20061021 Two eggs corned beef hash grits and MOM

Two eggs, corned-beef hash, grits and Mayor O’Malley

Saturday, October 21^st, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

Caroline and I were having breakfast in Ocean City, MD this morning when in through the door walks Mayor Martin O’Malley. He came right over and sat with us for awhile. Mayor O’Malley and I worked together on many municipal issues of common interest when I was the Mayor of Westminster and I thoroughly enjoyed working with him.

We talked a little about the gubernatorial contest, but not much. We both know what it is like to be in the middle of a campaign and get “campaigned-out” and “peopled-out.” He was by himself and dressed very causally and obviously not in campaign mode.

We’re both in the “Mayor’s Club,” which bears a mutual understanding and respect for each other for the often existential, if not Quixotic difficulties of running a city, politics and governance.

I wrote a preface in the Fall of 2005: “20050620 Baltimore strength liability for O’Malley:”

I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for Mayor O’Malley.

On June 20^th, 2005, Baltimore Sun writer, David Nitkin wrote a soft-ball fluff piece for the Mayor O’Malley campaign called: “Baltimore a strength and liability for O'Malley - - Mayor focuses on recent positive news after FBI report of more violent crime; Statistics could hurt expected run for governor.”

Actually, it is another example of excellent writing by a very talented Mr. Nitkin, except for one problem; it may have been a nice column, but it was not “straight-down-the-middle news. It was a white paper analysis for the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and dangers that lay ahead for a Mayor O’Malley gubernatorial bid.

It is a wonderful example of everything for which the Baltimore Sun deserves the highest of criticism.

The Baltimore Sun does not use permalinks, so I cannot link you to the article. Since it is an excellent subjective analytical piece on the challenges of running for higher office after serving as a mayor of a city, I will post it on the blog and link you to the post. Go here and read it. It is a must read. And it will give you some insight as to why I respect Mayor O’Malley so much and enjoy his company and look forward to working with him in the future after Governor Ehrlich wins a second term as governor.

Not everyone is cut out to be governor and not everyone is cut out to be a mayor. There is no leadership depth in the City of Baltimore. We need Mayor O’Malley where he is and Governor Ehrlich where he is.

Mayor O’Malley’s idea of running the state and Governor Ehrlich’s vision are different. Period. I reject the zero-sum game paradigm or the concept that one must be a bad elected official or a bad person in order for the other to be good.

It is business and everyone needs to make a decision as to who’s ideas and vision are best for you and I and thousands of other Marylanders.

Who can protect you and your family from crime and violence? Who can best facilitate the education of your children? Who will do best to bring jobs, business and a positive economic climate to our state and our communities? Who can keep our taxes as low as possible?

There is plenty of room for debate, discussion, dialogue and disagreement. Leave the personal stuff out of it.

Right now, Saturday morning, Oct. 21^st, 2006, we’re traveling up the road on Rte 50, but I remember a post just recently when I mentioned how nice it is to have friends who have a life other than politics and issues. I won’t be able to find the hyperlink to the post until I find my next Wi-Fi connection. (It’s: “20061002 Drinking the Kool-Aid.”)

Sooo, Mayor O’Malley, Caroline and I really avoided talking about politics and talked about kids, family and friends. It was nice to see him, outside of the political arena.

Caroline and I were in Ocean City for an employee event put on by the company with which she works. We left Westminster yesterday in the early afternoon and arrived just in time for the event. The trip to Ocean City was relatively uneventful, except for a relatively long back-up at the Bay Bridge.

The weather in Ocean City this morning is gorgeous so we decided to not hurry home and have a late breakfast. Of course I wanted a place that served grits. We found such a place at the corner of Philadelphia – Coastal Highway and 16^th Street – Layton’s.

I tried to catch up with Delegate Jim Mathias – the former Mayor of Ocean City. We also enjoyed working with him in our previous life. I did talk on the phone briefly with Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman.

In order to find Delegate Mathias’ phone number, as the numbers I had in the cell phone did not reach him, I needed to go on the web. I had my laptop up in the car and we ended up cruisin’ Ocean City looking for a Wi-Fi connection in order to get my e-mails and go to www.jimmathias.com.

I felt like the computer-geek that I am. “Okay, found a connection. Pull in that parking space. No back up a couple feet. Yep, that’s it. Don’t move.”

Pray for my wife.

Speaking of Wi-Fi and being a geek, as we were traveling through Salisbury, I wanted a cup of coffee. So, we searched-out looking for“Panera Bread,” or something like that, that would have Wi-Fi.

Which we found. While I was eating my chiabatta bread and drinking my coffee, Caroline and I were surfing the web and checking our e-mails. Too cool.

When is Westminster, MD going to get Wi-Fi?

Talk with you later. It’s my turn to do a little of the driving.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com has moved to http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/