Mary Frangipanni's Political Notebook

By Mary Frangipanni

DEMS PARTY DOWN

Working the room, schmoozing, grazing, and dancing was the theme at Democratic Women of Philadelphia's (DWP) annual Christmas Party last week in South Philadelphia. DWP President Angela Cinquino fed her guests well: roast beef and pork and chicken, baked ziti and Italian cheese and chocolate mousse cakes. Democrats kicked off the party season with a big bang, despite next year being a slow election season; stalwart Democratic District Attorney Lynne Abraham worked the room. Male fans of DWP included City Controller Jonathan Saidel, Councilmen Jim Kenney and Rick Mariano.

MAN OF THE HOUR

Philadelphia Democratic Chairman Bob Brady arrived at the party with his fiancee Debbie Saverese, who was an Eagles lead cheerleader in the days when Leonard Tose was owner and the team used to win games.

Brady had attended a private reception earlier that afternoon with President Bill Clintonwho was in town for the Army/Navy Game. The in-crowd at the reception included Mayor Rendell, Congressmen Tom Foglietta and Chaka Fattah, Tom Leonard, and the chair of the Black Ward Leaders, Carol Campbell.

Brady and Clinton are good buds: he and his future bride were invited to the White House last Thursday night to spend some down time with the president and have some fun now that the election is over.

During the DWP party, Brady asked for a moment of silence to honor Bridget Murray, who died last week of cancer. Murray was the popular leader of the 61st Ward and had been elected just last year to the bench on Philadelphia Traffic Court. She was also one of the founding pioneers of DWP.

CANDIDATES

This is the time of year when all the potential candidates come out. Next year, the focus will be on judgeships with as many as seven openings on Common Pleas Court, three on Municipal Court, one opening on the State Supreme Court, possibly seven on Superior Court and one on Commonwealth Court.

This year, as well as last year, Brady said he intends to meet with his Executive Committee and endorse judicial candidates. He added that Rendell would also have input in the selection process. Last year there was a slate of white and black candidates which caused some dissension among Latinos.

At DWP's party were several very interestedcandidates for local judgeships: Teresa Sarmina, Rosalyn Robinson, Craig Washington and John Petit.

Sarmina works in the Philadelphia office of the attorney general and will resign if she decides to run for Common Pleas Court. She lost in the 1991 primary and stepped aside last year when she did not receive the party's endorsement. As a judge, she would add diversity to the court: currently, there is only one Hispanic woman in Common Pleas Court —Nitza Alejandro Quinones.

Both Robinson and Petit, who also stepped aside last year after not receiving the Democratic Party's endorsement, say they intend to run next year. Petit, who resigned from his position as Philadelphia prothonotary before the primary last year, is seeking to run for a position on Municipal Court. Robinson will run for a seat on Common Pleas Court.

New-kid-on-the-judicial-candidate-block is private practice personal injury attorney Craig Washington. At the DWP event, Washington discussed a newly formed local chapter of 100 Black American Men, the national organization whose agenda is to provide mentoring and educational services for young black men.

SENATOR KITCHEN

Newly elected 3rd District State Sen. Shirley Kitchen stopped by looking fashionable in a black and white dress and talked briefly about her new role as senator. Kitchen will replace Sen. Roxanne Jones who died suddenly last summer. Despite talk that she was John Street's candidate (she handled constituent services for his district), Kitchen said she has a mind of her own. "I know the district well," Kitchen said. "After all, I've been a ward leader for over 10 years."

WARD LEADER TIDBITS

South Philadelphia 1st Ward Leader George Badame, also at the DWP event with his wife Mary, said that it was too early to tell if there was a judicial candidate that the South Philly ward leaders were backing. Badame, head of the risk management department at the Parking Authority, described his sometimes sticky situation as the 1st Ward leader.

"I'm usually caught in the candidate crossfire between Buddy [Cianfrani] and Vince [Fumo]," said Badame. Cianfrani is the 2nd Ward boss and State Sen. Fumo is the de facto leader of Ward 39B.

Also out and about the party was Julie Welker,who shook hands with John Street in a mellow moment as she headed out to City Hall to attend a black tie affair hosted by 100 Black Women, a philanthropic and educational organization for young black women.

Cocktail chatter included possible Supreme Court candidates for next year's elections. Since the retirement of Chief Justice Robert Nix, who is black, African Americans are talking about the importance of electing a black candidate to the Supreme Court. No names have surfaced as of yet.

Talk from the the Western front: hailing from Pittsburgh, Superior Court Judges Kate Ford Elliot and Joseph Del Sol may run for Supreme Court, and David Sercone, a Common Pleas Court judge from Allegheny County is said to be interested.