The day after...

Well...that was disappointing.

Not only did I fail in my attempt to become the next mayor of Pittsburgh but I was relegated to last place, not even capable of breaking 1000 votes. To say I am not disappointed would be a political cop-out that politicians use when they don't want you to see that they are upset. By now, you probably understand that such political machinations are not in my playbook.

Quite frankly, I'm mad as hell.

But that is just the guttural reaction that I have seeing that I lost. I like to win, I hate to lose. I am sure a town like Pittsburgh can appreciate the feeling.

But more than anything I am disappointed. I am disappointed in myself for not running a better campaign. For not getting out there enough door to door to make a it a wee bit closer.

I am disappointed in the media for choosing to dictate how this election would go and by closing me out of the debates and their staunch refusal to run any press releases from my camp so that when I went door to door too often people were surprised that there was anyone other than Mark and Luke running.

I am disappointed to everyone who went to the polls and for no other reason than party loyalty voted their party line. NOTE: I'm not disappointed in those who didn't vote for me...just in those who would have voted for their party's candidate even if he was a shaved monkey in a suit.

And I am once again disappointed in myself because when all was said and done last night, there was a moment when my idealistic outlook dimmed for just a little bit. I doubted for a moment that an honest man can win an election, that Pittsburgher's as a whole can look past the party and vote for the man, that I don't need a machine behind me in order to be taken seriously.

I had my low moment...now its time to rise again.

I have 2 years in order to start and build the most dynamic and engaging mayoral campaign this city has ever seen. I will knock on 100,000 doors if necessary and hold town hall meetings nightly. I was marginalized this time because I allowed myself to be marginalized. That was my mistake...I will not make it again. The majority of Pittsburgher's who voted yesterday voted to maintain the status quo and as such the city will continue to circle the drain for the next two years. Eventually, even the rank and file will have enough and my message of lower taxes, more freedoms and a better life will resonate.

On my travels this year I have met a number of people, energetic and talented, willing to help my cause...the cause to better Pittsburgh. I will have an even more dynamic team in 2009 taking the best people from all parts of the city, from all parties and backgrounds.

I made my mistakes this election...I will learn from them, I will improve because of them and I will win in 2009.

You think I need a miracle?

I don't believe in miracles...I believe in Pittsburgh.

The day has come

Election day. I am anxious and excited. We shall see what my door to door grassroots campaign has wrought. What can a Libertarian with no political machine, no corporate sponsorship, no war chest in the hundreds of thousands of dollars do when he asks the people for their help.

It's in your hands no Pittsburgh. The future can either continue to look bleak and circle the drain with a vote for the status quo OR we can take a bold new step forward with new ideas, forward thinking and someone not beholden to politics as usual and who will always put the benefit of the people over any special interest.

It's up to you Pittsburgh...you're future is in your hands. Vote your conscience...vote for the best man for the job...vote for Tony Oliva. With your help I will win.

I will not let you down.

Homestretch

And down the stretch they come.

I haven't been able to keep very current with this blog and I apologize for that. What I have been doing is spending about 10 hours a day going door to door throughout the neighborhoods of this city and taking my message directly to the people.

In this city and in this country there has grown a widening disconnect between the politicians and the public. Politicians get so encapsulated in their own little world with blinders on that they forget that their job is to serve the people. The voters and the taxpayers of this city are the real bosses and as such they should be treated like the bosses. I have resolved that, when elected mayor, I will spend one week a month going door to door around the city getting the people's direct opinions, concerns, questions, etc so that I can be a better mayor and that the city can benefit everyone, not just the rich who have money to burn on campaign contributions.

I can understand why people don't trust politicians; you usually only see them at election time or a photo opportunity. Well, when I started this campaign I promised that I wouldn't be a politician...I would just be the man my father raised me to be and try my best to do a good job. I don't think that the voters can ask for more, or deserve any less. It's long passed due that we had a person in office that put the citizens of Pittsburgh's needs ahead of his own.

I believe that I am that person. With that being said, I need your help to do it. The 2 old parties have their big money, political machine, dirty tactics and all the like; I have the common sense and belief of the citizens of this city. I now call on you all to give me your effort as well. I am only one man and if I could go to 200,000 houses I would win this election in a landslide but I can't. I need help from those who I have had the opportunity to talk to, who have seen the promise in my ideas and the gauged the strength of my character to go out and tell some people about me. Tell them to go and check my website www.tonyforpittsburgh.com and to come and read this blog. The old parties want to try and silence me because they are afraid that I will do everything I say when I am elected mayor and they see their power base threatened because of it. I don't care about power bases or inter-party politics. What I care about is the well being and prosperity of the city and its people.

If you believe in my vision for the city and believe that I am the man to make it happen I humbly ask that you call up a friend, family member, coworker who may be undecided, who may have given up on voting, who may just vote for a party out of reflex and tell them a little about me.

When elected I will not have a political machine pulling my strings, I will not have special interest contributors to pay back or any favors to return...I am going door to door and taking my message directly to the people so that when elected, the only people I have to repay, are the good people of this city who elected me.

Believe in me and I will save this city. Help me, and so will you!