Inquirer board endorses Nutter

In an editorial appearing tomorrow, The Philadelphia Inquirer will endorse former City Councilman Michael Nutter in the May 15 Democratic primary race.

The newspaper's editorial calls Nutter "the most promising package of achievement, persistence, smarts and vision."

The endorsement said Nutter, 49, "is easy to imagine on the national stage as the fresh voice of a resurgent Philadelphia, changing the narrative from one about bloodshed, corruption and dysfunction to one about new ideas, new energy, new partnerships."

As a second choice, the newspaper's editorial board urges voters to consider State Rep. Dwight Evans, whose service in Harrisburg it lauded.

The editorial board said three other candidates "don't measure up." It dismissed the candidacies of Reps. Bob Brady and Chaka Fattah. It also declined to support businessman Tom Knox, whom it called "not so much an outsider as a novice."

Chris Satullo, the Inquirer editorial page editor, said the editorial board interviewed four of the candidates twice. Brady was interviewed only once.

The board met for 90 minutes on Thursday to finalize its endorsement.