A promise fulfilled: Kudos, Mark DeSantis - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

A promise fulfilled: Kudos, Mark DeSantis - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "A promise fulfilled: Kudos, Mark DeSantis

Mark DeSantis has good PR with the Trib, still.

I'm waiting for the Trib editorial board to do its endorsement of any political race for public office I'm involved in. Oh well.

I got to speak to Mark DeSantis today. We talked about Pat Ford. DeSantis thinks that if he should go under the bus, kicked there by Luke Ravenstahl, that Pat will fire back with a few zingers of his own. Pat won't go down easy, DeSantis thinks.

I beg to differ. I love talking to DeSantis, but in the end, we don't agree on many issues. In my humble opinion / prediction, Pat Ford will NOT get his job back. By the way, he is still getting paid for doing nothing. And, Pat and his wife, the PR maven, will go into the sunset without dishing out a few zingers. They'll depart without much of a peep -- because -- they both want to work in the future.

There are a number of people that can be pulled together now to write a professional letter of reference for the two today. Pat Ford gets good mentions from peers and tiny people alike if he goes in peace, without slinging mud.

Pittsburgh does not like the flashy players. Those that are too big for their britches are on a quick timer with their welcome. Pat Ford was sizzle, and perhaps some stake, if not raw-hide.

Pittsburgh can live with a Barry Bonds, Yags, or Kordell, if the productivity is at the top of the league -- and they walk as gentlemen beyond the lines. But we'll flip out and drain a person's mystique who offers us a show-boat mentality and loose cannon loyalties.

Pat Ford and A.S. need to bite their tongues and ride the paychecks for months to come. Then they can land on their feet with good vibes from certain quarters in city hall in the days, months and years to come -- as they re-establish themelves in Fort Wayne, Scranton, Syracuse, Nashville, or Atlanta.

DeSantis and I talked a bit about the 2009 mayor's race too. Who runs against Luke? DeSantis feels a vibe that Luke might bail out of that job. I say no way. Luke will have a lot of good buzz in the months to come -- as something is in the oven. But, Luke could bolt to the State Senate, as that job would be a hell of a lot easier.

DeSantis thinks Bill Peduto is still the favorite for mayor, but I don't agree. There are folks in the city that won't give Peduto the latitude to be their mayor. Peduto is great these days for city council, same as Patrick Dowd.

Now, if Peduto and his crew pushed a Dem in the primary as a challenger -- and then Peduto jumped to Indie for the fall -- then we've got a pathway to victory.

I don't think Peduto can win the D primary. But, Peduto needs to back a challenger that can rumble with Ravenstahl. And then Peduto needs to be jumping into the race right as the primary closes -- as an Independent.

What about Chelsa Wagner?

Dan Frankle is just a tall Tom Murphy, I say.

I ask, what about Sal Sarabella? Perhaps Catherine, his boss today, can be his campaign manager.

Yes, Rev. Burgess is doing okay. But the best thing for him to do would be to drain "his" "neighborhood needs money" by putting it back into the city's general fund. The WAM money from past year's budgets is a slush fund that should NOT be given to a nonprofit. He did good, but he ducked the best possible solution.