The Larry Kane Report

You knew this was going to happen. Mel Gibson says he “likes” Michael Richards and can sympathize with his plight. Mel and the man who played Kramer have a lot in common. Gibson, although he denies it, has been vocally anti-semitic. Kramer got in trouble when he hurled racial slurs at black members of a comedy club audience. Both men have tried hard to apologize, but Mel Gibson has had a tough time convincing people. Michael Richards is still in the “I’m sorry” stage. Considering the passion of his outburst, it may be very difficult for him to make a professional recovery.

Let me make it clear: Gibson did not endorse Richard’s rant. He just sympathized with the fact that he too is under fire for spewing hatred. He knows what it feels like.
The challenge of Gibson and “Kramer” recovering from their outbursts is much less important than the two of them discovering just how damaging their actions were. A real apology means the two of them reconciling with themselves that they need to fix the emotional scars within them.

In the meantime, we all have choices to make.

This is the land of the free, but it is also the home of a lot of bigotry,much of it the unspoken variety. People like Gibson and Richards not only cause pain, but they arouse the passions of many people just like them who could care less about the feelings of others. People who hate spread the hatred around. Once they walk away from their hatred, and after they have done the damage, it is left for all of us to clean up the mess.
As far as the arts of movie making and comedy: I will never find Michael Richards funny again. I will not see a Mel Gibson movie, even a rerun. The fact is that they have ruined it fdr me. I will never see “Kramer” as funny, nor will I view Gibson as the movie hero he once was.

Public people have a responsibility to set examples.

You can argue all you want that both men have a right to exercise their art. They can do whatever they want.

So can I, and so can you.

And I choose to simply not support their work.

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Unless he is posturing, George W. Bush has given us a pretty good picture of his final years in office - the possibility of more intransigence and the inablity to compromise.

His dramatic assertion that the U.S. will not leave Iraq without victory means only one thing is in store - an escalation of troop strength to try and squash the elements that are spreading the civil war. And, oh yet, the President denies there is a civil war in Iraq, and blames it all on Al Qaeda. Certainly Al Qaeda shares alot of the blame, but it is hard to believe that every act of savagery in Iraq is an Al Qaeda operation.
Once again, he may be posturing, but George W. Bush may have decided that history may judge him better by seeking victory rather than reality. We will see.

Back in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. I was not surprised at Mayor Street’s reaction to the federal indictment of his brother Milton on tax evasion and other charges pointing to an alleged use of influence to garner lucrative fees at the airport. The two are very close, and Street’s emotional support to his embattled brother is what you would expect.

But I was surprised by the Mayor’s comments that the four year federal investigation into corruption has yielded little. That statement is inaccurate. But the Mayor has been consistent in his criticism of the corruption-busting local arm of the U.S. Justice Department. Although the Mayor has never been linked to any wrongdoing, his lack of outrage over accusations and convictions within his administration, has been disturbing.

John Street is an amazing political success story. His support for his bother is as important to his family as Milton Street’s presumption of innocence should be to everyone in this community. The justice system will move forward. But as Mayor Street enters his final year in office, he should make sure that his public claims of running a clean government should be backed-up by his words as well as his actions.

A final note: The Milton Street indictment took the announcement Monday night of Jonathan Saidel for Mayor off the big headlines. Saidel could be a major factor in the 07 Mayor’s race. He has high name recognition, major labor support, and strong backing in Northeast and South Philadelphia. He just picked a crowded day of news to make his announcement.

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The stage is now set for a remarkable few days that will determine the future of the Middle East. President Bush’s meeting with Iraq PM Maliki comes 36 hours after the President of Iraq flew to a summit in Iran. It will come just 72 hours after a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. And it will follow by days the murder of a key lawmaker in Lebanon. Add to all of this the apparent attempt by Syria’s leaders to  try and stifle a U.N. investigation of the murder two years ago of a former Lebanese Prime Minister.

Things are moving in the Middle East. Where they are headed is anybody’s guess but there is linkage between these events.

Ironically, all the bad news from Iraq may prompt more diplomacy with one goal in mind: getting the regional powers to finally share in the burden of stopping the violence in Iraq.

