Monday, April 28, 1997

Rendell in overdrive

Philadelphia hosted a "summit on volunteerism" that featured three Presidents and Gen. Colin Powell. It was the hyperactive mayor who stole the show.





A WIRED RENDELL PAINTS THE TOWN
HE'S HERE, THERE - EVERYWHERE.
BYLINE: Howard Goodman, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
SECTION: THE PRESIDENTS' SUMMIT; Pg. B01

Five thousand T-shirted volunteers and an invasion of national media poised expectantly at Marcus Foster Stadium heard the first strains of "Hail to the Chief."

And who should emerge, bounding onstage a few steps ahead of the President, the vice president and two former presidents . . . no one but Ed Rendell.

Who else?

Philadelphia's mayor put his signature all over yesterday's opening of the Presidents' Summit.
Not that he tried to outshine the luminaries. He was just himself - to the nth: a ubiquitous presence, a tireless orchestrator, a gemutlich host, a local hero.

And for a man who has stressed the need for America to repair its broken cities, it was just his kind of day.