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Oof. One of the people I would not want to endorse me.

It’s a good endorsement. It loses her no support at all and gains her a few North Philly votes. Street represented that district for a long time and some old heads will follow his endorsement.

He was before my time here, why not?

Google Milton Street

I thought that Rhynart was positioning herself as an outsider, technocrat, and anti-corruption candidate. This seems like an odd endorsement. I wasn't around for most of Street's time as mayor but wasn't it marked by widesṕread corruption to the point of an FBI bug being discovered in the mayor's office?

https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/attytood/Have-you-forgotten-Philadelphia-about-what-John-Street-did.html

https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/20131006_Ten_years_ago__a_bugging_at_the_mayor_s_office_shook_Philadelphia.html

How is this not more of the same corrupt cronyism that has marked Philly politics forever?

I think of Rebecca Rhynhart and John F. Street very differently. I've tended to think of Mayor Street has having run a crooked, populist administration, whereas I've understood Comptroller Rhynhart as a good-government technocrat. I really have no idea whether this endorsement has value, but it isn't unimaginable that would help to persuade a few voters and I suspect that it's a kind of help that Rebecca Rhynhart needs.

Very solid endorsement if she’s planning on embezzling city funds or evading taxes.

Big deal endorsement in such a crowded primary, particularly her big weakness being that she has less name recognition outside of policy circles. If she can get Nutter on board two (street and nutter are not fans of each other, to put it lightly) she'd probably be one of if not the frontrunners

Extraordinarily corrupt and ineffective. The only thing he did as mayor was demolish a bunch of abandoned properties that still haven’t been turned from empty lots to anything of use and begrudgingly ban smoking.

His administration had many corruption scandals, though most if it was tied to Street associates, appointees, and hangers on (particularly his brother). Frankly overshadowed a lot of the good he did, a necessary corrective from the Rendell years, his admin's focus was on investing city resources at the local level in neighborhoods (vs Rendell was more focused on big name big ticket Center City revitalizations). But he was corrupt personally and created a very corrupt political culture

I agree with the first half. I can also see where she, as a rich (i-banking?) white woman might need prominent minority support. But didn't she work for Nutter? If he isn't running why wouldn't he support her?

And I think there is a downside. It certainly makes me question voting for her, and I was looking at her previously. It seems hard to take her positioning as a good-government technocrat seriously.

It would highly depend on whether or not she was promising to appoint Street friends to her administration. Street's policy goals were generally good, his big problem was terrible appointment of his corrupt friends and associates and family to important positions

Street left office pretty popular and he's got connections and name recognition to the black North Philadelphia voters that are going to by Rhynhart's big weakness

Having just returned to Philly in 2020 after 25 years away, I am not as up-to-date on the recent history, so I may be off base here. But, isn't Nutter way more popular than Street at this point? And way less tainted by corruption?

That was his crazy brother though.

OK google John Street + wiretap + FBI

Amen - if you are a “good government” voter like me, the endorsement of a crook makes me look elsewhere on a very crowded ballot

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She’d have to go to law school, graduate, and then pass the bar

Nutter is also popular, but his base was west philly instead of Street in north philly. And there are rumblings that Nutter might endorse Rhynhart as well, which would be quite the accomplishment considering that Street and Nutter hate each other

political endorsements, especially local ones (especially philly ones), are less about political alignment and more about signaling to your allies/constituents that you should vote for this person right here.

Rhynhart needs an edge — she doesn't have union support (yet), so endorsements from name politicians are probably a necessity. Street might have baggage, but he's an institution in North Philly — and his backing is likely a big net positive for her in the 5th District and beyond.

Just getting Street won't be enough, though. We haven't heard other pols weigh in, but if she picks up another former mayor or two (Nutter/Rendell) or other officials, then it starts balancing out unions backing others in the race.

Having endorsement from John Street and Michael Nutter might be quite a coup. Just imagine if she could get one from Ed Rendell for the hat trick. (I have no idea of how plausible or useful that would be, but it amuses me to ponder)

You pick up the endorsements you can get

A fantastic reason not to vote for her.

