Jesus White Is An Obama Man

Gar Joseph today gets the official presidential endorsement from mayoral candidate Jesus White:

“I like Obama because I feel like he has the voice of the people and has captured the heart of the people,” White said. “He’s very well-versed on all of the issues, even the sublime issues, very outspoken and stands his ground. I think he’d be a very strong president.”

But here’s even better news: White is no longer homeless, has a furnished pad in North Philly and has a job as a security guard. And, hey, his endorsement of Obama is pretty sensible as well. Just excellent.

Clout [Daily News]
(Not So) Homeless Jesus Hopes For Change [Independence Brawl]

Jesus White Predictably Not Done Yet

Jesus White, Philadelphia’s first homeless candidate for mayor, didn’t do too well in the polls yesterday. He only got 418 votes, losing to Queena Bass, who finished with 926. (There were six write-ins. No word if Jon Saidel voted for himself.)

But that didn’t deter the man who got fewer than a quarter of the number of signatures he turned in. Gar Joseph reports Jesus might rise again:

White said he was exhausted by the end of his campaign, but probably will run again. “I think this participation in the primary will give me more leeway to run again,” he said. “I think people may notice me a bit more now.”

Agreed! If Sam Katz can run for mayor three times, Jesus White can run for mayor two times. Apparently in the last week Jesus White also had radio commercials on WURD 900 AM. Harold L. Fisher bought the ads, which said: “It’s about time a common man got elected mayor.” It is about time.

Clout | VOTE DAY: ROBBERY, FAKERY, ETC. [Daily News]
Archives: Jesus White

Candidate For Mayor Says He’s Open To Being Bullied

Local tax watchdog group Philadelphia Forward has asked all the candidates to deliver a video response to their group’s message of peace, love and lower taxes. Specifically:

Philadelphia Forward asked each candidate… record a video response to address how issues like tax reform, ethics reform, and budgetary reform - or any other policies - can help reduce the cost of living and doing business in Philadelphia AND improve the quality of life and the quality of the marketplace.

Whoo! Sounds pretty sexy, huh? Well, it is when Philadelphia Forward invites Jesus White to record a vid!

By far, the best line in White’s speech is this: “We will not leave until all of his demands have been met.” Sounds like if we elect Jesus White mayor, we’ll be able to get whatever the hell we want! Let’s the grassroots campaign of brow-beaters begin.

Decision 2007 [Philadelphia Forward]

Knox Doesn’t Forget Queena Bass, Jesus White

As the Knox Media Machine rolls on and on, there seem to be new Tom Knox ads every weekend. This one is unique in that it’s completely baffling. “Hey, here are some good things the other candidates are doing, too!” And I love how it notes these are the five major candidates, not forgetting Queena Bass or Jesus White.

But the best part of the ad is the ending. “Only Tom Knox knows how to fund his plan to put more police officers on the streets. We’d tell you what that plan is, but we ran out of time talking about how good the other candidates are. Free dinners!”

Five Candidates [YouTube]

Welcoming Jimmy White To The Mayor’s Race

One of the most pressing questions of the mayor’s race has finally been answered. Just how do you pronounce mayoral candidate Jesus White’s name?

The Daily News ‘ Gar Joseph has it covered.

The would-be minister and part-time security guard, who lives at the Sunday Breakfast Mission because he’s “between housing,” has survived a challenge to his nominating petitions. Since he’s going to be around until the May 15 primary election, we ought to know how he pronounces his first name.

“It depends, according to the set I’m in,” White explained.

If he’s with a Hispanic group, he pronunces it “Hey-Zoos,” a common first name. If it’s a non-Hispanic group, it’s “Gee-zuss,” as in Christ. But some people don’t react well to that, White says. Especially Baptists.

“They tend to think that name is reserved, so if I’m with Baptists, people just call me Joshua,” White said. “Josh for short.”

White, 56, says he’s happy with whatever anyone calls him: “It doesn’t matter to me.”

So, what does his mother call him? “Jose,” he said.

Aiight, we got ya, Jo-Jo White.

Gar Joseph | For black judge candidates, no merit in elections [Daily News]

Jesus White: Savior Of The Mayor’s Race?

Okay. Milton’s out. And although he’s running for City Council, since many of the signatures are in the same handwriting, he’ll be kicked off the ballot soon enough.

So where does a blogger turn to? Focus again on the foibles of the major candidates? Well, yeah, but I’ve been doing that anyway. Write about actual news, focus on the issues, write about something else? Ha, ha, hahahaha. No, I think I’ve figured it out.

Aww yeah.

Both newspapers profile Jesus White, the surprise candidate for mayor who turned in his petitions on Tuesday without as much as a press release that he would be running for mayor. He listed his address as St. John’s Hospice, but he says that’s only his mailing address, and he’s been staying at the Sunday Breakfast Mission at 13th and Pearl streets recently.

How awesome is this guy? He’s homeless — “in between housing,” he says — and yet he manages to collect 2,000 signatures to run for mayor! That’s only about 1,000 less than Republican candidate Al Taubenberger, which shows the power of the Republican party in this city.

White, who is black but has a campaign slogan of “Vote White”, told the Daily News he was City Council president of DeRidder, La., in the 1980s, but was called to the ministry a few years later. “Only what you do for Christ will last,” he said. The DN also notes he has no campaign headquarters. Gee, thanks. The Inquirer attempted to do a story, but White’s cell phone connection went dead.

Okay, so he’s not as entertaining as Milton. But he’s certainly already looking like a more serious candidate.

Jesus wants you to vote White [Daily News]
Two vying under the mayoral radar [Inquirer]