The Larry Kane Report

If you would have believed the stories coming out of local and national media leading up to Thanksgiving travel, you would have stayed home, or come to the airport 5 hours before your check-in time. But some people. including the TSA. just don’t get what Americans are all about.

All the clamor over the hard choice between electronic body scans and “pat downs” brought fears of super delays and stoppages by protesting travelers. But although the protests were widespread away from the security lines. there were few slowdowns. The reason is simple: Americans are far tougher than some members of the media think they are. Despite  frenetic and fearful reporting, travelers toughed it out, and kept things sane and safe. Even the TSA contributed to the anxiety – its leader urging “calm.”

The TSA should spend more time training its agents to check ID’s properly than to lecture the American people on “staying calm.” The government rarely gives the people respect they deserve. Did the TSA chief really think that Americans would really try to disrupt holiday travel?

If The Inky’s Report is Correct..

And it looks  solid, the DA or the Feds should investigate whether Philadelphia Schools Chief Dr. Arlene Ackerman really did steer a contract, already assigned, into the arms of another firm. The Inquirer report also revealed that the last time Ackerman personally directed her administration to award a contract, the contractor cost the city thousands of dollars more. In the current case, the alleged Ackerman decision on a contract for surveillance in troubled schools involves millions in taxpayer dollars. In addition, the Inquirer report also says that the firm chosen by the schools chief was not accredited by the state to do the work.

It’s time for the DA and the Mayor to demand answers.

The schools superintendent seems to answer to no one. That , along with these new reports of a possibly inappropriate contract award, is troubling.

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I have never been able to understand why the Beatles organization, so efficient and remarkably stable after all these years, waited so long to finally make a deal to okay the sale of Beatle’s music electronically. Just a week ago, I received the advance copy of the Beatles Red and Blue re-masters of their top hits from 1962 to 1970. It is spectacular. Now, the world’s greatest band can see its music distributed the way it should be – directly to the consumer.

Years ago, the Beatle’s original roadie, Neil Aspinall, who passed a way a few years ago, had done everything in his power to block the electronic sale of Beatle’s music. I was surprised. Neil was a sharp guy who rose to the heights of the music world when he ran Apple Corps, John and Paul’s dream for a whole new world of music distribution. But he was , in many ways, a keeper of the flame. The four Apple Corps leaders, Paul, Ringo, Yoko and Olivia Harrison, trusted Neil, but were a bit exasperated toward the end when the iTunes deal was never cut. EMI Records also played a role in this. Now, faced with the reality that online music was passing them by, the new leaders of Apple Corps relented.

The bottom line is good news for music lovers and the Beatle’s ever expanding worth.

A complication was the Beatle’s original lawsuit against Apple Computers for using the Apple name. Now, it’s all over and the winner is the consumer. The Beatles catalog on iTunes will be its biggest seller. It doesn’t take genius to figure that one out.

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In a town known for its political craziness, the scenario now developing is fascinating.

Three people are thinking about running against Michael Nutter.

First of all, a point. Sam Katz did not run against Nutter because the situation was not right for victory. He declined to run because he didn’t want the aggravation of having to detail his private business dealings. That’s his right, isn’t it.  He just didn’t want the grief that goes with running for Mayor in this time of dirty politics. Maybe the fourth time will be the trick, but that time will have to wait.

That brings us to Tom Knox. The energetic businessman faced the same kind of scrutiny that Katz would have faced, back in 2007.. His business life, including a loan business, was scrutinized and blasted by the opposition. But the fact is that Knox decided he would take the heat. He came in second. He still has the lust for politics. I think there’s a 50-50 chance he’ll run.

Now that Katz is out, former Mayor John Street, whose hate for Mayor Nutter, is well known, has begun praising Councilman -At-Large Bill Green. Green, who should try hard to distance himself from Mayor Street, has been the only independent voice in City Council for the last three years. Can you name all the Council Members? Probably not, because some members are nearly invisible. Green is enterprising and proactive. Under the archaic City Charter, he would have to resign to run. First of all, he should challenge the city rule in court. It may be unconstitutional. Is it lawful to prevent anyone from running for office?  But should he run? Or wait till later. He’ll decide soon.

Jon Saidel would be a tough candidate, especially with the support of union leaders and his close buddy, Democratic chief Bob Brady. But he might be gun-shy.

What about Michael Nutter? Despite the printed press’s attacks on him, Nutter is one of the most stable, if not totally inspiring Mayors in history. If he is vulnerable, I don’t see it when I talk to the voters. He also has none of the corruption stain that infected the previous administration. So a message to all of the above: If you take him on, you’ll have to be very convincing to beat the guy. You’ll need a message. Here’s a suggestion to Nutter and all potential candidate: The city needs to be safer. The crime problem still lingers. Downtown is safer, but don’t the neighborhoods deserve the same level of protection?

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The Katz decision was really no surprise. Usually, candidates hold full blown news conferences when they expect to run.

Katz, preferring a printed statement, rather than a speech, took a pretty good verbal shot at Nutter, declaring the Mayor is not a monarch. Although he’s bowed out of the Democratic primary, he would not rule out a general election try at Nutter. Katz’s reference to Nutter’s performance was straight out of the John Street playbook. Street hates Nutter, and was urging Katz to run against his successor. But most political insiders felt that Street’s support would have been a liability.

Now, the question is – will Tom Knox get in. The businessman finished second in the 2007 primary behind Nutter.

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KATZ ALERT

Sam Katz will issue a statement today on his Mayoral plans. It will not be in the form of a news conference. What does that mean? We’ll find out in a few hours. Katz has been thinking about a run against Mayor Michael Nutter in the Democratic Primary. It would be his fourth run as Mayor, if you count the 1987 bid against Frank Rizzo in the Republican Primary. This time he may have the support of John Street. That support could be a problem.

Elsewhere, political ambition is running high these days and why not? The next election is only 7 months away!

First, word that Bryan Lentz, who accelerated his name recognition in the race against Congressman-elect Patrick Meehan, is interested in running for District Attorney in Delaware County.

Then, sources report that former Philadelphia DA Lynne Abraham has a keen interest in running for Attorney General in 2012. The seat will be vacated by incoming Governor Tom Corbett, who will appoint an interim AG in a couple of months. The legislature has to bless his choice.

IRAN

There was hardly a ripple in the election cycle about the dangerous Iranian regime. That will change shortly. Intelligence sources in Israel and Europe (according to local connections in the spy community) have advised the Obama White House that the Iranians are getting close (maybe months) to developing a deliverable nuke. There is no way that our nation can allow this to happen. The hint from powerful Senator Lyndsey Graham that the U.S. should target Iran’s conventionsl forces to cripple its ability to deliver nukes, is telling. Graham is a defense expert with few peer. Combined that with Joe Biden’s declaration that  the U.S. has an “unshakeable” determination to fight anyone who would target Israel’s right to exist, and you are beginning to see a tougher line developing against the hard liners in Iran.

Standby. The U.S, is about to confront Iran with tougher sanctions, and maybe, more.

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