I understand the horse race elements in play here. Rhynhart has no established base like some council folks do from their old district or from the unions like Gym.

However, the only selling point she offers to differentiate herself is good governance and anticorruption. Without that she may as well be Domb or Brown. Not to mention the fact that getting in to bed with Street will surely have effects on her ability to govern. I doubt he's doing this out of the goodness of his heart.

I'm legitimately disappointed because I thought she might be a different type of politician who could do good things if she somehow snuck in amid this wide open field. This feels like the same old b.s.

Sure. I get it. But these type of bedfellows also signals that for all her rhetoric she's willing to get dirty like everyone else.

Nutter is not supporting her because Nutter is a moderate and Rhynhart is a progressive.

Yep she was an ex-banker. MD of the credit derivatives desk at Bear Sterns during the 2008 financial collapse.

Has this been reported anywhere? He was the one who brought her in to city hall, no?

Sometimes endorsements can hurt a campaign.

No this hasn't been reported anywhere, just my personal opinion lol. But I would be surprised if he endorsed her.

George W. Bush's FBI.

LOL Rhynhart is not a progressive. She was Nutter's City Treasurer and his Budget Director. If Nutter endorses anyone it will be her.

Also expect Nutter to endorse Eryn Santamoor for Council At Large.

Seems designed to lose votes for her rather than gain any.

Remember when the FBI bugged then-Mayor Street's office and the Police Commissioner came over and found the bug?

Good times.

Your personal opinion is wrong. Look for Nutter to endorse her soon.

John Street towed 40,000 abandoned cars in 40 days. Need some of that can-do magic now as we have a 34,000 abandoned car backlog.

If Street ran his 1999 campaign today, he’d have a decent chance of winning. He had baggage that nearly sunk him but the crux of his campaign was better city services and cleaning up the neighborhoods. Rendell had done most of his work in Center City but a lot of neighborhoods felt neglected. Street said he’d pick up trash, clean vacant lots, tow abandoned cars, and plow streets. People liked that then and I think would like it now. He wasn’t a great person but he campaigned on popular shit.

I was not in town for his run and the only news which reached my ears was the corruption, which seemed legendary.

What positive things was he known for?

Did he do it?

bet lol

Philadelphia mag described Rhynhart as a “progressive playmate” of Krasner in 2019. The Inquirer said that she was elected in 2017 because she “rode a progressive wave.”

Her plans for mayor seem to cast her equally in the progressive mold. In this interview from late last year, Rhynhart blames gun violence on “racist government programs,” and wants to “reallocate” police funding (read: defund the police) in favor of “community policing” instead.

Rhynhart is Helen Gym for white women. She takes kooky progressive ideas but wipes off the militant activism and repackages them in nerdy policy wonkery, but the ideas are still the same: defund the police, blame everything on systemic racism.

KRAAASNEEEEERRRR

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Only things I remember are towing abandoned cars which is a bigger deal than it seems and demolishing blighted properties. I didn't pay much attention to politics back then.

I think this is more about getting blocks of voters. In a primary like this if it gets her a chunk of North Philly voters it's a win.

Don't believe everything you read. If you think Rhynhart is a progressive then who do you think the moderates are in this race?

I would never in a million years vote for Gym and Rhynhart is one of my top choices.

Not to mention someone former Wall Street who worked for Nutter being a facsimile of Krasner?

🤡

Google Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. He certainly wasn’t perfect, but he did a lot to clean up vacant lots and raze abandoned houses.

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Yeah. Mostly he did. I don’t think a lot of people grasp just how dirty and falling apart the city was outside of Center City and how small Center City was back then.

I have lived in developing countries for years and the cities i was in were much cleaner and with fewer abandoned houses than Brewerytown in 2023. I remember "Filthadelphia" from the early 90s and I'm sure it was worse then, but it is hard to conceive.

