement is building.
Regarding murders...
Jim is exactly right; some areas of the city are seeing high levels while others aren't. I live very close to the Philly Art Museum - now that Spring has sprung, my generally unconcerned neighbors comfortably sit in outdoor cafes sipping Duvel till late. No machine gun fire there. Meanwhile, on "Action News" word of another shooting (usually involving people who're somehow involved with one another) drifts down from the wall mounted flat screen, falling on only vaguely listening ears.
Doug quoted Rizzo:
The other night someone recounted to me what Frank Rizzo said the night he was first elected sheriff in Philadelphia. Asked what he intended to do, he replied: "Make Atilla the Hun look like a faggot."
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Indeed.
Here's a memory of the Rizzo years.
I remember standing on a corner as a kid, a summer evening, idly chatting with some friends after a day of playing softball. Our respective dinner's aren't yet ready so we're killing time. Suddenly, a police cruiser barrels from the street onto the sidewalk - it's coming towards us at an impressive speed. We dive out of the way.
"This is our corner now boys!" a ruddy faced cop says as he jumps out of the car. His had is on his nightstick.
Message received.
Oh! The fun we had.
.d.