Democracy Has Prevailed.

November 24, 2009

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl Moves Forward (from his family)

Honestly, I'm not taking glee in this. Saturday when someone from the audience brought up Lil Mayor Luke at the end of the night, I took no real shots. I think I said something like, "I'm so tired of talking about him. What's the point? Folks love Pittsburgh's Favorite GrandsonTM."

The real question is:

Will Pittsburgh still love the guy after last night's revelation that he and his wife have separated?
(Living apart that is -- there's no legal separation in PA.)

Some things just may stick in their craw:
  • Can it be just a coincidence that the announcement occurred three weeks after the election and not, say, three weeks before the election?

  • He does seem to be saying that he chose his political career over his family.

  • The half of Pittsburgh who had not already heard of rumors of infidelity by Lukey have now heard it broached in public.

  • Those already less than happy with his holier-than-thou stances on issues like same-sex marriage and the privacy rights of women at health clinics may be less inclined to cut him a break that he's somehow forced into these positions because he's a Catholic.
  • That said, many of Pittsburgh's bubbas and nonnas probably have a real grandson who is separated/divorced. And, they also can't really fault him for using his family while campaigning because all pols do that and, for whatever reason, we seem to want our elected officials to come tied up in a neat happy family package.

    But, if those bubbas and nonnas do remember some campaign lit they got during the primary this year, I can't help but think that they are going to recall the photo on the last page and say to themselves, "but he's so young" -- and they won't be thinking of the boy mayor.

    Luke's got four more years to make it up to Grandma.
    .

    5 comments:

    Joy said...

    I see he's hired his "attack dog" lawyer (KDKA's term, not mine) from Philly. Nice vote of (no)confidence regarding the local choices, isn't it...

    Hmmmm.....would it count as pro-bono work to defend anyone whose infidelity or impropriety allegations against the mayor happen not to false, from the teeth of his attack dog?

    Conservative Mountaineer said...

    I’d be VERY surprised if The Boy Mayor and Erin can afford the “rack rate” of the high-priced Philadelphia attorney. Either ‘Lil Lukey has a stash of cash, he’s getting a bargain (can you say, “disclosure”? I knew you could), or someone else (Burkle? Rendell?) is part and parcel of the “deal”. Having delat with attornies in certain matters, I would suspect the retainer in such an engagement be at least $20,000.. or more.. Hell, retainer for a simple divorce is ~$3,000 with hourly rates at ~$250/hour. This guy proably charges at least $500 per hour.. minumum 30 or 40 hours.. do the math.

    I smell something….

    Clyde Wynant said...

    Is it possible that I agree with Con Mtr? Holy shit! The mind reels!

    Luke will indeed make a deal with a law firm. They'll cover his ass...and then they'll own him forever!

    In several years (like a loan shark) they'll come back for a "favor." Put it on your calendar....

    Anonymous said...

    As much as there is to say against Luke Ravenstahl, I, for one, will leave him to deal with his marriage.

    His personal problems are just that; and seeing that one of the resident wingers has latched his conspiracy riddled brain onto this one, I'll pass.

    EdHeath said...

    In the post "They say timing is everything" at 1:03am by Maria, in his interview with Marty Griffin the Mayor says the decison to wait until after the election was political. Also, the lawyer was hired to real with accusations of the Mayor's infidelities. In the Mayor's calculation, the Mayor's seperation from his wife affects his chances for election. Therefore the campaign war chest could tapped to pay for the lawyer.