July 28, 2006

Ten things that I have learned in the past 24 hours

So after reading every freaking article, blog post, listening to John McIntire's three hour radio extravaganza and simultaneously watching an entire Night Talk with Ann Devlin show (the first time I've watched that show in its entirety in the past, oh, three or so years) what have I learned about "The Thursday Morning Massacre" (Mayor Bob fires three top staff members from his hospital bed via speaker phone)?
1. If you're going to be in a circle, you'd best be sure to be in the inner, inner circle.

2. Being called a member of a "cabal" probably does not bode well for your current career path.

3. Given any situation that may occur, you can count on Councilman Motznik to be credited with making the most inflammatory statement.

4. Crips: Dennis Regan, Dick Skrinjar, Yarone Zober, Marlene Cassidy, Jim Ferlo, Bill Green, Doug Shields, Jim Motnik, George Specter, Scott Kunka and the Tribune-Review. UPDATE: Luke Ravenstahl

Bloods: B.J. Leber, Susan Malie, Paul Leger, Heather Arnet, James Malloy, Joe King, Mark DeSantis, Gregg Behr, James Roberts, Elsie Hillman and the Post-Gazette. UPDATE: Jim Roddey

5. You can always count on the Trib and the P-G to disagree on anything and everything (OK, already knew this one).

6. If you get fired in the Corporate World an HR person gives you an exit interview, if you get fired at City Hall you get a police escort out and a city police officer distributes photocopied fliers with your picture on it to security guards at the City-County Building.

7. Being a former driver is a surprisingly good career move for those who want to hold a political office in Pittsburgh. (On the Flip Side last night, McIntire commenting on Regan, "I remember a couple of campaigns ago he was 'the driver.'" [laughter])

8. They have a quick webmaster at City Hall.

9. No matter how screwy a situation is, The Carbolic Smoke Ball blog and Ms. Adventures on the Mon will up the screwy ante.

10. While it's great that Mayor O'Connor is having his doctors make regular progress reports to the media, it may behoove him after three weeks to meet with a reporter -- even for five minutes -- or to at least release a picture to the media.


******************************************************************
MSM News Stories here

Pittsburgh Blogs covering this topic:
http://macyapper.com
http://angrydrunkbureaucrat.blogspot.com
http://carbolicsmokeblog.blogspot.com
http://msmonongahela.blogspot.com
http://www.theburghblog.com
http://olfroth.blogspot.com
http://2politicaljunkies.blogspot.com
at

9 comments:

  1. Sean McDanielJuly 28, 2006 at 11:03 AM

    it all kind of reminds me of the past season of the sopranos...and tony's fate rested in limbo, the crew jockied for position. my favortie part of this was dragging the mayor's priest son into witness the chopping block orders. nice touch. who's going to question the motives of either father o'connor in this case?

    but dennis regan's goals certainly should be analyzed.

    meet the new boss...the irish political mafia is in chargh.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jonathan PottsJuly 29, 2006 at 10:38 AM

    Let's not leave "The Godfather" out of this. The way Motznik talked, you'd think that O'Connor's son arrived at the hospital to find his father had been moved and his guards sent home by the police. Just in time, O'Connor is saved, and the three plotters are dispatched, ala Michael's murder of Solozzo and the police captain.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sean McDanielJuly 30, 2006 at 12:21 PM

    and tom getting fired as counsel by michael because he wasn't the right ethnic type.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MariaJuly 30, 2006 at 12:27 PM

    Too bad it was done by speaker phone. We don't get the scene where the Mayor grabs her face, plants a kiss and says, "I know it was you, B.J. You've broken my heart."

    (Sorry -- I'm already on to GII)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tim MurrayJuly 30, 2006 at 10:07 PM

    What the hell's "The Godfather" got to do with any of this? See http://carbolicsmokeblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/first-pictures-dennis-regan.html Reminds me of "The Last Hurrah" -- http://carbolicsmokeblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/first-topic-every-morning-at-mayor.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sean McDanielJuly 30, 2006 at 11:39 PM

    ferlo for mayor...so that's how it works for the dems...even when you get to the bottom of the barrel...you can still win because they other guys ain't got nothin...if you don't watch the city could get a bush-like type in there because of the vacuum in the democratic party.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 31, 2006 at 1:37 AM

    Peduto for Mayor, Ferlo is needed in congress, Mike Doyle needs replacing

    ReplyDelete
  8. MariaJuly 31, 2006 at 9:17 AM

    Anon,

    Can't disagree with a word you've said.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJuly 31, 2006 at 11:13 AM

    I think "Joe" hit the nail on the head, almost - Ferlo's been running the city since Bob got in, but with him out of it in the hospital, someone else might end up with the power (someone who didn't realize that they were window dressing from the start - Leber of Maile). Ferlo doesn't need to run for mayor if the guy who's in there does what he's told.

    ReplyDelete