A Black Day In Pittsburgh

Yes, Bill Peduto has dropped out of the race leaving Interim Mayor Luke Ravenstahl running completely unopposed in the May primary (no Republicans are running either).

I imagine I'll be writing in "NONE OF THE ABOVE" when I vote.

The "Boy Wonder" who slipped in as City Council President on a bad compromise and who landed as Interim Mayor because of the death of another, now will have a virtual coronation as Mayor.

I wanted to be mad at Bill Peduto. I wanted to say, "How can you abandon us to this?" but I really can't blame the guy.

Luke has been skating by on:

puff pieces in the local MSM (until just yesterday when he personally pissed off some reporters by once again lying to their faces);

national play as a novelty;

too many greedy, self-serving city workers and elected officials;

the approval of the same ACDC members who went to vote on endorsements in 2000 with Bush bumper stickers on their cars;

his willingness to act as a puppet for the Big Boys;

and the unwillingness of a large percentage of the electorate to actually pay attention to what things he's done wrong and what things he refuses to do right.

It's hard to run against a candidate about whom a KDKA TV report this afternoon said "had the blessings of Bob O'Connor." (Hell, I mean I know that television signals transmit through the air, but I guess I didn't realize they really did reach "the Heavens.")

I'm sure the Luke apologists will tell me that we all should just get along now, move forward, etc., but these same people often said that I was critical of Luke Ravenstahl only because I was for Bill Peduto.

Oh contraire!

I have been critical of Ravenstahl because he is an awful choice for Mayor as his actions have provided reason after reason for legitimate criticism.

So, if you think that I'm going to "play nice" now you are sadly mistaken.

I can't.

I live in this city.

Hell, I was born in this city.

I care about this city.

And, there's another reason to care.

Did you ever think, "Damn, wouldn't it have been great if someone could have stopped George W. Bush all the way back in Texas the first time he ran for something?" (Let's face it, kiddies, if this city had a viable Republican Party Luke and not a few other Dem pols would be Republicans.)

Predictions about Ravenstahl's political future like this one which appeared in the Post-Gazette a couple of weeks ago scare the crap out of me:

But he's a heavy favorite to be elected mayor in November, and, with his youth, likability quotient and the high name recognition he'll eventually have, it's not hard to see him in Congress some day or succeeding Onorato as governor

Because I care -- because I heard more of the above sentiments today -- I have a message for Interim Mayor Luke Ravenstahl:

"Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you"

...And blogging on it here.

(Remember, Luke, you'll never really know who might be packing a camera phone the next time you're at Pure Nightclub, now will you?)