Any presidential candidates Philly Guys? If so, then who?

September 30, 2007

 

Among the presidential candidates, who's the Philly Guy?

 

It's a subject I have been contemplating since cracking the cover of Phil Martelli's book Don't Call Me Coach, in which Martelli, St. Joseph's University's basketball coach, defines a "Philly Guy" as "overcoming obstacles, giving something back, having a passion for life, not just sports, but going at it with just a bit of an edge, with the kind of ironic self-deprecating humor that comes from experience."

 

Martelli was born in Michigan, but there's something endearingly local about him. Maybe it's his self-described "face for radio," or that he once called a pesky fan a "moron" (and quickly apologized when the heckler was identified as a female librarian). Perhaps we like that he's a gamer who consistently outperforms programs that are bigger and better funded.

 

Think Aaron Rowand, not Scott Rolen. Charles Barkley, yes, Chris Webber, no. Ron Jaworski, yes, Donovan McNabb, no. Buddy Ryan, for sure. Andy Reid? "Not yet," according to Martelli. "More of a national guy than a Philly Guy."

 

Is there a Philly Guy among the contenders?

 

First, Mitt Romney has to be the antithesis of a Philly Guy. There's the name "Mitt." It might get him into Merion, but it's not a Philly name. And, he's too everything - too clean, too handsome, too wealthy. Ditto for John Edwards. In this town, $400 buys 40 guys a haircut, not just one. We make news anchors out of guys like Romney and Edwards, either one of whom I picture standing at Ninth and Passyunk ordering a cheesesteak John Kerry style - with Swiss.

 

Fred Thompson, with his big, earthy ruggedness, has the look. And he deserves credit for snagging the Russian sub in The Hunt for Red October. Then again, no Philly Guy would wear Guccis to the Iowa State Fair. And Philly Guys don't have trophy wives.

 

John McCain has some Philly Guy tendencies, including his temper. You have to love that he called a smart aleck at a campaign event a "jerk" a few weeks ago. And his war record shows he's got resolve. One impediment: No Philly Guy would sing a Beach Boys song in public, even if it was "Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran."

 

I see Mike Huckabee as a Main Line Guy, maybe, but not a Philly Guy. He's the guy you see mowing his lawn in Bryn Mawr. Or Newtown. Or over in Jersey. But no way he heaves a snowball from the 600 level of the Vet toward Jimmy Johnson.

 

Ron Paul has underdog attitude that is endearing. And he doesn't seem too concerned about PC. Those are Philly Guy traits. The fact that he will lose the primaries makes him even more of a Philly Guy.

 

But Rudy Giuliani is the most discernible Philly Guy in the GOP. He proves New Yawk guys are just imperfect Philly Guys. He gets dirty. He sweats. He's human. There's some Rizzo in Rudy. Rudy loves sports, albeit the wrong teams. And he's appropriately self-deprecating. Remember the dress on SNL? Baggage: Philly Guys don't interrupt meetings, much less speeches, to take calls from their wives.

 

As for the Dems, the question about Barack Obama has got to be whether he is Philly enough. I can picture him heading to work at One Liberty, or eating a hoagie in South Philly. He could be a West Philly kind of guy. In fact, he could even be a Northeast Philly Guy. The problem is, a true Philly Guy has to be able to say that he's from one neighborhood, not the entire City.

 

I think Bill Richardson could be a Philly Guy - but lose the cowboy boots. Try a pair of Chuck Taylor high-tops. On the downside, Philly Guys are loyal, and Richardson was well-treated by Bill Clinton, only to run against his wife.

 

Hillary? She is clearly married to a Philly Guy. He loves to eat. Gets in lots of trouble. And has had more comebacks than Rocky Balboa.

 

The best Philly Guy credentials among the Dems belong to Joe Biden, and not because of geographical proximity. Biden hustles. He got elected to the U.S. Senate when he was just 29. And he overcame personal tragedy. He never shuts up, doesn't seem to care what he says, and yet usually ends up being right. Yeah, he's had issues. He liked a British speech so much he coined it faster than Joey Coyle could say Purolator. Not too much hair. Good sense of humor. You could have a beer with Biden. He's in.

 

So if it came down to a battle of the Philly Guys: Rudy vs. Average Joe.

 

Michael Smerconish's column appears on Thursdays in The Daily News and on Sundays in Currents. Michael can be heard from 5:30 to 9 a.m. weekdays on "The Big Talker," WPHT-AM (1210). Contact him via the Web at http://www.mastalk.com.