Talking issues. (That's a good thing.)

March 4, 2007
Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial

It's a staple of high-minded citizen complaint, and of editorial writer pontification: There's not enough focus on the issues; the campaign is all about personality and money. Often enough in American politics, the gripe has some merit.

But anyone who wants to lodge that complaint about the five guys (sorry, Milton, can't take you seriously) seeking the Democratic mayoral nod in Philadelphia has not been watching very closely. In fact, if these candidates do not slow the rate at which they are churning out thick, earnest policy papers on significant city issues, the forests of America should begin to worry.

You want white papers on violence, schools, ethics, whatever? U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, state Rep. Dwight Evans, former Councilman Michael Nutter, and wonkish millionaire Tom Knox are happy to oblige. Only U.S. Rep. Bob Brady seems to be going light on the 10-point plans to fix everything; his campaign pitch seems to be, "I'll turn back the clock to 1960, when things were better."

To check out candidates' positions on issues, visit the excellent Web site,
www.thenextmayor.com, maintained by our sister paper, The Daily News, and WHYY.

So, let's hear a round of applause for the candidates' early attention to substance. Some may abandon the high road as polls clarify the competitive picture, but so far, so good. No one should complain, either, about the five's willingness to submit themselves for public inspection. The schedule of candidates forums threatens to move past robust to mind-numbing. The blizzard of
events speaks to the eager public interest in this election, the civic thirst to assess the candidates up close and thoroughly.

It's a great start; let's hope the pace does not cause exhausted candidates to lapse into rote recitation of pat stands, rather than real exploration of differences. And let's remember, as the deadline for City Council nominating petitions arrives this week, that the mayoral race isn't the only game that matters this spring. The gloriously crowded races for 17 Council seats will have
a lot to say about whether the city keeps settling for the mediocre, or summons the will to try to be great.