Michael Nutter was officially elected mayor of Philadelphia on Tuesday, defeating Republican Al Traubenberger in a landslide. The real election- the Democratic primary- was back in May, and Nutter had won that handily. He's got a huge challenge ahead of him, but I'm excited for the Nutter Era, and I really feel like he's got a chance to save Philly from the ruin of the John Street years.
Somewhat strangely, Nutter's victory wasn't even the biggest story in Philadelphia on Tuesday (and neither was Curt Schilling's decision to forgo the Phils and return to Boston.) In fact, the capture in Florida of John Jordan Lewis, the accused (and now, confessed) killer of Philly police officer Chuck Cassidy, is what really had the city talking. It says a whole lot about the incompetence of the Philadelphia city government that, as usual, Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson threw up his hands and did nothing, while it was the department of Miami police chief John Timoney- formerly of Philly- who actually made the collar.
Good that Lewis was captured; now let's not go and turn him into a cause celebre/death penalty martyr like that other Philadelphia cop killer...
Posted by Stephen Silver at November 7, 2007 10:16 AM