Hooray, Fumo Should Be Okay

Vince Fumo was released from the hospital yesterday! He also said he was in so much pain he cried.

Fumo detailed his fateful day for KYW 1060: “It was after dinner and I had a little bit of what we Italians call ‘a little bit of agita’.” Uhh, so “heartburn.”

Anyway, good to see he’s doing okay, and after he rests for two weeks at home we can all go back to making alpaca jokes. Phew!

Fumo Released from Hospital [KYW 1060]

Vince Fumo Is Britney Spears

Vince Fumo is still experiencing some discomfort and remains in the hospital. He’s still in critical condition.

Above, Vernon Odom covers all angles of the Fumo heart attack. We are now hearing as much about the state senator’s health as we do about … well, any Hollywood celebrity. This can show Vince, at least, that he’s finally made it.

Johnny Doc’s Heart Is Just Fine, Thanks

Okay, now that Vince Fumo apparently going to be okay, we can begin speculating: Does the heart attack make him look weak? No no, wait, let’s hold off; Johnny Doc has put off his campaign announcement at the South Philly playground.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian Hickey 215-400-xxxx

DOUGHERTY FOR SENATE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES POSTPONEMENT OF LAUNCH EVENT OUT OF RESPECT TO SENATOR FUMO’S CRITICAL HEALTH CONDITION

PHILADELPHIA, PA (March 3, 2008) — The campaign of John Dougherty, Democratic candidate for the Philadelphia’s First District Senate seat, has announced the postponement of its Tuesday, March 4th launch event at the Edward O’Malley (EOM) Recreation Center in South Philadelphia out of respect to the critical health condition of incumbent Senator Vince Fumo, who suffered a heart attack Sunday night, and his family.

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Fumo Critical Following Heart Attack

State Sen. Vince Fumo suffered a heart attack last night. Today, he remains in critical, but stable condition at Hahnemann after emergency heart surgery.

Patients typically remain in critical condition after heart surgery, according to KYW 1060; the station says Fumo is awake and alert. He had an emergency angioplasty after doctors found total blockage of the right coronary artery.

This just can’t do! Poking fun at state lawmakers only works if they’re rich guys in good health. Fumo’s had back surgery twice in the last few months, and now this. Get well soon, Vince. Please don’t pay any attention to the people (on Phillyblog, probably) who will surely say you faked the attack to help win the election. And if you actually did that, then ohmigod you are the greatest politician in Philadelphia history.

Fumo in Hospital After Heart Attack; Critical, but Stable [KYW 1060]

Vince Fumo, Moving To Camera 2

Challenger Anne Dicker’s camp sent over this ad for Vince Fumo’s State Senate re-election bid yesterday, complaining that Fumo really hasn’t done much for illegal guns on the streets. Fair enough.

But I believe the real beauty in this ad is, um, the ad itself. I didn’t really notice how brilliant it was ’til it aired after Gladiators last night: Fumo serving the people dinner, the face of the dude at the kitchen table, the little head-tilt by Fumo at the end. Forget the State Senate, we need to get Vince Fumo a sitcom.

If I were Anne Dicker, I’d just show this ad on an infinite loop at one of her watering hole meetups; I can’t see how a night of drinking and watching this ad over and over could do anything but increase attendance.

Fumo Still Asking $6M For Fairmount Place

When Vince Fumo put his mansion in Fairmount on the market for $7 million — he’s since lowered the price to $6m — people wondered how he could only be paying $6,611 a year in property taxes. Or they wondered about it after patriotic American baseball player Brett Mandel complained about it. (And maybe Metro, too? I don’t remember.)

Anyway, somebody was told to look for Vince Fumo’s tax bill and, of course, the city apparently lost it. And, of course, all the renovations he did to his house were done in secret; he got a court order in 1995 to make the renovations to his mansion secret, the only such order ever given out. He got it because he supports abortion rights and was worried for his safety.

But not all is well in Fumo world. Let’s all laugh a little that Vince Fumo thought investing tons of money to build a mansion in Fairmount would work out:

In the interview, Fumo also complained that he had sunk too much money into the property, more than the neighborhood justified.

