Ed Makes It Official

By Daryl Gale of the Philadelphia Citypaper

November 29-December 6, 2001

 

 

Okay, now it’s official. Even though he’s been campaigning for months, Ed

Rendell announced Tuesday that he’s a candidate for governor of

Pennsylvania. Rendell chose as a backdrop a small street in North

Philadelphia where 10 years ago he announced his candidacy for mayor.

 

Myrtlewood Street is a small one-way tucked behind Poplar near 29th

Street. Late Tuesday afternoon it was jammed with about 400 Rendell

supporters, journalists and camera crews, and a marching drill team. There

was a big screen showing a 10-minute movie proudly outlining Rendell’s

accomplishments as mayor, 1,000 new cops on the street, a balanced city

budget and new investments in the Navy Yard and the Avenue of the Arts,

and, according to the movie’s authoritative-sounding voiceover, "In the

end, his greatest accomplishment may be that Philadelphians are proud of

their city again." Blue and red ‘Rendell for Governor’ baseball caps were

tossed to the eager throng, which was warmed up by City Controller

Jonathan Saidel working the microphone like the master of ceremonies at a

rock concert.

 

"I wanna hear some noise!" Saidel shouted to the crowd, which responded by

giving him noise. Then, emerging from the small rowhouse came Big Ed

himself, hugging and back-slapping his way to the podium.

 

"Ten years ago I stood on this spot and announced my candidacy for mayor,"

Rendell shouted. "The city was in trouble, and the people had given up

hope. Thirty-three months later we had balanced the budget and showed the

biggest surplus in years. By our willingness to take risks and not listen

to the naysayers, we turned this city around."

 

Across the street, Rose Czechowicz and her sister-in-law Katherine O’Gara

took it all in. Neighborhood residents for more than 50 years, the pair

has seen politicians, and their promises, come and go.

 

"It’s exciting," O’Gara said, "I voted for him for mayor, and if he’d be

as good a governor as he was a mayor, I’d be happy."