December 30, 2004-January 5, 2005

political notebook

The Year That Was

by Mary F. Patel

January

John Street is sworn in as mayor for a second term despite public pronouncements that the feds planted a bug in his office weeks before last year's general election. Street's spin operatives somehow managed to convince enough voters that President George W. Bush was behind the probe so Street could handily beat his Republican opponent, Sam Katz.

Street attends several swearing-in festivities and joins the metrosexual fad as he and Gov. Ed Rendell wear matching blue feather boas at the city's first gay and lesbian mayoral inaugural ball.

U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel announces he isn't seeking re-election but will run against Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. In the primary, Specter faces Republican U.S. Rep. Patrick Toomey, a fellow who makes U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum look like a pinko.

State Sen. Allyson Schwartz and former National Constitution Center CEO Joe Torsella vie for Hoeffel's seat in the Democratic primary, while Republican Melissa Brown faces state Rep. Ellen Bard.

Republican Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor and his opponent, lobbyist Tom Corbett, act as vicious as Democrats in their nasty primary fight for the attorney general's seat.

City Commerce Director Jim Cuorato resigns and Mayor Street later replaces him with Stephanie Naidoff, whose claim to fame is fund raising for the Kimmel Center.

February

Thousands of ex-hippie baby boomers go into mourning when hero-of-the-left presidential nominee Howard Dean drops out because he hasn't won any state primaries.

Dr. James Tayoun Jr. announces he will challenge controversial state Sen. Vincent Fumo in the Democratic primary.

San Francisco recognizes the first same-sex marriages in the country.

March

John Kerry wins enough state primaries to become the Democratic presidential nominee and quickly forms a task force to find an equal to Karl Rove.

Tayoun challenges Fumo's court filings, claiming Fumo didn't sign his candidate's affidavit, which could leave him off the ballot. Tayoun takes the issue to the state Supreme Court and loses.

Unions nearly kill Philly's 15 minutes of reality-TV fame when Local 98 and other construction locals erect a giant inflatable rat in front of the location MTV chose for their show, The Real World. Charlie Breslin and restaurateur Larry Cohen save the day, and a deal is struck between unions, the city and MTV.

April

In the contested primaries, the winners are Specter, Schwartz, Brown and Corbett. Fumo keeps his seat.

Acting city Treasurer Joseph Faraldo resigns. Faraldo was deputy to city Treasurer Corey Kemp, who was indicted in the federal City Hall corruption probe.

June

Tension mounts as the national conventions approach and delegates worry about security issues. Attorney General John Ashcroft indicates that the U.S. has "credible intelligence from multiple sources" that al-Qaida is determined to attack in the U.S. in the very near future and that the conventions are potential targets.

Former President Ronald Reagan dies.

July

The Democratic National Convention comes and goes in Boston. Nothing much happens.

August

The Republicans occupy New York for their national convention and the natives pay no mind. Protesters get massive media attention.

September

AFSCME District Councils 33 and 47 conduct massive sit-ins during City Council sessions in protest of tax cuts and lack of contracts. Councilman Frank Rizzo blames Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson and says Johnson is no George Fencl, chief inspector under Mayor Frank Rizzo. Johnson responds that he does not intend to lock up 500 people (especially 500 union people).

November

The nation’s liberals go into shock when Bush beats Kerry. Therapists clean up. The Bush twins are asked to do more Vogue layouts.

Specter stays in the U.S. Senate after trouncing Hoeffel; the Democrats keep Hoeffel’s old congressional seat after Schwartz beats Brown. Corbett takes attorney general over Democrat Jim Eisenhower, but Democrats get the other state row offices. For treasurer, Bob Casey Jr. wins over Craige Pepper, and Jack Wagner beats Joe Peters for auditor general.

Ron White, Street's friend and the main target of the federal probe, dies of cancer, adding a new dimension to the probe because the deceased can't be convicted.

December

The state Supreme Court decides that same-sex domestic partners of city employees can have health benefits.

City Managing Director Phil Goldsmith submits his resignation after denying his plans to this reporter.

City Councilman Frank DiCicco explores running for mayor in 2007 so his district can get biweekly trash pickup like Street's neighborhood.