Why can't the media and the blogosphere leave our hard-golfing, excuse-making, verging on morally compromised mayor alone?

At 27, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is young, but he wasn't born last night. He knows a lot of the criticism of his official conduct is the result of jealousy, ageism and irrational resentment at what he's been able to accomplish with little or no effort.

Is it fair to pounce all over the luckiest politician in Allegheny County just because he still has vivid memories of high school? Holding him to a higher standard than his predecessors shows the petulance and mean-spiritedness of the media.

So what if he takes credit for the initiatives of his political rivals -- it's not the first time that's ever happened, is it? Give the kid a break.

Since when does jetting to New York on a private plane and a night on the town as the guest of a billionaire with business before the city negate the purity of one's heart?

Exposing oneself to possible influence peddling shouldn't even merit a mention given the history of malfeasance by Pittsburgh politicians. Corruption may be the natural by-product of one-party rule on Grant Street, but there's no evidence our young mayor has even begun to scratch the surface.

Sure, Mayor Luke's arbitrary exercise of power -- forcing the resignations of top city managers, promoting cops with anger issues up the ranks, hiring his high school gym teacher to ride shotgun in city government -- looks ominous to those allergic to a bold and headstrong leadership style.

Get over it! Mayor Luke is committed to exercising every prerogative at his disposal now that he's been spared the indignity of finishing his first term in elected office as an obscure councilman from the North Side.

Let those who would refuse to use the prestige of the mayor's office to score access to Kenny Chesney or Tiger Woods cast the first stone. This mayor isn't afraid to look like a goofy, fawning fan boy for the sake of an autograph.

One need look no further than the latest controversy engulfing Mayor Luke to see media bias at work.

After promoting three police officers accused of domestic violence, the mayor skipped a City Council hearing on the issue in favor of a $27,000 charity golf junket underwritten by UPMC.

Look, it sounds worse than it actually is. Fortunately, the mayor put the whole affair into perspective in a July 4th press release:

"On June 27 and 28 of last week, I was proud to support and represent the city at the Mario Lemieux Foundation Invitational, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer, neonatal and other medical research.

"Some are attempting to unfairly criticize me for attending a charitable event while a public hearing was being held on the 28th. This smacks of crass politics and yellow journalism and disappoints me greatly."

According to the rest of the mayor's statement, skipping public hearings is evidence of his deep respect for the city's separation of powers -- not indifference. His mere presence at a hearing where Police Chief Nate Harper had his ears boxed by women's groups would have discouraged their honest testimony.

Initially, the mayor's office claimed he was in Harrisburg on the day of the hearing. When doubts were raised about that version of the story, Mayor Luke's office took a page from Vice President Dick Cheney's "separation of powers" playbook and refused to say where he was. Since when do the people who pay the mayor's salary have a right to know where he is?

Alas, the Laurel Valley Golf Club spilled the beans once reporters got a whiff of the truth. Fortunately, Mayor Luke is too shrewd a politician to feel red-faced about getting caught in what might charitably be called a bold-faced lie.

Like Vice President Cheney days after shooting a wealthy supporter in the face, Mayor Luke blamed the media and "crass politics" for pumping up another non-story.

Showing considerably more restraint than Mr. Cheney would have under the circumstances, at least Mayor Luke resisted the temptation to declare himself a previously unknown branch of city government.

In the months and weeks to come before his coronation, Mayor Luke will have many more opportunities to display his talent as a secretive, dissembling politician. Meanwhile, yellow journalists will continue chronicling the rise of a young Cheney Democrat as if anyone really cared.