Michael Nutter for Mayor of Philadelphia

I had seen the advanced word of Mr. Nutter's attendance at Philadelphia Forward's showing of Tigre Hill's "The Shame of A City" over on the Next Mayor Blog. So I had kept my eyes open once I got there. When the lights came on, he was standing in the back of the room.

Maybe about two hours later - after the Carl Singley and Agent Welch's Q&A, and after the wonkish crew had retired to Tir na Og for a few drinks, and after I had several long conversations that contemplated, among other topics, whether Osama Bin Boogeyman is hiding under someone's bed in Missouri or within a small child's closet in Toledo - I introduced myself to Mr. Nutter and told him I was impressed by the fact that he had spent so much time at the event. I told him that it had been my experience that most politicians make an appearance, shake every last hand and then make like Batman and disappear out the closest door.

After he confirmed that my comment was not laced with some insinuation, some sort of backhanded compliment, we both laughed at the stereotype. I then asked him to answer a question inspired by how most people describe him to me.

In preface, I explained to Mr. Nutter, peeps like to tell me "Nutter is one of two or three candidates who will actually do something good for this city." I then asked him "Can you tell me who else they are talking about?"

Mr. Nutter did have an answer to my question. At first, he laughed and stepped away for a second to collect his thoughts. He acknowledged that the question was a good one, and then gave me his answer.*

I've been trying to answer this precise question myself for a couple months. Nutter and who else? I've been reading the Saidel book lately and was pretty set on the idea that he was one of the other "1 or 2" candidates. Then I saw "Shame of A City."

Every citizen of Philadelphia must see this movie. The movie captures the brazen corruption of our city's elected leaders. Philly politics is a dirty dirty business populated by dozens more thugs than decent people. As I watched Johnny Doc's henchman harass Sam Katz, a deep knot formed in the pit of my stomach.

These guys are criminals. They hold our city hostage.

The next election needs to be about keeping the criminals out of City Hall.

We need to go after the rot.

The scum who stood behind John Street in the last election are no different than George Bush.

They are corrupt.

They have perverted our government to serve the interests of a small minority.

Halliburton is no different than the Parking Authority or the airport or PGW. George Bush doesn't care about working people. John Street and every person who stood with him in the last election do not care about working people.

They have no respect for the electorate.

They care about hijacking our city.

They care about contracts.

They believe they are entitled to use City hall as their personal piggy bank.

The next election needs to be about one thing - You're either for corruption or you’re against it.

We must take back our city. And we cannot let the machine steal another election.

Seven months after the last election the hammer dropped. Despite all the accusations of Republican dirty tricks, the indictments of key Street administration officials were filed. In the denouement of the movie, Bob Brady callously admits that the Democrats invented the idea of Republican dirty tricks and played the race card to get Street re-elected. I don't remember the quote exactly, but Brady says something along the lines like "I couldn't believe the city bought that pile of shit."

"We need to pick leaders who are as good as we are." Those are not my words, but I am happy to use them here.

Two of the current candidates for mayor, Saidel and Fattah, played a central role in perpetrating the shame that infect's Tigre Hill's movie. After watching Saidel jumping around on the stage of some church affecting an "urban" drawl, I am convinced he is not as good as we are. Neither is Chaka Fattah who blatantly lied to Philadelphia when he went along with Bob Brady and merrily played the race card.

Having seen the movie the day after the election, I immediately regretted casting my vote for Fattah. I won't make that mistake in the mayoral primaries.

If I had to vote today, I would vote for Nutter.

He attended the screening of Shame of the City and stopped by the bar afterwards. I don't know when he showed up but when the lights went on at the end of the movie he was standing in the back.

After watching him listen to the speakers and then listen to even more speakers at Tir na Og, I was amazed at two of his characteristics. First, he listens. Second, he has a great sense of humor. I left incredibly impressed by him.

Every single politician I have ever met seems to suffer from some advanced and peculiar form of ADD. They are not happy unless they are shaking some new hand or on the way to the next event where hands are waiting to be shaken. And when they do get trapped with no hands left to shake, they'll fidget constantly like a smoker struggling to adapt to a smoke free bar. That or make like Batman and disappear out the closest aforementioned door.

Mr. Nutter wasn't like that at all.

He looked fascinated by Carl Singley and Agent Welch's Q&A. And in the bar afterwards, he actually listened and responded with some thoughtful and often humorous answer.

And after spending the last couple of days thinking about the pay-to-play culture that created the environment that gave life to the characters that have shamed our city, I realized what a powerful statement Mr. Nutter made when he resigned from City Council and immediately declared his candidacy. He unilaterally held himself to a higher standard and implicitly condemned all those who have their hands in the pay-to-play cookie jar.

Philadelphia election laws are a mess. What follows is the sense my puny little mind has been able to make of them. If someone knows better, feel free to correct me.

As far as I can tell, before a candidate declares, a candidate may accept donations in any denomination. Apparently, it is not uncommon for candidates to receive checks in amounts of $50,000. A $50,000 donation comes with it a lot of expectations. It comes with expectations that when the city needs to conduct its next bond offering, your bank will handle the issuance.

However, once a candidate has officially declared his candidacy for city office, Philadelphia's ultra-lax election laws finally kick in.

Saidel is running for Mayor. He's even said so himself. And today, Saidel will be on some street corner or some subway platform today shaking hands. And he'll likely be standing next to a woman wearing a "Saidel for Mayor" t-shirt.

Despite his unequivocal conduct, he has not "declared" his intent to run for mayor.

Talk about an existential conundrum.

Saidel has done everything except officially declare his candidacy. I cannot think of any legitimate reason for why he and the other "potential" candidates have not declared. From my perspective, they sure looks like they are playing the pay-to-play game. And after seeing Saidel's complicity in "The Shame of the City," the only explanation for his failure to make it official is the next $50,000 contribution. At least that's the way my little mind sees it.

Despite all of the great ideas in "A New Urban Direction," I will not be able to bring myself to vote for Saidel. Since I saw the movie, I have a hard time even picking up his book.

In comparison and in addition to his humor and willingness to listen, Nutter has official announced his candidacy for mayor immediately upon his resignation from City Council. By doing so, he rejected Philadelphia's pay-to-play culture and unilaterally held himself to a higher ethical standard. He made it impossible for any entity to hand him a $50,000 check. Because of his rejection of Philadelphia's pay-to-play politics, I am supporting him in his race to become our next mayor.

If he's elected, I'm pretty darn sure Nutter will be good for Philadelphia (and not just a handful of cronies) and that's enough for me to forget about those 1 or 2 other guys, whomever they may be.

PFC and Philly Against Santorum are looking for new windmills to topple. I suggest they target City Hall and endorse a candidate now while their support still matters. When their armies of volunteers will make a difference. The primaries will be upon us in no time.

We need to make sure that our next mayor reverses the culture that created Tigre Hill's "the Shame of a City." We need a mayor who will be a role model for the city, who will challenge us to think big. And I believe that Michael Nutter is that guy. At the very least, I am pretty darn certain that among the current crop of candidates, he's the only dude who's not likely to embarrass us with more of the inveterate stupidity that pervades Philadelphia politics.

And for the time being, consider it official, Ruby Legs has withdrawn his candidacy for Mayor of Phillyville and thrown his support behind Mr. Nutter. Now if we could just do something about that whole Philadelphia Mayor's race...

*For the record, Nutter offered Dwight Evans as his answer. Hopefully, it doesn't get out that he's a closeted Red Sox fan!