Anti-Endorsement/Confidential To Anne Dicker: If You Really Care About Your Constituents, DROP OUT NOW.
This, dear readers, is a tough one. Regular readers of this blog would not be wrong in assuming that Philebrity would be 100% behind Anne Dicker‘s thoughtful, progressive policies. And don’t get us wrong: We are. From her logical, humanistic stances on education reform and gun control to her involvement in the anti-casino movement, Dicker’s heart is very much in the right place. And we’ve got a ton of respect for her. But something has been gnawing at us, and it’s time to voice it: As her campaign has shown signs of tremendous strain while Farnese has surged, and John Dougherty has slithered ahead in the polls using his clout in the time-honored Philly patronage machine, two things have become clear to us. One is that for as wild as this election season has been, our worst fears have come true — it is now entirely about keeping the ethically challenged Johnny Doc out of that senate seat. Another is that, good intentions be damned, Dicker simply does not connect with enough folks, and she has a snowball’s chance in winning this thing. Who does? Larry Farnese. Today, we strongly urge you to do an A/B comparison of Farnese and Dicker‘s respective stances on the issues. They have a lot in common; what’s more, it’s our belief that Farnese is more pragmatic and less divisive in his approach. Not to put too fine a point on it, but bear this in mind: Whoever will be representing us in the state senate will have to, time and time again, sell this city to folks who generally don’t care about cities. And we believe that Farnese’s tack is a viable, and winnable alternative to Johnny Doc’s frightful ways.
Meanwhile, it’s true that Farnese doesn’t come into this with perfectly clean hands. Then again, at this point, nobody’s got clean ones: Doc is, well, Doc, and even Dicker has engaged in some character assassinations during the campaign that, frankly, we regarded as beneath her. (Sound familiar?) For instance, we’d love to know what was up with Farnese’s allegedly faked petition signatures. We’d also love to see some full disclosure on Farnese’s exact relationship with Vince Fumo. That said, for the change Philly needs, and the representation we deserve, he has emerged through sheer doggedness and clear thinking as our choice for Democrat for PA Senate. And it’s not too late for Dicker to have a tremendous effect on this election and the change she so obviously desires for Philadelphia. Because here’s how it works out: While we have a little trouble believing that Dougherty and Farnese are locked in a dead heat, as some have suggested, it’s quite obvious that Dicker pulling out today and throwing her support behind Farnese (who, though both may wince, have a lot in common), she could, in effect, keep Dougherty out of office. And at this point, that is what it’s all about. So help us out on this one: If you believe like we believe, call Anne Dicker TODAY at 215.625.2717 and respectfully request that she pull out of the race and support Larry Farnese TODAY. And if you’re not sure, by all means, check out all the candidate’s websites, and please, VOTE.
For more, visit: Anne Dicker · John Dougherty · Larry Farnese
April 21st, 2008 at 3:30 pm
re: “If you believe like we believe, call Anne Dicker TODAY and respectfully request that she pull out of the race and support Larry Farnese TODAY.”
I disagree with your editorial. Anne Dicker is getting my vote tomorrow.
April 21st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Fair enough, Allan. Like we say, we think Anne’s got great ideas. But these are dire straits, and it’s up to the candidate to make that choice.
April 21st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
folks who vote based on what everybody else is supposed to be doing deserve what they get
April 21st, 2008 at 5:11 pm
It has become clear that Dougherty is using Dicker as a pawn to keep Farnese from winning. Dicker either does not see, or is complacent in, being used this way. Either way these are not traits that will make a good Senator.
Of course, neither is crying to someone on your opponent’s payroll when things go badly.
Vote Farnese.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
i can help everyone here with two words. ready?
Bush.
Nader.
did everyone get that? awesome.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Hm. I much prefer her hair in this photo. I think she should drop the Hillary pantsuit and wear lavender saris. They’d look wonderful with her Black Irish complexion.
/political analysis
April 21st, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Oh–one more thing? Obama is the new Chuck Norris.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Dicker staying in this smacks of the arrogance I’ve come to associate with the capital-P “Progressives” in this town. You’d figure after not being able to get a Council at Large seat or the ’06 rep seats … they’d realize they’re a wing that can support lower case-p “progressives” a la Nutter, but they just don’t have the critical mass (rhetorically, financially, etc.) to lead Democratic politics in this city.
But maybe I shouldn’t be writing. I got this weird brain thing going on that’s been affecting my vision, hearing, and general cognition … the fact that Philebrity seems to be in political agreement with how I see things makes me wonder if I’m just having an episode here.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Larry didn’t win the 182nd 2 years ago when there were just 2 candidates, what would make you think he can win now?
April 21st, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Anne Dicker got the Daily News endorsement. Does that mean that the DN is part of this nefarious plan? Or does it mean that we should ask Farnese to drop out, and get behind Dicker?
April 21st, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Dicker has a realistic view of what she would be able to accomplish as a freshman senator. The concern is that her campaign has not gained much momentum, either in contributions or in Democratic circles. That could be a sign of how difficult it would be for her to be an effective legislator. Also troubling is that she has been content to sit back and allow Farnese to take most of the necessary shots at Dougherty.
From the inky’s endorsement of Farnese, probably written on the same keyboard as the DN’s on Dicker. Seriously, as a smugtown carpetbagger, maybe I don’t know something, so how is the DN a greater “endorsement of record” than the Inky? Looks like the daily papers are just anti-Doc and are leaving it up the voter.
April 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I am going to have this huge, sunken feeling in mah belly by this time tomorrow. You know, once fucking Dougherty is my new state senator and Obama has lost the state by ten percent, because Philadelphians were too damn fucking lazy to turn out in the massive numbers they should’ve to vote for some clear fucking options, here. Stupid electoral politics.
April 21st, 2008 at 8:51 pm
oh yeah plus there was that time anne endorsed tom knox last year.