Philadelphia Weekly

On Sunday the Daily News' Dan Gross reported that former Philadelphia City Paper managing editor Brian Hickey has been named campaign manager for electricians union leader John Dougherty, who's making a bid to unseat state Sen. Vince Fumo. We caught up with Hickey Monday.

How long have you known John Dougherty?

"I met him about six years ago before I wrote a cover story examining his relationship with Fumo for PW."

As a reporter did you write many stories about him?

"That cover was the most extensive piece I'd written about him. But I also wrote two or three columns about him at City Paper. One was when he offered a counter-endorsement to the paper's Nutter endorsement during last year's mayoral primary. Another was an opinion piece explaining how I was happy he wasn't running for mayor, as I was concerned I couldn't cover him objectively because I liked him personally."

What attracts you to Dougherty's candidacy?

"Having seen this man successfully advocate for his union membership and their families over the years, I realize he'd be an even stronger advocate for all the residents of the First District. People tend to rely on the stereotypical stories about John as union boss, and when they do, they miss the Dougherty I've come to know over the years. I couldn't imagine stronger qualifications for office than this: somebody who fights for what they believe in, and to make life better for their constituents. John does both passionately, so it was a no-brainer for me to want to lend a hand on a campaign where all views and opinions are up for consideration. Also, his numerous successes in the private sector, like with the union, charities and the RDA [Redevelopment Authority], would translate into effective leadership in the public sector. I've seen what he's done as a leader, and know he'd bring that same successful approach to Harrisburg."

What will be the main issues in the Senate race?

"Crime, public safety and quality of life for the district. And the biggest question I see in the race is: Who will best be able to deliver for the district and its residents? The clear answer is John Dougherty."

Does the union movement still have life in Philadelphia?

"Well, Barack Obama seems to think so, considering he personally made calls after the Texas debate to Pat Gillespie upon hearing that the Building Trades were considering issuing an endorsement of his candidacy. When you consider that the unions continue to support Philadelphia's working families, you can't help but realize the union movement still has a lot of life in town. Yes, the world's changing and we're more information/tech focused than ever before, but there will always be a need to support hardworking families. In fact, many people in the labor world are of the mind that Philadelphia may be the last great union town in the country."

Why did you leave the City Paper ?

"Unfortunately, I can't get into the details of my departure."

Did it give you pause to leave journalism?

"I've always been a writer at heart, so I can't say with any certainty that this move means I've left journalism for good. I haven't thought about what I'll be doing after John wins the race, but I think my strong track record in journalism may leave the door cracked open, even if conventional wisdom says that once you leap to the political world, it closes. Philadelphia readers know what I'm all about, that I'm guided by fairness and sharing important stories, so I can't fathom that working on a political campaign would destroy the credibility I've spent years building. Then again, this change has already proven both challenging and exciting, so it's hard to say what I'll be thinking after November."

What do you see as the future of daily newspapers? Of alt-weeklies?

"There will always be a need for people who can ferret out good stories and tell them in a compelling manner. Does that mean there'll always be printed papers? Probably not. Already, a lot of the content is migrating online, but without good writers, good content doesn't exist. There's clearly a need to rethink how news and information is spread, but there will always be a need for that news and information. Having worked at both dailies and alt-weeklies in my career, I may be biased, but there will always be a need for both. Hopefully, advertisers will agree."