I get your viewpoint, and I'm not saying what you're detailing is invalid — but you're also disconnected from a Street voter living in Sharswood or Mansion or Yorktown or any of a number of other North Philly neighborhoods. Those folks turned out hard for Street, especially in 2003—he racked up 90+ percent of the vote pretty much everywhere around Broad north of Poplar.

Will Street's endorsement potentially hurt her among the crowd like you, who only see her as the good governance/anticorruption candidate? Sure, potentially. But this isn't about you and voters like you — this is about selling her as a candidate to a sizeable base of voters. She might not look like them or be super connected to them, but Street most definitely is — and that can't be understated when it comes to the potentially tens of thousands of votes coming out of those wards.

She can’t win as an outsider technocrat

She can win as a reformer who understands Philly and how things work

And i get the horse race part of this. I'm not arguing against that. This is almost certainly good for her candidacy.

it is just disappointing. I think this means, if elected, she will be a shitty mayor. Maybe not as shitty as some of the other candidates, but more of the same b.s. Philly system mayors.

You don't reform by getting into bed with the most corrupt mayor in recent history. You may well get elected, but you don't reform.

Most politicos expect Nutter to endorse Rhynhart as his protege, but I think the extent to which he was content to leave the rumors of his availability out there raises questions.

I think you're mistaking horse race for horse trading, which isn't terribly evident here, but even in that sense — what influence do you think Street can have that would so grossly pull down a potential Rhynhart administration? Dude's almost 80, his one kid in high-level politics is set — and Milton's not scoring any contracts any more.

well said

I'm not sure that Street's results in a general election tell you that much about his continuing pull in a primary.

I think Rebecca Rhynhart has a pretty good chance, looking forward to it

Whew not good. I guess between him and the Hive Mind Reddit Effort to get Rhynhard in might work....

I don't know that Street was personally corrupt. I don't believe he enriched himself. But he didn't know, or didn't care that others like Ron White and Corey Kemp certainly did.

>The indictment alleges that White corrupted City Treasurer Kemp, from January 2002 through October 16, 2003, by making payments and giving other benefits to Kemp. In exchange, Kemp followed White’s direction regarding the decisions Kemp was required to make regarding the employment of financial service companies to carry out bond transactions, and other matters. Kemp’s decisions created large financial gains for White and those White favored....
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>The indictment states that, throughout 2002 and 2003, White showered Kemp with payments and other gratuities, with the intent to influence Kemp in his official actions. These gifts included at least $10,000 paid in 2002, a $10,350 deck for Kemp’s house in 2003, a trip to the Super Bowl in San Diego in January 2003 (including transportation by private jet and limousine, and a ticket to the game), tickets and limousine rides to all three days of the NBA All-Star events in Philadelphia in February 2002, and numerous other meals, parties, and choice tickets to sports and entertainment events. The indictment asserts that White also held out the promise of vast future riches, assuring Kemp secret participation in what White represented would be lucrative financial opportunities in the development of the Philadelphia International Airport and a racetrack/casino proposed at the Philadelphia Naval Yard....
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>The indictment states that in exchange for these benefits, Kemp permitted White to direct Kemp’s decision-making as Treasurer of the City. On a daily basis, White instructed Kemp regarding which providers to select for participation in City transactions, and which to exclude, and Kemp followed those instructions. Kemp successfully recommended that White himself be hired as counsel in City bond deals, more frequently than any other attorney, earning White $633,594 in fees during Kemp’s tenure. Kemp also repeatedly recommended the selection of a printing company nominally controlled by White’s paramour, defendant Janice Renee Knight, which earned $308,632 in City bond deals during the same period. On one occasion, according to the indictment, Kemp told a financial advisor to the City that White would be paid $35,000 on a deal “just for the hell of it,” even though White “didn’t really do anything.” Kemp then informed White of the same thing, saying, “you got your boy sitting in, in the Treasurer’s seat, man . . . that’s what we do, man, take care of each other.”

Dude did more then the current mayor, that's for sure

Given his current health issues (the only former Gov not to attend Shapiro's inauguration), Rendell may not endorse anyone. If he does, it's likely Rhynhart, Brown, or Domb.

