So I am sure you've seen Ravenstahl's interview in the NYT. Judge for yourself. But a few points:
“I just can’t enjoy the [Steelers] game when I know I’m going to get hounded by the press the whole time,” said Mr. Ravenstahl, who took office a year ago after Mayor Bob O’Connor died. So for the time being, he said, he and his wife will ride their living room couch on game days to avoid reporters.
They might hound you less if you didn't get drunk and cuffed.
In the past year, the baby-faced mayor has helped keep the city’s hockey team, the Penguins, from leaving by promising a new arena.
Did he? In what sense did he promise it? The narrative here seemed to be that he sat on the sidelines and let Rendell do the promising.
Crime remains low, and he recently helped persuade two major contractors to redevelop sections of the city’s downtown, which has been plagued by vacancies.
Wait. Ravenstahl is responsible for the whole Piatt thing? I thought that discussion predated his administration. And in what sense did he "persuade" them? As far as I can tell, the developers held out until someone promised them money.
He is widely expected to defeat his Republican opponent, Mark DeSantis, a businessman, given the Democrats’ 5 to 1 advantage in registration.
I teach Intro to Journalism. I fail people who write vague statements that include terms like "widely."
“Frankly, I’m so tired of hearing, ‘Give the kid a chance, we’re pulling for Luke, the press should stop being so mean,’” said John McIntire, a talk-show host for KDKA news radio and the blogger who broke the story surrounding Heinz-gate.
KDKA? Did I miss something? Perhaps I did. But... KDKA? Congratulations on the new gig, Mr. McIntire.
Formerly an avid BlackBerry user, he retired the device in June. Too distracting, he said, adding that he is now forced to delegate better. Instead of drinking coffee, he keeps his energy up with help from 12 Diet Pepsis a day.
Maybe he ought to go back to the Blackberry for updates on whether he's supposed to be meeting with people from the Hill District. And in what sense is switching to Diet Pepsi better than a coffee? Is that a good way to seem more mature? And why so tired, dude? You're 27. I drank every night when I was 27 and I was fine in the morning. You drink all the time too, apparently. But you are young enough to handle it. Man up, and ditch the diet beverages.
“I asked him how he can go golfing every weekend and not get attacked,” Mr. Ravenstahl said. Mr. Bloomberg told him to tell reporters that how he spends his private time is private, Mr. Ravenstahl recounted.
Demonstrable accomplishments help. (Place-kicking doesn't count.)