Back home in our region: expect comments soon from Philadelphia Congressman Bob Brady about his intentions to run for Mayor. My guess is that he will skip the race. But Brady is keeping his decision close to the vest.

Also watch for Governor Rendell to shortly nominate someone to fill the remaining two years of State Treasurer Bob Casey’s term. Casey will vacate that office when he is sworn in early January as a U.S. Senator. Rendell will nominate a caretaker, someone who agrees not to see a full term in two years. The legislature will not confirm anyone but a caretaker.

Other notes: Philadelphia City Councilman Frank Rizzo is considering a run for Mayor in the Demoratic Primary. One downside: he would have to give up his Council seat if he runs. But Rizzo is taking a serious look.

There’s been a bit of a buzz lately that NJ Governor Jon Corzine may run for President. Don’t count on it. It would be bad form for the ambitious Corzine to launch a White House run just a year into his term.

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The stage is now set for a remarkable few days that will determine the future of the Middle East. President Bush’s meeting with Iraq PM Maliki comes 36 hours after the President of Iraq flew to a summit in Iran. It will come just 72 hours after a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. And it will follow by days the murder of a key lawmaker in Lebanon. Add to all of this the apparent attempt by Syria’s leaders to  try and stifle a U.N. investigation of the murder two years ago of a former Lebanese Prime Minister.

Things are moving in the Middle East. Where they are headed is anybody’s guess but there is linkage between these events.

Ironically, all the bad news from Iraq may prompt more diplomacy with one goal in mind: getting the regional powers to finally share in the burden of stopping the violence in Iraq.

Back home in our region: expect comments soon from Philadelphia Congressman Bob Brady about his intentions to run for Mayor. My guess is that he will skip the race. But Brady is keeping his decision close to the vest.

Also watch for Governor Rendell to shortly nominate someone to fill the remaining two years of State Treasurer Bob Casey’s term. Casey will vacate that office when he is sworn in early January as a U.S. Senator. Rendell will nominate a caretaker, someone who agrees not to see a full term in two years. The legislature will not confirm anyone but a caretaker.

Other notes: Philadelphia City Councilman Frank Rizzo is considering a run for Mayor in the Demoratic Primary. One downside: he would have to give up his Council seat if he runs. But Rizzo is taking a serious look.

There’s been a bit of a buzz lately that NJ Governor Jon Corzine may run for President. Don’t count on it. It would be bad form for the ambitious Corzine to launch a White House run just a year into his term.

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My wishes for the holiday season now underway run the gamut from peace to political leadership. Here’s my list. Send me yours.

The first wish: a solution to the deteriorating crisis in Iraq, but one that gets our troops home without endangering the region, which is a pot waiting to boil over. Any solution of the Iraqi crisis must include a containment plan against Iraq and harsh warnings to Syria about real consequences if it continues to sponsor the terror gangs.

Another wonderful gift would be news that the Republican and Democratic candidates for 2008 would stop pandering to their party’s extreme factions. This is nothing more ugly than political hypocrisy, and possible future Presidents ought to get out of the business of telling people how to live their lives.

A fantastic gift to the people of Philadelphia would certainly be a genuine Mayor’s race where issues would mean more than personalities, issues like fighting spreading crime and cutting business taxes and figuring out ways to improve the quality and equality of education.

Also on my list is a wake up call to the Democratic party that power can be fleeting. People want results, not just investigations, although a probe of gross war profiteering by some American companies would be appropriate.

One of the most quality gifts would be to see local newscasts get back to their roots, and give people the information they need about issues that affect them besides just crime. Crime is a big issue, but mass transit and educational needs are virtually ignored.

A wonderful gift to the people of the United States would be a federal mandate for school bus safety, and a requirement for seat belts. Latest figures show that 17,000 kids are treated in emergency rooms every year because of school bus accidents.

Some gifts for Philadelphians: Better directional signs, a cleaner airport, a single pay card for mass transit systems, and a more regional approach to solving problems. This last item is critical. 70 percent of the people in this region live outside of Philadelphia. They have a stake. They should be part of regional solutions, not part of the petty turf wars that mark Philadelphia politics.

Finally, I will ask for some miracles: Less speeding on the highways, more books for the libraries, and yes, a sports championship. It has been 23 years since the last one.

Maybe this final item is too much to ask for.

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