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No, by horse race aspects I'm referring to the coverage of who is pulling ahead or falling behind as opposed to substantive coverage of the issues. See here. In this case the horse race aspect is that this endorsement almost certainly helps her chances of winning.

One of the sleaziest, crooked politicians philly has seen recently is showing her the ropes of how city hall politics works. How does that inspire trust that she will clean up or reform the system? It's not complicated. it makes me think that all her reform talk is just b.s.

Who do you suggest then?

There are two independent things happening with the endorsement.

1. This almost certainly helps Rhynhart's chances to win. It is an important voting bloc. Just how influential Street is at this point is an open question, but the endorsement is helpful politically.

2. I think, and I may be mistaken, that this calls into question how much of a reformer she really is. Street is, or was, an insider with a reputation for corruption and shady dealings. If he is showing her the ropes, will she govern in a similar way?

The Street name's still got a lot of weight in North Philly — maybe more than you'd expect.

Does Rhynhart have an army of bots downvoting any critical comment or is the reddit hive mind really that strong?

Oh, I'm not discounting that. (Especially if Sharif is on the same page.)

I just wouldn't look at that particular data point.

As a progressive i very much doubt Rhynhart's bona fides as a progressive as well.

Hate to say it, but in a Democratic primary where there isn't a huge gap in terms of policy, endorsements and day-to-day politicking are going to have outsize effects — hell, look at Amen Brown's asking for a do-over; dude drove his campaign into the guardrail right off the start line.

Also, the notion that Street's endorsement is somehow showing Rhynhart the ropes manages to ignore her tenure as controller, which is just... weird. Endorsements are part of the process, and arguably a more important part in a wildly crowded field.

Him and his brother were corrupt as they come. He did do some good for the city but overall he was corrupt was just always one step ahead of the feds...

An actual street did more than the current mayor.

Amen Brown was a clown, not a real candidate.

I'm not disagreeing about the possible impact of the endorsement. You seem to think I'm denying that. I don't know why. Politically this helps her. Period.

Maybe this just blowing smoke up Street's ass and it means nothing, but it gives me pause.

“He is providing expert advice from his experience on a daily basis to my campaign,” Rhynhart said. “Mayor Street is a huge asset to my campaign with the endorsement and then also, his time, energy, knowledge and constructive criticism.”

“I am going to be in meetings. I’ll go to the wards,” Street said. “I will be helping with public policy. I am going to do whatever I can.”

You should see Brewerytown 10yrs ago before developers renamed it Brewerytown then. There’s FAR worse sections of North Philly to live in.

I really want her to win!

dude idk what to tell you I’m quoting Philly Mag and the Inquirer for that label, die mad about it I guess

I’d be careful about Street. He did have his offices bugged by the FBI.

I believe what I read when it’s the words of the candidate themselves.

Among the major candidates in this race, from least to most progressive I’d say: Domb -> Green -> Jeff Brown -> Parker -> Rhynhart -> Quiñones-Sanchez -> Gym.

Let me ask you this: apart from Gym and Quiñones-Sanchez, are there any candidates you think are more progressive than Rhynhart?

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The people that put their dog shit in a bag and then put it back on the ground have done more than he has

I don’t necessarily feel that way about it.

That review of the police was insanely thorough, and I am sure it pissed off a LOT of people. I’d assume (given how corrupt Philly IS) attempts were made to skew/alter/change the findings before it was released.

And, honestly? Did you see the clown car full of ACTUALLY corrupt council-people who are running? No matter what, she is in a class of her own above those circle jerks.

RENDELL FTW!!!!!!

I think that was what was heartening about her candidacy prior to this: that she would take on entrenched interests effectively. I'm not telling anyone else how to feel about it, but this move seems to me to show she would NOT govern in that way. The john street way of governing seemed to be greasing palms and under the table deals. It feels like cutting a deal with the devil but selling your soul in the process. Maybe it makes her mayor, but what kind of mayor?

