The text message came in at 6:51 a.m. today:
 “What? What? My ego driven ass is flattened that sxxx hxxx tom makes top ten and I do not.”
The text was followed by a telephone call around 10 a.m.  — and David Betras was still ranting and raving about Tom Humphries, president and chief executive officer of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, being on The Vindicator’s list of the top 10 newmakers of the year — “Top 10 Of 2010.”
Betras, chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party, will be on the ski slopes for New Year’s; if he doesn’t calm down he might end up like Sonny Bono.
Betras contends that if it weren’t for him, Humphries’ decision to co-host a fund-raising party for Republican gubernatorial candidate — and now governor-elect — John Kasich would never have become a hot story. It is true that the Democratic chairman caused the uproar over the endorsement, resulting in some businesses to withdraw their membership from the chamber. But, isn’t that what a political partisan is supposed to do?
As for his not being on the Top Ten list, Betras can take comfort from the fact that he is a Legend (in his own mind) and he’s No. 1 on his wife’s and children’s lists — or is he?
Here’s toasting you for an Egocentric 2011, Chairman.