"We'll like drive through the city, through the tunnel, and I'll be like, 'You're in charge of all that?' It's crazy."
- Erin Ravenstahl, wife of Pittsburgh's 27-year-old mayor
In this instance, I have to agree with Erin.
As we noted on Friday, the "CBS Sunday Morning" news magazine show had a story today on "Pittsburgh's Great Young Hope" (obviously their title, not mine). The above quote was taken from it and is featured in their online article based on the broadcast.
As MacYapper promised, the show featured John McIntire, Pittsburgh Tribune Review columnist Joseph Mistick, and mayoral challenger Bill Peduto, in addition to Luke Ravenstahl and his wife.
While there were lots of nice shots of Ravenstahl walking through the city and shaking hands, try to find anything in the transcript about anything that Luke has actually done well so far.
It does have this to say, however about his opponent:
He faces a tough primary challenge this May, from the guy who used to be known as Pittsburgh's fresh young face, Bill Peduto, a councilman who's butted heads with colleagues over Pittsburgh's financial troubles.Yeah, Luke has a nice smile.
"Two years ago, I ran for Mayor," Peduto said. "I was considered the fresh young face of city government, and they said I was too young to be elected as Mayor. In two years, I've become the city's elder statesman and now I'm too old."
Peduto says, despite the age difference, he's the true progressive candidate and has been endorsed by environmentalists and high-tech leaders. The race could be close, said Mistick.
"They're both smart. In terms of experience and technical knowledge, Bill Peduto is clearly head and shoulders above Luke Ravenstahl," he said. "Luke's not a policy wonk. He's not very experienced in the ways of government, or the world, at age 27, but he does have this image and the excitement he generates, and that's good for our city."
The show even gave Peduto a chance for some nice self-deprecating humor:
Even Peduto admits that he's not exciting. He's often compared to former Vice President, Al Gore, but he said "Al Gore has more charisma."So what's it going to be Pittsburgh?
The guy that knows, "The meet, the greet, the listen, and the photo-op"? or the guy who's "clearly head and shoulders above" him?
The article I linked to is not a complete transcript because they ended with an older guy sitting in Primanti's giving the standard pro Luke cheer, "Give him a chance."
Of course anyone paying attention to Ravenstahl's undistinguished career on City Council and his numerous missteps as Mayor might want to respond with:
"He's had his chance and he's blown it."
8 comments:
The one thing that brings me comfort is that the CBS Sunday Morning show viewer base is probably predominately a bunch of Peduto supporters (after all, only a Unitarian would be watching TV on a Sunday morning instead of going to church). They are also probably pretty well educated, so maybe the few Ravenstahl supporters caught Joe Mistick's remarks about Peduto being experienced and knowledgable and Luke not being a policy wonk. Plus Bill got to make a joke comparing himself to AlGore.
Ed,
Why does that bring you "comfort"?
Whoo really cares what Joe Mistick says anyway? Didn't he utter something dumb like Bill Peduto didn't do too bad at the Committee endorsement?
Lame story all the way around.
However, Peduto doesn't do himself any good by pointing out what a wonkish bore he is. Does the man want to lose?
Get a clue, Bill. People vote for personality as much as anything else. They have to LIKE YOU before they trust you with the keys to the city...!
Why does it give me comfort?
Funny answer, because I like my candidates to have less personality than me, if that's posssible.
Real answer, becuase the story put Luke in a favorable light, and I prefer Peduto (coming soon to a button near you).
If Joe Mistick said that, Matt, that was dumb.
"People vote for personality as much as anything else."
And that's how we got Bush.
"And that's how we got Bush."
And Clinton.
Unlike Bush, Clinton actually has a brain too.
Bush only had his personality to go by...like some othe person I can think of.
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