A Caffeynated Four Years?

I'd guess more like four months, but that's more than enough to do immeasurable damage.

Dan Coffey, who continues to set records for least electoral support among winning candidates, also continues to misrepresent the interests of the people of the First District. But his ability to work his will was on full display Monday night.

Coffey outworked and outmaneuvered his opponents on the council and now we all get to live with the consequences.

Jack Messer (At Large), a reliable advocate for sound, responsive, accountable, and reasonable legislation, had presumably gained the confidence of enough of his colleagues to take the gavel at Monday's organizational meeting of the council. Jeff Gahan (D-6) had presumably decided a year ago that he could serve better as an active participant in debate. Messer had decided he could serve better by bringing discipline to the conduct of council.

Gahan's support proved to be critical to Messer's ambitions and it simply wasn't there. We'll never know why Gahan decided to again seek the presidency, but we have lots of guesses.

It was a given that council members Coffey and Price would never support Jack Messer. Yet, direct opposition as candidates would have been folly. Accordingly, the enfeebled Gang of Two (let's face it, Dan) began to court Gahan as their stalking horse. We can easily imagine the bonhomie and flattery (Save us, Obi-Wan Kenobe) that persuaded Gahan to join the "Stop Messer" movement.

Coffey, who comes from the "whispering campaign" wing of the Democratic Party - that's the one that withers and dies in the light of the sun - still needed more votes. What a Godsend, then, was the election of Coffey confidant Gary McCartin's sister in District Five.

Who then among the remaining new council members would be easiest to persuade? Not Bob Caesar. Not John Gonder.

How about Pat McLaughlin, the candidate who twice endeavored and once succeeded in driving Larry Kochert from public office. But how could anyone imagine that someone who presented himself as the anti-Kochert might give his vote to continue a Kochertian tradition?

Dan Coffey could imagine it. And it makes him not only kingmaker, but the temporary power behind the throne. A soft, yet powerful appointment for the spent Coffey ally Bill Schmidt was just the first of the perks dispensed by the new President. We hope that someone will compile a list of Monday night's council appointments. An educated reading of those lists will reinforce our conclusion that 2008 is the Year of Coffey.

Based on the way McLaughlin (D-4) campaigned, we shouldn't have been surprised. He, along with Benedetti, have clearly deposited their futures (and their constituents') in the First Bank of Coffey. The interest may be lean, but those "bank" fees are going to eat you up.