Like Nutter, like Fattah: Ex-rivals appear tighter

Mayor Nutter and U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah were never known to be best buds.

For one thing, they were rivals in the 2007 mayor's race.

Also that year, Nutter endorsed lawyer Matt McClure to succeed him on City Council, while Fattah backed Curtis Jones Jr., who won and now holds Nutter's old Fourth District seat.

Fast forward to this year's elections.

Nutter lined up with Fattah's congressional aide, Cindy Bass, in a complicated and nasty seven-way Democratic primary. Bass won.

Then there was Nutter's election-night party at the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel, where three Philadelphia elected officials joined Nutter to celebrate his primary win. They were District Attorney Seth Williams, State Sen. Larry Farnese, and Fattah - whom Nutter introduced, in a hearty shout-out, as "the best congressman in the United States of America!"

A few minutes later, as Nutter got into the meat of his victory speech, he declared his second-term goal to establish Philadelphia as "the education city" as he pursued building "the new Philadelphia."

Hmm. Education - the No. 1 issue for Fattah since before he was elected to the House.

Hmm. Nutter and Fattah. The new Philadelphia?

- Marcia Gelbart

The usual crush of politicos descended on Famous 4th Street Delicatessen on Tuesday for the election-day ritual of gossip, media interviews, and lunchtime fortification.

Among the attendees were former District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham, Council members W. Wilson Goode Jr. and Jannie L. Blackwell, mayoral candidate and ex-con T. Milton Street Sr. (who predicted victory), and both Bill Greens (the ex-mayor and his son, the councilman).

One of the early arrivals was Frank Rizzo, which made Famous three for three on councilmen who are the sons of mayors. He took a corner seat and ordered one of the deli's enormous turkey sandwiches

Of all the incumbents on Council, Rizzo, a Republican at-large member, faced the greatest danger at the polls, largely due to a voter revolt against his participation in the controversial Deferred Retirement Option Plan.

A short time later, Register of Wills Ronald Donatucci arrived at Famous. He also is enrolled in the DROP pension program, but probably had the least indigestion among the diners: He ran unopposed Tuesday.

Donatucci took a seat at Rizzo's four-top and deadpanned, "This must be the DROP table." Anyone within earshot erupted in laughter.

Rizzo probably didn't see much humor later in the evening. He finished seventh in the Republican primary; the top five vote-getters moved on to November.

Rizzo, normally one of the most present and accessible Council members, cleared his schedule for the rest of the week.

- Troy Graham