Ha ha, sucks to be you. If only you were smart and had bought in Wash West.

City tax board says it lost Fumo file [Inquirer]

Fumo Bravely Stands Up For Closed Records

Monday night, the State Senate Rules Committee approved a bill that would presume government records are open, forcing government officials to prove records aren’t public when denying records request. Currently, the state only releases white sheets of paper with “Pennsylvania is Awesome!” written on it.

But guess who voted against it?

The rules committee voted 14-1 to approve this version overhauling the records bill. Sen. Vincent Fumo, a Philadelphia Democrat, was the lone dissenting vote.

It’s okay, Vince. You could simply keep everything private by saying it’s all trade secrets related to alpaca farming or maybe the Seaport Museum, the city’s most important cultural landmark. You may remember a similar lone dissenting vote was cast by everyone’s favorite state rep last year.

Proposal would presume most records open [BCCT]

Everyone Lining Up To Run Against Fumo

A.J. at Phillymag reported last night Johnny Doc is considering a run for Vince Fumo’s State Senate seat. With (bi hottie) Anne Dicker already running alpaca cartoons and related fun anti-Fumo ads and multiple posts on Young Philly Politics saying some people you’ve never heard of should run, it could be a crowded race come primary time. Will Larry West throw his hat into the ring?

Daulerio’s source sums it up this way: If Fumo wins the primary, he could drop out after it and essentially handpick his successor. Johnny Doc could swoop in and take the senate seat from the 30-year vet and then he could have all the alpacas he wanted. If only it was Pennsylvania and not New Jersey where alpaca farming is booming, maybe everyone could get along and vacuum up alpaca hair in peace.

Also: Dammit, I missed Larry West’s auction for a signed print of a drawing of Pamela Anderson!

Update: It’s confirmed! And here’s his hilarious quote! “My family’s been living in this area for 100 years. At one time, I had 11 aunts and uncles in one house, that same house I raised my daughter.”

BREAKING: Johnny Doc Considering Run for Fumo’s Seat [The Daily Examiner]

Do We Really Want A State Legislator Who Can’t Party?

Dan Gross reported yesterday the Vince Fumo held a campaign fundraiser that somehow injured him.

This might make sense if it were a fundraiser of something one could get injured at, like a shark-infested water skiing competition or a glass-eating contest — but, no, it was just apparently a simple party.

Vince Fumo says he “pushed it a little too hard” Thursday night at his Fairmount mansion, where he held a $5,000-a-head fundraiser for his re-election campaign. The embattled state senator is recuperating after back surgery Tuesday at Pennsylvania Hospital. [...] Fumo told us he was gonna spend the weekend in bed, and was still a little sore after the operation, a lumbar laminectomy, done to remove arthritic bone that caused nerve compression leading to pain down his legs.

Being indicted for corruption is one thing, but not being able to party? I once had surgery and that same night I was getting down with Spuds MacKenzie. No way he’s getting my vote.

Dan Gross | Fumo: Fundraiser landed me in hospital [Daily News]

Vince Fumo, No Shoes And No Arrests: A Phillies Party

I was late to Sunday’s Phillies game. This wasn’t a mistake on my part, even though I did wake up at around 1 p.m. for a 1:30 game. I like to arrive late to Phillies games, especially when someone like Jamie Moyer is pitching. The best case scenario in the top of the first is a 1-2-3 inning, something the starting pitcher is supposed to be able to do in the top of the first.

The worst case scenario? An over-40 pitcher could give up seven runs.

As I bounded up the Broad Street Subway steps around 1:40, a dude next to me was on the phone. “Seven-nothing? The Mets are down 7-0?” he questioned in more of a yell. I turned to him. “What? You’ve got to be kidding.”

“No, Glavine gave up seven runs in the first inning! He didn’t even make it out of the first.”

I called my parents. I had to make sure. I learned the kid wasn’t lying. Top of the first: Marlins 7, Mets 0. I trotted the light-year length walk from the subway to the stadium, and a parking guard stopped me. “Hey, what’s the Mets score?”

“Seven-zip, Marlins. First inning.”

“All right! Let’s go win us a championship!”

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