Rick Swartz for Allegheny County Executive - Home A real Democrat isn’t afraid to fail.I'm not afraid. And, I've not won past elections. But, in my heart and in my head, I can say with confidence that I've yet to FAIL in any of my campaigns so far, despite the fact that I've not yet gotten close to scoring one move vote than the 2nd place.
I've not failed.
When you are true to your mission, and true to the struggle -- honest and open -- then that's a success.
Candidates can win elections and fail in doing so.
I'm a swim coach. I ask swimmers to better themselves. We look for improvments. We strive for 'best times.'
My best time and your best time may not be one in the same.
Swimmers also like to break records. I've broken a few records. I've helped to make history. That, it seems to me, is hard to do when it is called a failure.
I was part of the 2001 primary between two candidates. We were in the opposition party. That was the first time in generations that two were seeking the nomination. I left that party a few years later. The next time, in 2005, they went to one candidate, Joe Weinroth. Now in 2007, they went to none.
In 2001, we ran against Tom Murphy. We predicted certain things that came true. We didn't win in 2001 -- but we won on some important points. The Murphy Administration was pushing the city over the brink and a lot of Dems in town didn't know it, didn't want to understand it, and didn't think it was real. We won credit for that then.
And, that credit helped to insure that Tom Murphy would NOT be able to run again for office the next time. Tom Murphy debated the opponents in the 2001 campaign once -- on the Sunday night before the Tuesday election. That was his last debate.
Tom Murphy won the battle but lost the war. That's not a failure.
There have been a lot of victories and wins. We've had success in runnnig. We've had some bumps in the road too.
Hope that the Swartz camapign gets some attention. What do you think about his site and messages?
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1 comment:
Joy wrote to another list:
Success; Rick Swartz is on the ballot. The challengers cry "uncle."
About an hour before the court date, Rick Swartz's redoubtable lawyer, Chuck Pascal, got the news: he, and we, had disproved, countered, or otherwise de-fanged enough of their challenges. They threw in the towel.
Maybe it was the 92 year-old who wrote, "I have been living at this address since 1927." Maybe it was the affidavit from Ben Woods (who is, indeed, a Democrat...). Maybe it was the people we had ready to come in and testify.
Maybe they were just wasting our precious time from day 1. We'll never know. But, one way or another, Rick is on the ballot, and the campaign is moving forward.
Rick could definitely use a little bit of people's money (hint, hint...and yes, we're looking into ways to take web donations and stay within campaign finance rules...but don't let that stop you from mailing a small check, using the "issues coding" process). The Swartz website will be up soon.
I also want to give a free plug for Chuck Pascal. He's a mayor, he's running for Court of Common Pleas in Armstrong County, he's progressive, smart, fair, effective and tough, and he took a lot if his precious time to keep Rick on the ballot. Some of you might want to help him in his race. I don't have an address for donations for him, and as interim campaign manager for a partisan campaign (albeit a volunteer) I probably should not tell people to donate to a judicial campaign anyway (albeit in a different county). Perhaps someone else will choose to post that info?
http://www.politicalgateway.com/cand.phpid=562&page=press&prid=769
for what wikipedia is worth, there's a longish wikipedia entry on Chuck.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_A._Pascal,_Jr.
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