Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

O'Brien backs Clarke for Council presidency

State Rep. Dennis O'Brien, who won a GOP at-large Council seat Tuesday, said Wednesday he will back Councilman Darrell Clarke for president of that body.

O'Brien backs Clarke for Council presidency

POSTED: Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 5:54 PM

The race for president of Philadelphia's City Council just got a little narrower.

State Rep. Dennis O'Brien, who won a GOP at-large Council seat Tuesday, said Wednesday he will back Councilman Darrell Clarke for president of that body.

O'Brien said he sided with Clarke over his primary rival for the presidency, Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco, because he felt they could work together on key issues. O'Brien is a key advocate for children with disabilities, and he said Clarke had promised he, too, would work to help them.

"I just feel there are wonderful opportunities for cooperation," O'Brien said.

Both men also are connected to electricians' union leader John Dougherty, who is backing Clarke for Council president. A Dougherty-linked political action committee gave O'Brien $10,000 in the last weeks of his campaign.

Mayor Nutter supports Tasco, but doesn't get a vote. Only Council members do.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

Miriam Hill @ 5:54 PM Permalink | 45 comments

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Comments (45)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:12 PM, 11/09/2011

"Mayor Nutter supports Tasco, but doesn't get a vote. Only Council members do."

Sounds like the general election, where so many people felt their votes didn't count either, so they just didn't show up. If another 150 people (that's about 0.04% of the population) voted, it could have been Taubenberger rather than Oh (possibly). So yeah - your vote DOES count. Next time, why don't we shoot for more than 20% of registered voters, and get registration above 50% of elgible.

— citylumberjack

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:25 PM, 06/06/2012

Tasco? That old bird is on her last legs! Next, he'll be gunning for another lollygagging, mealymouthed nincompoop sucking up space like, Bill green.

— EGGHEAD.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:49 PM, 11/09/2011

fantastic - i used to respect denny obrien - apparently he just wants to be johnny doc's puppet instead. really denny, you want a return of the john street years?!?!?

— rabbit23

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:55 PM, 11/09/2011

Clarke's office never once returned a phone call to my neigborhood in his district. He is an absent councilman for many of the people in his district

— StevenG

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:23 PM, 11/09/2011

Yea, I don't get the Darrell Clarke campaigns for Council President. However, I will say that the Doc councilmembers will bolt for Kenney in a second if neither can get a majority.

— Northeaster

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:40 AM, 11/10/2011

Hi Denny, good luck getting anything accomplished with this bunch, but I applaud the effort. Your a good man and my father (Mr. Poole) would be proud!

— blchops08

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:41 AM, 11/10/2011

Hi Denny, good luck getting anything accomplished with this bunch, but I applaud the effort. Your a good man and my father (Mr. Poole) would be proud!

— blchops08

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:09 AM, 11/10/2011

Darrell Clarke earned the right to be City Council President. He doesn't need to justify it to anyone except his peers in City Council. The people already know it as well. Run for office if you can do better. Go for it!

— A. Martinez

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:11 AM, 11/10/2011

A. Martinez did not earn the right to be City Council President or city councilman. I live in the district he is suppose to represent and he is AWOL on most of the issues that effect that council district. You say he does not need to justify his actions to anyone. Well, I am sure as write these blogs their a federal investigation taking place as in the past and then we shall see who he answers to other than other corrupt politicians. The whole political structure of Philadelphia is completely corrupt and everyone knows it. That is why there are people camped on the city hall walkway fool. Either you are part of the solution or part of the problem and it appears you are part of the problem Martinez.

— aumu

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:25 AM, 11/10/2011

Denny is just another democrat like Kelly was and Rizzo was. The only change is this was done by Doc not Brady.

— ms

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:26 AM, 11/10/2011

Council Presidency ought to be open to the best candidate, even a new council member, and the two who are always mentioned seem far from the best choices for the benefit of Philadelphians.

Seniority in our city council, as we all know, simply means that a council member has overstayed his or her welcome as a public servant of serving two terms and then returning to private life, as they all should.

— GAC

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:52 AM, 11/10/2011

The wheels go round and round, in Johnny"Doc" well oiled machine, of well financed candidates, and members of Council!!!! Philadelphians voted them in, now you've to deal with their appointed President!!!!

— Dadair1

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:38 AM, 11/10/2011

I agree with you StevenG...I live in Clarke's District and can't understand for the world of me why he should remain Councilmen. What has he really done...I mean really. As for A. Martinez comment..."Darrell Clarke earned the right to be City Council President. He doesn't need to justify it to anyone except his peers in City Council." He should "justify" his laziness to those of us who live in his District...perhaps that doesn't include you (If not, consider yourself fortunate!).

— sangoboi

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:03 AM, 11/10/2011

I complained to Mr. Clarke and police about the drug activities in my neighborhood at a community meeting and never got a follow response from him or his staff so I wonder why is he even in politics. He appears to be a representative of other agendas that eefect white people in other districts but failed to truly represent the people of his own. This is taxation without representation previously by white politicians now by Black ones who are to be just as aloof and corrupt as the white ones. Also why does the mayor act like a petty snob?

— aumu