I hope we get to see. I have more hope in her than all the others combined.

I think you’re vastly underestimating the value of the endorsement of a prominent Black leader for a white woman, especially in predominantly Black districts that could swing tens of thousands of votes.

If Street talking about the nuts-and-bolts of campaigning and working the North Philly wards in favor of Rhynhart (and Rhynhart using pretty basic campaign language to cement the value of his endorsement) gives you pause, then you may be reading way too much into it. Or you’re edging into purity test territory (and then I have some real bad news for you).

Well there are different kinds of progressives. When Rhynhart says the things in that interview I don't believe her because her actions and deeds do not align with those words.

Green wants the City of Philadelphia to open and fund a bank. Possibly the worst possible idea ever. It's not a moderate idea at all.

I want a candidate that's pro development and pro reducing regulations on small business. I would also want a candidate that would be in favor of the sixers arena in market east.

Based on what I'm looking for I would say all the candidates other than Domb and maybe Brown are to the left of Rhynhart.

Jesus Christ, how many times can i say that i think this endorsement helps her politically before you understand that i agree with you???

We clearly disagree about the hypocrisy of running an anticorruption campaign while taking on a corrupt former mayor as an advisor. Fair enough.

Cheers.

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"The brothers and sisters are running this city." ~Mayor Street. His brother was a real pillar of the community too!

Lol. I’ll take the karma hit to speak the truth :)

Shes running for mayor of Philly so check and check.

NTI was a collosal waste of money.

Political corruption is abstract and doesn’t effect people’s day to day life very much. If someone can get the abandoned cars off the streets and sweep them idgaf if their dumbest cousins on payroll.

This ain’t a bed. Street isn’t her running mate. He’s not on her campaign team. He’s not in line for a job. He’s an old man former mayor making an endorsement. You always accept that endorsement. There isn’t much to this.

How the fuck do 40,000 cars become abandoned??? They can't all be stolen cars, right?

Illinoisans thought JB Pritzker would be some conservadem because he's a billionaire, and he's been the most progressive Governor in history of that state, as far as I'm aware.

Not that people can't betray their past ideals, but I don't think this is that much of a problem. Rhynhart needs support from Black voters. Does Mayor Street still hold sway with them? I guess more than I thought.

I respectfully disagree. Our libraries, schools, sanitation, streets are all underfunded in part due to the graft that is part and parcel of Philly politics.

Nah man, the old machines were great. Get you a job, build a subway, might even get you a job building the subway. Now we don’t get any of the patronage, but we still have all the corruption. Sure, a bunch of guys named Mikey O’Donnelly are in city payroll, but if you’ve got a problem you call up your ward leader and Mikey takes care of it

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Too far man

Positive? Sorry. Got nothing.

He's on her campaign team.

>“He is providing expert advice from his experience on a daily basis to my campaign,” Rhynhart said. “Mayor Street is a huge asset to my campaign with the endorsement and then also, his time, energy, knowledge and constructive criticism.”
>
>“I am going to be in meetings. I’ll go to the wards,” Street said. “I will be helping with public policy. I am going to do whatever I can.”

For now, I’m between Helen Gym and Jeff Brown. And if you’re going to say “tHe cItY iSnT A BiZnIsss” save it.

Well. That’s not a problem for me, racist. He corruption and insider politics was. Sheesh

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John Street was a great mayor.

This is not a bad endorsement.

I mean, I think mostly they just kinda crap out and are too expensive to fix so everyone lets them sit around as a “projects” they’re saving up for. Cars are fricking expensive.

Na, was just genuinely curious

That's an odd combo. Most people would consider them at opposite ends of the spectrum of the people running. I'm curious what you see in common between these two that makes them appealing to you?

John street set Michael nutter up for success.

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Heck, just ask OP if they actually remember Northern Liberties in 2000. It was Club Egypt, Chrome, and that's about it.

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Street lead Philadelphia into the reduction of crime and redevelopment in the early 2000s. He wasn't a great mayor like nutter but he actually did stuff. Unlike Kenney.

