Jannie Blackwell’s Mother Cried, Too

Jannie Blackwell and Tom Knox officially formed their alliance yesterday, launching plans from the Hall of Justice to fight Lex Luthor, The Riddler and the lesser-known Gorilla Grodd.

Actually, they announced their partnership and mutual support at the Lucien E. Blackwell Homes, named after Jannie’s late husband.

Why are the two partners? Tom says his ticket is comprised of people who want to end “pay-to-play” in City Hall, but there’s another reason, too.

Blackwell conceded they lack a long-term relationship, though both grew up in public housing. “In fact that’s what makes it the better,” she said of their new political alliance. [...]

Asked whether theirs was a marriage of convenience in order to help Knox get African-American votes and Blackwell attain the Council presidency, Knox said: “That’s not true. I have more black votes than two of the black candidates combined.”

Blackwell responded: “Convenience is OK. It’s all right. Any way it comes is all right. My people will support Tom Knox.”

Irony is dead.

As such, any possibly successful idea is picked up on by the other candidates, and Dwight Evans announced the Public Housing Authority’s endorsement of him at Abbotsford Homes — where Tom Knox grew up.

Knox, Blackwell form an alliance [Inquirer]
Oh, snap! [The Next Mayor Blog]
Tuesday: Knox Dreams Of Jeannie

Tom Knox To End Tradition Democratic Politics In This City By Endorsing, Uh, Sharif Street

Tom Knox, the candidate who’s positioned himself as an outsider, as a guy who’s going to end the no-bid contracts, the insider deals, reform the democratic machine and make his mother proud has corraled his team who he wants on City Council.

It includes three current councilpeople — one who is responsible for the bill which would require tour guides to be licensed, another who had is responsible for the the bill boycotting Don Imus, and another who is Jannie Fucking Blackwell — as well as a plagiarist, the son of a former mayor and, of course, the son of the current mayor.

The release, from yesterday:

PHILADELPHIA – [Today], Democratic mayoral candidate Tom Knox will announce his recommended ballot for Philadelphia City Council. All candidates supported by Knox are committed to putting an end to pay-to-play politics in Philadelphia.

Invited to attend: Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, Councilman Juan Ramos, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, Vern Anastasio, Cindy Bass, Bill Green, Cecil Hankins, Matt McClure, Matt Ruben, Sharif Street

Indeed! I can’t wait for Mayor Sharif Street in 2014.

The Tommy-Jannie ticket [The Next Mayor Blog]

Knox Dreams Of Jeannie

Tom Knox grew up in public housing, worked odd jobs, and… okay, you know the deal. But you don’t go from public housing to the boardrooms without knowing how to make deals — although Tom Knox’s detractors say his people skills are bad — and Knox is apparently close to striking a deal that could help him capture the mayor’s office later this month.

Yes, Knox is pondering an alliance with Jannie Blackwell. For Knox, the partnership could bring Blackwell’s street team — wow, mayoral politics are like Y100! — or whatever. For Blackwell, Knox could support her bid for City Council president. And OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL IS THAT????

GAAAAAH! Are people going to buy this paper? I picked it up at the newsstand today and I felt dirty. It’s, by far, the creepiest Daily News cover ever. If you look, Knox’s neck looks ridiculously creepy, Jannie Blackwell appears to have her head recently attached — though I guess it’s a chain instead — and Knox’s expression…. GAH! GAH! My eyes, it burns, it burns!

Knox & Blackwell ponder alliance [Daily News]

Milton Alleges Grand Scheme Against Candidacy

Ohh, no. The Milton Street beat has cooled down over the past couple of weeks, probably because he’s no longer singing draped over a casket. (Once you do that, it’s sort of all downhill from there.)

But, well, today might be the very end of his candidacy. Today, Milton Street says he expects his candidacy for City Council At-Large to end because of two people: (1) his nephew, Sharif, and (2) Jannie Blackwell. But of course! What bigger enemy of Milton Street is there than Jannie Blackwell!

Street won his ballot challenge back on March 19. Street says attorney Jeremy Walker originally told him he wouldn’t appeal the ruling for his client, Samuel Harris, who originally challenged four Street petitions. And he said Sharif Street, the mayor’s son and Milton’s nephew and also a candidate for City Council At-Large, also told him he was safe.

But, ha ha! It’s going to continue. And then a “visibly upset” Milton Street said yesterday Jannie Blackwell is footing the legal bill for the whole challenge. Why? Street says she wants to be Council president, and she’s looking for Sharif Street’s vote. Blackwell, of course, says this is nonsense, and Walker says he’s never even met Blackwell, but here’s Milton’s quote:

“She figures that with Milton Street on the ballot and Sharif Street on the ballot, both of us will lose and therefore she loses her vote for president. So, she is the one who is financing this whole thing for Sharif to get me off the ballot so that Sharif can be a vote for her to be Council president.”

You know? It’s nice to know Milton Street knows he’s going to lose. Hey, at least he’s grounded.

Milt expects his candidacy to end today in Harrisburg [Daily News]

Oh Snap!

Courtesy of KYW 1060, the following conversation in City Council over a land transfer:

BLACKWELL: You want to wait for an elected official to come in whom you support. That’s not the law, Madame President.

VERNA: That is not my position and you know it.

BLACKWELL: Absolutely it is. Apparently it is.

VERNA: We are not going to argue the point…

BLACKWELL: But I am going to argue the point!

Well… that wasn’t very good. Where’s the near fight of a few weeks ago? Come on, ladies, you can do better than this.

Angry Words Over a City Council Land Transfer [KYW 1060]
Sept. 22: Blackwell Nearly Uses Gold-Glove Pedigree On Tasco

Leftovers: Philly Don’t Get Your Gun

• Oh, the gun rally has made it to Harrisburg! Well, the people on buses. The people who tried to walk there are currently under arrest for attempting to get on the turnpike without a vehicle. [Inquirer]

• Speaking of gun violence, does the Inquirer have a hard-on for anti-gun advocates? I don’t know. Will the paper’s circulation increase if the editors do? [Classical Values]

• Penn students ask: Will Jannie Blackwell run? By the end of this mayoral race, there’s going to be 270 people vying for the Democratic nomination. [Daily Pennsylvanian]

• There’s not much time left to register to vote! But, don’t worry, if you don’t register in time, here’s the little secret about voting that nobody wants you to know about: It doesn’t matter if you do or not. Yes, PWD will be strongly against voting this year. I think it’s the important issues that count. [Metroblogging]

• There’s a 110-year-old man living in Florida who played Negro League baseball. And where was he from? Philly, naturally. Rock on, dude. [NYT]

Blackwell Nearly Uses Gold-Glove Pedigree On Tasco

Yesterday, as the Daily News‘ Gar Joseph reports, councilwomen Jannie Blackwell and Marian Tasco almost got into an actual fight on the council floor. Preventing this from happening was my new least favorite councilman, Darrell Clarke, who got inbetween the two.

Joseph explains why the two nearly came to blows — something about a land transfer of a church — but, frankly, the best part of the entire article is this:

Asked how close it got, Blackwell said later, “I’m ready. I’ve been going to the gym at 44th and Chestnut five days a week.”

“I’m from a family of boxers and I can handle myself,” she said. “I’ll do what I have to do.”

Now this is the City Council we know and love. Great to have you guys back.

Gar Joseph | Blackwell & Tasco nearly spar over an issue [Daily News]
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! [Wikipedia]