FOR PITTSBURGHERS who want a real mayoral primary on May 19, not just a formality that crowns Democratic Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, recent days have been discouraging. Council President Doug Shields decided against a challenge, saying his "ability to forge consensus on council would be clouded by mayoral politics." That leaves Hill District attorney Carmen Robinson as the only announced candidate, although Councilman Patrick Dowd is considering a bid. Neither has the name recognition of the mayor, nor do they have much money. According to their filings, Mr. Ravenstahl had $816,573 at the end of the year compared with $2,978 for Mr. Shields, $2,715 for Mr. Dowd and $1,000 for Ms. Robinson. If money talks, such challenges to the incumbent can only be whispered -- and that's not good for the vitality of local politics.

IN CASE MONEY doesn't talk loudly enough, Mayor Ravenstahl has positioned himself as a black-and-gold celebrity. He changed his name to Steelerstahl. He rode in the Steelers' Super Bowl victory parade next to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as if he were Big Ben's go-to guy. He posed for pictures flashing a goofy sign with rapper Snoop Dogg at a Super Bowl party. He wrote a saccharine letter to his infant son, Cooper, for Sports Illustrated's commemorative Super Bowl issue that concluded this way: "Fatherhood is an endless sequence of surprises, and today I am so proud that I have the honor of handing you the tradition of Steelers football. Love, Dad (aka, Luke Ravenstahl, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh)." Here is a wannabe celebrity who needs some humility. Here is a mayor who needs a real primary.

IT'S NOT just Democrats who are full of themselves; Republicans do a pretty good job, too. Outraged that Democrats in Congress wanted to jump-start the economy and help millions of Americans worried about jobs, they turned in fury on GOP moderates like Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, who supported efforts to fashion a compromise bill. Local entrepreneur Glen Meakem, the FreeMarkets founder, was one who turned on his "friend" Sen. Specter for his lack of ideological purity and threatened a future accounting in the 2010 GOP Senate primary. Mr. Meakem's press release described him as "often mentioned as a candidate for statewide office," but he said that he hasn't decided whether he or someone else should offer a conservative challenge to Mr. Specter. Well, good luck. Someone who wants to go to Congress to do nothing in a crisis isn't a certain bet against someone who bravely chose to do something.