A City Pittsburgh should Emulate

How about that, when asked in the mayoral debate to choose a city Pittsburgh should emulate, the Democrat candidate, incumbent Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, chose Boston and the Republican, Mark DeSantis, chose Fort Wayne

DeSantis, on the other hand, named Fort Wayne, Ind., which he said is "a shining example of how to do more with less." However, DeSantis said his staff hates it when he holds up unglamorous Fort Wayne as an example.

The contrast between the two cities sparked a deadpan reaction from WPXI-TV anchor David Johnson, who moderated the United Jewish Federation-sponsored debate.

"Boston and ... Fort Wayne," he said.

Johnson's comment was met with laughter from the audience and both candidates, but across Pittsburgh, DeSantis is not a laughing matter.

On Sunday, he became the first Republican mayoral candidate since 1969 to win the endorsement of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"Why should a city dominated by Democrats consider a Republican for mayor?" the paper asked in its editorial. "Because one-party rule has failed Pittsburgh and failed it repeatedly."

Cool.