Ladies, Who's Competent?

The above quote from Tim's Op-Ed: "You can't trust Zimmer to fix a Pothole"

 
Well, GA wasn't too surprised to hear that the same team calling Zimmer "incompetent" in 2013 called her "incompetent" back in 2009.

GA attended the OLG debate  in April 2009 and watched candidate Peter Cammarano attack Dawn Zimmer's competence and qualifications to be mayor, belittling her 'credentials' and 'experience' as a stay-at-home mom, photographer and so on.

I walked out of there offended.  Really pissed off at this young man's attack on a working mother.

Because like many women (and some men), prioritizing child-rearing in favor of full-time work does not diminish one's "competence".   It's an economic decision; many would like to but can't.  Those who do make huge sacrifices.   The last thing any woman- working or  not, needs to hear is some man calling them "incompetent" relative to his own inherently-male "competence".

Running on "competence"

Women I spoke to back then about it were similarly put off.   The choices that then-candidate Dawn Zimmer made with respect to her business career and child-rearing were strictly personal. So she ran a positive campaign on "change" vs. Cammy's strutting superior "competence".  PolitickerNJ summarized both messages the day before the June 9, 20089 run-off election:

The Dawn Zimmer campaign has framed the game as staus quo versus change while Peter Cammarano's camp has basically taken a "just watch the debates" tack, arguing the edge in terms of qualifications and competence.

In 2009, the "competence" message was repeated ad nauseum by Camarrano's supporters in the print and online media- such as in this July 7, 2009 endorsement letter in The Hoboken Reporter for the ex-mayor turned felon (excerpt): 

A vote for competent, thoughtful leadership 
More than ever we need competent and thoughtful leadership. That’s why I’ll be voting for Vinny Addeo, Raul Morales II and Peter Cammarano. 
Thank you, 
Lane Bajardi

Who else chimed in, calling Camarrano "more professional"?

Ramos endorses Cammarano, says Zimmer has ‘problem making decisions’

"After serving the past two years on the City Council with both Peter Cammarano and Dawn Zimmer, it's very clear to me that Peter is far more qualified, more professional and much better prepared to be our next mayor," said Ramos. "I am very proud to endorse Peter and I will be working very hard to help him win this election."

Ladies, what did YOU think of that "more professional" crack?

Well, that was 2009.

And arguably, one could say that the 'competence' criticism- though offensive and obnoxious to  working women and stay-at-home moms- was against a candidate without a record as a political Chief Executive.

That's not true now.

Camarrano's 10/28/10 R-1 ELEC

So in 2013, the SAME strategy is being rolled out against a candidate with an EXTENSIVE record, but instead of criticizing specific decisions she has made as a Chief Executive of Hoboken, she is being DISMISSED as "incompetent".

Ladies, there is no way in hell that she is NOT being disrespected for what she is (just a 'woman'), rather than what she's done.

Like her or not, the complete disrespect shown for what she's done for our City: worked 24/7 through and after Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy, cut municipal taxes about 10% in 2011 and just announced a 2% municipal tax cut despite the 2012 hurricane disaster, beseeched a U.S. Senate committee to change the insurance industry definition of 'basement' as it pertains to garden level dwellings, helped save our citys hospital from closing- and selling an asset which loses money is an incredible accomplishent...  to dismiss ALL of this, like Tim Occhipinti did in his insulting Op-Ed: You can't trust ZImmer to fix a pothole" with his statement:

If Mayor Zimmer cannot get the simplest and most fundamental of services done, how can we have faith in her ability to run a city full of complex issues which need to be dealt with?

... it shows GA that the Boys-club can't summon ONE word of acknowledgement for the mayor's hard work, ONE success she's had, ONE way she's helped this city... they just CAN'T.    Nope, the 'little lady" is incompetent.  Running Hoboken is simply too "complex".

For a woman.