Let me first say that I have never endorsed a candidate in a primary. I did not even endorse when Alan Sandals, Chuck Pennacchio and Bob Casey were duking it out to challenge weasel-boy Rick Santorum for the Senate here in PA. But Philly is different. It’s been eons since anyone other than a Democrat has won the race for mayor, which makes the Democratic primary next Tuesday the real race. I’ve decided to endorse Michael Nutter, joining the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, and a host of others.

I had narrowed my support down to two candidates for a very long time. Bob Brady is the Democratic Machine personified here in Philly, and that way leads to corruption in my view. Brady’s got the unions endorsing him, but that means the union bosses here in Philly, and not a real sign of who the working man likes. Dwight Evans is a good man, and he might be able to provide fine linkages to the PA Statehouse, but Dwight is a career guy in the Statehouse, and I’m wondering how he relates to me, a simple city residnet. Same with Chaka Fattah, I suppose. Boy he’s been a US Congressman for a long time, and I’ve little quarrell with the work he does. Sure, there are people in his District that love him, but I’m unconvinced that he’s as focused on Philly as he is on his political career. Maybe I give these latter two candidates short shrift, but as much as Dwight Evans impressed my wife (she is more impressed by Nutter, having not met him), he’s not impressed me all that much. Good man, but not the best for the job.

That’s what has been the wonderful thing this primary season. We had four good candidates, Nutter, Fattah, Evans and Knox. Tom Knox impressed me because of his work with the Rendell administration. I dearly wanted to support Tom Knox. I respect a member of his staff who I know, for instance, but I simply can’t take the leap. Let me say, however, that it isn’t because Knox is funding his campaign bwith his own wealth. I’ve got no problem with him doing so. He’s a businessman who promises to make Philly run more like a business, and if he finances his campaign with his own wealth that tells me he is committed, not that he’s somehow “buying” the office. But i wonder how he gets anything done. City Council is a big stumbling block in this city. Sure, one can have goals of increasing police on the streets, of cutting waste and making the city itself more productive. All good ideas. But Knox would have to work with City Council to get that done, and he hasn’t the experience. Wait, wait, though. Knox has made an overture to Jannie Blackwell, a power on Council. To my mind that’s the worst move he could have made, to court an entrenched politician on City Council who needs to retire and let fresh blood into the Democratic process in Philly. If Knox wished to assure me he knew how to deal with City Council, his choice of an alliance with Blackwell, or any of several others on the Council, was simply the wrong way to convince me.

That leaves Michael Nutter. I’ve met both Knox and Nutter, and had good, substantive conversations with both. But, you know, I guarantee that Michael Nutter would remember me, maybe not by name, next time we meet. Nutter also impresses me as someone a bit on the outside in City Council, not one of the good old boys and certainly not a friend of our current mayor, John Street. Little things, but important to me. The last two times I voted for a Republican were in opposition to Mr. Street. Yeah, that’s how much I distrust him, though in fairness the city has not gone under on his watch, except as concerns crime. Still, there was a mugging on my corner last week, the suspect weilding a gun. I live in one of the better neighborhoods in the city. If we’re going to grow the prosperity of this city from the center on out to the other neighborhoods, then crime is a big issue that Street has failed on.

Michael Nutter, as the Philadelphia Daily News notes, is strong against corruption, strong for dealing with the onerous city wage tax, and strong on ethics. He’s a policy wonk concerning the budgeting process, and Michael Nutter is genuinely concerned that the crime rate in this city is an emergency. As they say in the Daily News, he’s got “smarts and integrity.” I’m buying it. The Philadelphia Inquirer sold me when they noted that the people of Philly want someone with “emotional intelligence.” It may be a cliche someday, but it’s what I see in Michael Nutter on a personal basis. He’ll remember me and my concerns, and he’s got the smarts to connect those concerns to the big picture of budgets, crime, job creation, etc.

So Michael Nutter gets the coveted SpinDentist endorsement. I’ll be glad to take his phone calls and emails of thanks. Truly a blogger who mostly writes about national issues may not convince a soul to change their votes. But he’s got mine. Indeed, he’s got a contribution to his campaign from my wife and myself.