Chip Johnson has the scoop. Don Perata can't stands it no more, so he's throwing his hat into the ring to become the next mayor of Oakland. From an outsider's perspective, Perata would have to be considered a favorite against Dellums (if he runs again) and anyone else in the City Council.
The fascinating thing about this news is that Oakland could go from a lofty, anti-details mayor to a guy who built the most powerful political machine in the East Bay. Perata's tenure as State Senator has been filled with controversy, as a seemingly endless FBI investigation is well into its fourth year. It looks increasingly like Perata will emerge from the ordeal poorer but politically unscathed.
Would this longtime power broker be able to get a ballpark deal done in Oakland? Absolutely. His organizing and fundraising skills are legendary. Perata's critics would be quick to point out that he was one of the initiators of the deal to bring the Raiders back to Oakland, and that could make anyone leery of supporting a new ballpark plan. Of course, if you're Oakland partisan who would support Perata in any efforts to retain the A's, you're gonna have to wait until 2011 to truly get going on a deal. It was Perata who, during the Jerry Brown administration, said the mayor's support is critical to a ballpark getting built. Then he threw his political weight behind Forest City and the Uptown development was approved.
How deliciously ironic that a man who, through his actions, helped push the A's out of town, yet could end up being the only guy in Oakland who could save them from moving.
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26 comments:
I can't find links right now, but I remember reading some years ago that Perata was planning to run for mayor of Oakland.
(If I find links later I'll post them.)
Wolff doing more to hurt A’s than help
http://www.sfexaminer.com/sports/Dickey-Wolff-doing-more-to-hurt-As-than-help-42174722.html
Group to study ballpark options for A's
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/30/BALQ16PIPR.DTL
Of course I'm sure all the San Jose partisans will again have more negative comments to any pro-Oakland ballpark articles.
Dickey is an Oakland homer. His perspectives on the situation would be better placed in the Comics section.
I am interested in Oakland ideas... Glenn Dickey has none.
Love how Dicky conveniently forgets the whole Schott stadium search as well. While it wasn't Wolff it's all part of the same search. Oakland was their point of interest for a stadium for almost 10 years and it didn't happen. And nothing has changed now. Until Oakland wants to provide a site for Wolff to buy there's really nothing more to say in Oakland.
Let's see: Wolff tried to get a deal done for the existing coliseum site, tried to get a deal done north of the coliseum and spent millions trying to work out something in Fremont that was killed by the NIMBYs.
No, he hasn't done anything to keep the team in Oakland and the East Bay, right?
actually no he hasn't. it's still amazes me to see so many san jose partisans really think that lew wolff seriously has tried everything he could in oakland when he has never had his sites on the city to begin with. what a joke!! just like when lew wolff thought dave henderson was rickey henderson when they were both standing besides him. this guy is the oakland athletics owner and he doesn't even know who the greatest player to ever wear the green and gold looks like...you've got to be kidding me??? rickey henderson could very well be the face of the oakland a's. no wonder this guy has no idea how to run a baseball team!!
Why is every Oakland doubter a "San Jose partisan?"
Seriously, Lew Wolff really doesn't know what Rickey or Dave Henderson looks like??? He ought to be ashamed of himself trying to pretend he knows anything about the sport or the history of the team.
It's telling there's been only one comment that has anything to do with the subject matter. Does anyone have any opinions about Don Perata? Hello? Bueller?
So is this the logic?
"Lew Wolff once confused Dave Henderson for Ricky Henderson, therefore he has done nothing to try to keep the team in Oakland." Not sure I follow, but if you say so.
If Oakland was so proud of it's A's, why has it done seemingly everything it could to express disdain, rather than appreciation, for the franchise?
And for a guy who supposedly doesn't know how to run a baseball team, he was four wins away from a berth in the World Series just three seasons ago.
Is that for real about Wolff or does he really just think all people of color look alike?? What an ass!! No wonder he's clueless about all the great potential the East Bay has to offer.
There's really NO "A's" in Lew Wolff!
If Perata is mayor, do Oakland's priorities change? Let's hope they are in a better position to barter with the A's by then. If Dellums put all his time and effort into addressing the ballpark issue, he'd be crucified by many more people than he is here. Vote in a new mayor and you're only replacing the man, not the circumstances.
Oh boy. More rip on Lew WOlff for something other than the stadium pursuit.
Don Perata is an interesting man. I both feel for him and think he is a crook. The feel for him is that never ending investigation. At soem point, you can't prove it and move on.
I think he si a crook for the "consulting" work he has done while also being in a position of power. Maybe not technically illegal, but certainly, not really above board.
All that said. I think he would be a good mayor for Oakland. Certainly better than Dellums.
Paul,
It's pretty funny that you really think Lew Wolff had anything to do with us almost making it to the World Series. Last I heard that credit goes to Billy Beane and our scouts, NOT the little boy who cried Wolff. I can't believe you would actually defend Wolff's knowledge regarding the history of the A's for mistaken the greatest Oakland Athletic ever. You must not give a crap about the history of the A's yourself.