Also alongside his corrupt dealings with his brother on the airport project, he oversaw the airport actually becoming nice, and not the shit hole it used to be

Yes, most of it. Fishtown was a place you wouldn't go in the 90s for example. That started to change under street

Kenney is probably worse on that front, given his ties to Johnny Dock

That’s Just how you accept an endorsement from a former mayor. You let him volunteer. That’s all. You’re all overthinking this.

I wouldn't be happy about that either.

That's some nifty Wall Street accounting trick to let you simultaneously claim "he’s not on her campaign team" but "he is providing expert advice from his experience on a daily basis to my campaign."

I don't know why a Rhynhart supporter would want to minimize Mayor Street's role if they're proud of having his endorsement.

>but I think the extent to which he was content to leave the rumors of his availability out there raises questions.

He officially said he was not running.

Only a person who never spent any time in North Philly in the early 2000s could say that.

After a few weeks of allowing open speculation and courtship.

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Well I guess John Street will be the shadow mayor and Rhynhart will restart whatever crooked airport deal got him in trouble 20 years ago. You’ve all figured it out.

I’m not some super Rhynhart fan. I don’t think she’s really come out with many actual policies other than vague talk of efficiency. Like what does she think we should do on safety, parks, libraries, land use, transit, etc. but people are going Q anon level goofy on Street endorsing her. It’s a fucking endorsement from a former mayor saying “she’s qualified for the job. A job that 6 living people have ever done. And I’ll use my network to help her and give any advice she asks for.” Y’all are nutty.

lol, only in 2023 when all of our minds are completely ruined by social media would a 'few weeks' be considered a long amount of time in politics.

Welcome to politics.

Correct. Ridge on the Rise and the maintenance of vacant lots was awesome but they eventually took the money being used for it and gave it back via tax breaks for Comcast and others and bloated bad faith contracts by the FOP.

I remember grad hosp being dirty as heck and iffy in spots when I was growing up and even to when I was in college. Watching grad hospital go from iffy (I lived closer to Washington around 06 grandparents were up around 20 and Catherine) to some of the most valuable real estate in the city under Street was kinda bonkers to watch

flipside is that because our attention spans are so short, now that he has put an end to the speculation its basically as if he never wavered on not running. Now its all speculation on if he will endorse and who, and if he does endorse someone we will forget about all the speculation just as quickly.

Pretty much. (Same with the now-ended Vincent Hughes flirtation with running.)

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How?

That's exactly the point. I couldn't tell you a single specific policy that she is pushing. The ONLY thing i hear is good governance and her record of calling out corruption. That is the entirety of her campaign thus far.

This undercuts that. If you don't think it's hypocritical to campaign on good governance and then make a show of receiving the endorsement and advice of a corrupt former mayor, that's your choice.

That's patently ridiculous. He's not her running mate, he's just going to vote for her.

My dogs do more for the city than the current.

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You couldn't be more wrong if you tried. It was a very successful program and was widely popular with residents in the most disinvested neighborhoods of the city.

Great endorsement, Street was broadly popular in the city despite his corruption. He also implemented the neighborhood improvement program which was and still is a broadly popular program with residents who remember it.

This also helps her get name recognition in communities she has weak recognition in, and access to the political network Street built up in North Philly.

If she can get Nutter that will do the same thing to boost her in West Philly.

One time I was working on the campaign for someone running for a citywide office. He had known and worked work Rebecca and they got along great. I ran into her and invited him to his campaign kickoff event and she didn't even blink before she told me "I don't think that would be appropriate." She didn't even feel bad when she told me no lol, almost seemed annoyed that I asked.

She's right, it wouldn't have been appropriate, but that didn't stop anyone else. Sucked for me, but came away very impressed.

Right, even the appearance of impropriety must be avoided...

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He was a really good speaker. He opened for John Kerry during a Kerry campaign stop and he did a great job rousing the crowd.

Kerry put everyone to sleep 2 minutes later.

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