Posted: Monday, 23 March 2009 11:45AM
Going It Alone Poses Problems
Steve Corbett Reporting
Monday, March 23, 2009
Campaign signs that instruct voters to “Re-Elect Doherty” adorn lawns all over the Hill Section of Scranton.
The signs suddenly appeared Saturday afternoon, two days after the city Democratic Party endorsed challenger Gary DiBileo over two-term incumbent Chris Doherty
Indeed, the Scranton mayoral race is on.
On Friday, Doherty said on “Corbett” that he wasn’t really surprised by his failure to receive the party anointment.
DiBileo said on “Corbett” that he was surprised by the reward for his party loyalty.
Doherty acted as if the endorsement doesn’t matter.
DiBileo acted as if the endorsement meant the world.
We’ll see in the coming weeks just how much the city gang of oily Democratic machine parts truly matters and if it makes a difference in the outcome of the race.
Frankly, Doherty’s signs have appeared too early. By two weeks before the election, people will not even notice them. They’ll appear like rocks along the road that you don’t notice unless you fall over one.
That might explain the limited number of DiBileo campaign signs. Maybe he’s using his head and plotting to increase the signage as the weeks drag on, making it look like he’s building momentum as he moves toward victory.
DiBileo said on “Corbett” that he’s already talked with the most powerful elected Democrats in Lackawanna County – including county commissioners Corey O’Brien and Mike Washo as well as state Sen. Bob Mellow - and that he hopes to talk with Scranton resident and native U.S. Sen. Bob Casey.
Doherty indicated that he doesn’t have to talk with them.
Going it alone can cause problems.
Doherty’s greatest strength is that he has a serious independent streak that sometimes puts him at odds with party loyalists. Doherty’s greatest weakness is that he has a serious independent streak that sometimes puts him at odds with party loyalists.
Doherty has made it clear that he and the county commissioners have some serious disagreements.
Doherty wants a new library and is making the plan part of his re-election campaign. O’Brien and Washo have made it clear that they’re not backing the city project.
More troubling is news circulating in the city that some serious money that supported Doherty four years ago will either not be spent or will go to DiBileo if he’s a good boy and does exactly as he’s told.
Doherty often doesn’t do as he’s told. That’s a plus as well as a minus for his campaign. Because Doherty is not as easily controlled as some of the party faithful, he’s viewed by some leaders as a weak link in the party apparatus.
DiBileo said he has no plans to mount a Republican write-in campaign just in case he loses in the primary the way he did four years ago. Doherty said he has no plans for a formal campaign, either, although he said he has Republican supporters who might orchestrate such a campaign on his behalf.
The race will ultimately come down to money. Doherty has far more socked away than DiBileo. Doherty also has eight years of wheeling and dealing favors that benefitted the business community, business leaders and their extended families.
Doherty is clearly more organized than DiBileo as well. Doherty will no doubt tell his people what to do and what to say. The Democratic Party and the unions will likely tell DiBlieo what to do and say.
Scranton voters will decide whose vision they support.
Doherty needs a more inclusive base of support from more people, not just from the friends he made in high places. If nothing else, reaching out to more people rather than fewer people shows a respect that some people find missing from Doherty’s political persona.
He needs to be seen more often in more neighborhoods, not just in neighborhoods like the Hill Section where he almost always plays to a welcoming crowd. He needs to make it known that he cares about the police and the firefighters even when he disagrees with their union goals.
But to truly win the support from people who like him but expect more from him, Doherty needs to lose some ego and replace it with a less defensive posture than what came through during his appearance on my show.
Simply becoming a better listener will put him on a smoother trail to victory. If not, he risks everything he worked to accomplish as mayor.
Even in a wild political city like Scranton, a little humility can go a long way.
Modesty is always a good sign.
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