Dellums is a victim of circumstance? Wow, that's a stretch.
Ron Dellums is an indecisive "leader." He never gets out in front of anything. He always tries to wait and see where the chips fall before making a move. I don't see Perata doing that so much.
re: No wonder he's clueless about all the great potential the East Bay has to offer.
Which potential is that? The potential that has kept the A's at the bottom of league attendance for most of 40 years? The electing of politicians who seem like they couldn't care less about the A's or the potential of a Fremont neighborhood to quickly get out 700people to protest having a ballpark near them?
My personal favorite was the "kids first" cry of the protestors. When I was a kid, we all loved baseball, baseball cards, mitts, teams, etc. A trip to the ballpark was a cherished, highly anticipated event. I still remember my first trip to Shea Stadium more than 30 years ago. Now, baseball is supposed to be something that subtracts from kids and it must be stopped at all costs, if the protestors are to be believed. I don't get it.
Hey, anonymous: We're on the same team here. I would love to have the A's stay in Oakland but how many more decades are they supposed to keep failing at getting a new park and stay at the bottom of attendance before we let them go to San Jose, which is less than an hour's drive from Oakland?
re: It's pretty funny that you really think Lew Wolff had anything to do with us almost making it to the World Series.
...Wolff had the good sense to keep Beane aboard and even made him part owner of the team. Sounds like Wolff did his part.
Paul,
Do you really think that Lew Wolff had something to do with how good we were in 2006? Then using your logic, we must be able to blame Lew Wolff for finishing in 3rd place the last couple of years as well, right??
All anon 12:12 was trying to indicate is that the owner of the Oakland A's didn't know who Rickey Henderson was when he was standing right besides him. I think whether your a LW fan or not, it's just a shame for him to try and pretend he knows anything about baseball when all he cares about is money...which by the way he already has plenty of.
Any true baseball fan will tell you that not knowing who one of the greatest baseball players to ever live and who just so happens has been voted into the HOF, is tantamount to a slap in the face!!
Paul,
You're pretty funny!!! Is it me or has Billy Beane been around for about 8 years or so as GM before Lew Wolff took over as managing partner???
Dude, all LW did was keep an already great thing around. Any baseball owner would've done the same thing in regards to the genius works of BB.
Gain some baseball knowledge and learn a little more on the history of the Oakland A's before you try to start talking about how cool our shady ass owner is.
Thanks for hijacking the thread, guys.
OK. Wasn't Perata the guy driving around in a fancy sports car on the state's dime? Not sure he's our man but if he can find a way to get the A's a new ballpark in Oakland, I'm all for him. Maybe he at least won't out and out thwart efforts, like what's been done before.
I'm San Jose-Oakland-agnostic. But at least San Jose seems to be getting its ducks in a row to make a run at the team rather than playing the poorly wounded victim after doing less than nothing to help the A's for so many years.
I don't see "Mayor Perata" being able change anything for the A's--The ownership group and MLB are not going to wait until 2011 to begin to try and find a solution for the A's and even if MLB decides to give it a go than they need to find a new ownership group that is willing to keep the team in Oakland--which doesn't make any business sense--and I doubt they would be successful---not to mention that Perata will have his hands full trying to figure out where to get more money for the Raiders--while still having Alameda county pay the $20M for the Colisieum mess--
I think that MLB understands the risk--pass over SJ now and try to wait on Oakland will lead to the A's moving from the Bay Area---which means losing the option to gain direct access to the most powerful region in the country---Silicon Valley
OK, ML, back on topic. To me, Perata is kind of a neat, slick politician who's actually pretty effective. I view him through the same prism as I view Willie Brown. Although they're both shady characters, they do seem to be able to work a balancing act between the rich dudes they need money from and the po' folk I think they want to help.
I think Perata would be a decided upgrade from Dellums, who's always been an ineffectual politicial and is now old and tired. But I don't think Perata can reverse the tides, which seem to be flowing strongly against the A's staying in Oakland. I think he'd try, but, perhaps fittingly, his very success in luring the Raiders back will likely be the final straw that broke the back of the "Oakland" A's.
And you folks who think it's important that Wolff doesn't know the difference between the Hendersons? C'mon, guys. This is a guy you want to invest mega-millions in your city and you trash him for that? You give a shit about that?
No wonder the A's think they have to leave Oakland. It's got people who focus on the hole and forget about the doughnut. People who would starve to death in a meat market because they didn't like the cuts of beef.
anyone will be better than dellums.
perata has a huge amount of baggage, so I don't know if he'll be able to avoid that when voting time comes around. but oakland seems to vote for only names it knows... so he certainly has a good chance.
but dellums has been awful. other blogs have covered it in greater depth, but he really has done nothing to better the city.
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