Conor Corcoran’s Counterpoint: The Ironic Johnny Doc Vote
Larry Farnese – who is he? A lawyer from some white shoe firm in town? Johnny Doc owned a bar on Two Street, for Christ’s sake. There’s just no way. Even if Doc’s apparently being investigated by the Feds. Remember Fumo – federal investigations don’t derail candidacies. Heart attacks do.
Yesterday, Philebrity ruffled a lot of progressive feathers in town when we dared to suggest that PA Senate hopeful Anne Dicker should just pack it in and throw her support behind Larry Farnese, in an effort to keep Johnny Doc from nabbing the seat — which it seems inevitable that he’ll do. Well, that was nothing. After the jump, our esteemed colleague Conor Corcoran suggests the case for Doc — that he is precisely the Devil We Know, and that this, after all is our bed. We might as well lie in it.
Philebrity called me during the last mayoral election to percolate and pontificate about the likelihood of Michael Nutter (the choice of a benevolent gentrification) seizing the day over Bob Brady (local boy done well – very, very well, the Grand Puba of the local Democratic party, and a much beloved political Wizard in our fair Emerald City). I sincerely believed he would drop one hell of an electoral house on The Dude, and his little dog too.
I’m born and bred here, and so I am a true believer in the old political machinations so emblematic of life in the 215. I can’t shake it. Those old, flinty broads of Northeast Philadelphia, who run the community meetings and wait tables at the Mayfair and straddle party affiliations from election to election and, true to Rizzo’s rallying call, “vote White.” The stalwart and tunnel visioned support of the African American leadership who, by contrast, urge their constituencies to “vote Black” a la Chaka Fattah’s candidacy. Ah yes, Philadelphia, you always deliver political leaders to divide us all along racial lines. Thank you very little.
And need I mention the Vince of Darkness himself, Senator Fumo? He who doth flex the muscle that need not be nameth. He who was hand picked by the same machinery that installed his predecessor, the infamously felonious Buddy Cianfrani (mentor to both Brady and Fumo). Vince Fumo – the quintessential Philadelphian politician, whose brass balls never shined so bright as when he reaffirmed his candidacy in spite of a colossal federal indictment so tight, white collar attorneys whistled city-wide.
This is our political legacy. To paraphrase the immortal words of Tug McGraw, you just gotta believe.
Philebrity doesn’t want to believe it. I don’t want to believe it. It’s why I support Obama for president. He represents hope, he represents (in the same vein a la Herr Nutter) a new vein of politics for a more enlightened electorate.
But why didn’t Nutter endorse Obama? I’ll tell you why – for as much as he represents Progress (yes, with a capital P, hark the herald angels sing) – he reaffirms that in this town, plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. You should have seen him with Bill Clinton and Ed Rendell at the Continental on Sunday. The man looked very much like a freshman who made it to the varsity team. Remember – if you annoy the establishment for long enough (as Nutter’s candidacy surely did), sometimes they will make you a part of it. Nutter deserves it, and I’m glad he’s there.
But when I look at the candidacy of Johnny Doc (a man far more controversal than Nutter), I just know the man’s getting the seat. Larry Farnese – who is he? A lawyer from some white shoe firm in town? Johnny Doc owned a bar on Two Street, for Christ’s sake. There’s just no way. Even if Doc’s apparently being investigated by the Feds. (Remember Fumo – federal investigations don’t derail candidacies. Heart attacks do. The lineage of the First Senatorial District stretches to Cianfrani, after all.)
As you perambulate to your polling places, Philadelphia, remember this: your enlightened liberalism does not operate in a vacuum. Anne Dicker says all the right things, but not in Harrisburg - a place that is not the end of the world, but you certainly can see it from there. Farnese and the fabricated signatures? This early in his career? Not so much.
Philadelphia is losing a tremendous advocate in Vince Fumo, freeloading yacht trips be damned. We need a seasoned, charcoaled, rough and tumble state senator to fight for Philadelphia in a chamber that is entirely predisposed against us.
And it’s for that reason I’m casting my vote for Johnny Doc, investigations be damned. You should too. But remember Johhny Doc – this is your time, and it’s on a bigger stage. You need to be an advocate for more than union interests, and you’ve got to be above board. All of Philadelphia will be watching. And here at Philebrity HQ, we always pay attention to the man behind the curtain.
Conor Corcoran is a Philadelphia lawyer with a heart of gold; he contributes to Philebrity.com frequently.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Plus Johnny Doc has a pickup truck with a big speaker circling Center City broadcasting “Vote for Johnny Doc,” how cool is that!
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Doc had two workers outside Pine St. Pizza, blaring VH’s “Right Now” on a tinny boom box … of course Obama’s better sound system did the same thing _twice_ at the rally Friday. Did Van Hagar somehow end up in some campaign licensed music bargain bin this year?
Seriously, in bounding way way over it in combat boots, Connor or the headline editor seems to have missed there’s a very fine line between ironic and and straight up cynical. The “laddie” line before big Bill was charming. This, er, wow. Here’s hoping his batting average of calling the returns is as accurate as his mayoral handicapping.
Shit, I forgot Dougherty’s well aware of what “new Philadelphia” or “big and little pee progressive” united Philadelphia can do post Nutter. That’s why he told Dicker to stay in the race.
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:29 pm
You should get Conor to write for Philebrity more often. Wow.
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that Johnny Doc would be an advocate for anything more than union interests. According to the Inquirer, he has said he’s keeping his six-figure union job if he wins the election.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I agree with Walter, Doc may be a good fighter…. but what’s he going to fight for? I frankly don’t care if a rep (at the state or federal level) brings back a lot of money when it goes to something shady or stupid. I think the last thing we need is somebody that sees unions as priority one. Do i need to remind anyone of that monstrosity known as the Pennsylvania Convention Center? The union stranglehold on that place has lost more conventions than the gun violence ever could. The unions also tried to derail the green building practices of the Comcast Tower because it meant less work for them. Hell, i could list things like this all day… but i am not union, so i actually have work to do.