 |
| You're going the wrong way, Mayor! |
Some of you are waking up to the news that Hoboken's mayoral race just got flipped on its head!
Zimmer OUT, Bhalla IN.
Intense animus united Zimmer foes who were prepared to run against a third Zimmer term. That's the refrain I've heard from each candidate.
Now what?
Last night was a rush of headlines:
(after 9 PM) Sources: Zimmer won’t seek 3rd term in Hoboken mayoral race (Hudson CountyBy the time I post this, there'll be another!
View)
9:19 PM Voyage of the Dawn Treader: Zimmer Will Not Run for Hoboken Mayor Again (InsiderNJ)
11:20 PM Bhalla running for mayor of Hoboken (InsiderNJ)
11:46 PM HCDO diehards ready to back Romano for Mayor of Hoboken (InsiderNJ)
12:42 AM Source: DeFusco Troops – and Everyone Else – Reaching Out to Stack (InsiderNJ)
An unconfirmed rumor is that the Murphy camp is (allegedly) behind the "speculation" in InsiderNJ that Zimmer is being considered for NJ Lieutenant Governor, and that is what precipitated her sudden exit.
Just try to get info from the Zimmer folks- I dare you!
No, they are quiet as clams. "Wait for the announcement" is all I have been able to get. But gossip is spreading like a brushfire.
GA source, H.D. (handsome Devil), relayed this:
Your pal is going to be the next LG under Murphy. Mason is going to have an aneurysm.Were that true (the LG-not the aneurysm), awesome news for New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the Mayor will pass the torch to my friend, Ravi Bhalla, at an 11 AM press conference.
Is your head spinning? Mine is.
The first thing GA thought of last night was how interesting it will be for Reform to have Ravi, a 'person of color' and an American personally affected by the Trump Travel Ban, seeking Hoboken's highest elected office in the Age of Trump.
There are so many good works that Ravi quietly does, without fanfare. The public will hear about it now. Ravi is a person of action- self-deprecating, not a braggart, funny, sharp as hell, down-to-earth. He's also deeply religious and (like me) a progressive.
Well folks, to be continued.... later.
Well - it doesn't change the fact that we absolutely don't want Stick or Chuckles Defusco as mayor. I like Ravi and think he is incredibly sharp so he would be a good choice if this rumor is true.
ReplyDeleteIt's true!
DeleteAmen. Mike/Tony/Developers/Beth and Stick/OG would be akin to taking 6 steps backwards. Ravi is a good egg. Although I don't think it was time yet for Zimmer to step down, Ravi is a very promising successor!
DeleteMayor Zimmer is at the top of her game and would have very likely blown the competition away in November.
DeleteThe logic in picking a successor at this time rather than in four years allows the reform movement at a high point of support and accomplishment to continue moving forward by having a sitting mayor in place in 2021. In four years when there will likely be many more candidates running and would give someone like Michael Russo a real possibility to slip in with a small percentage of votes.
Dawn Zimmer has done an amazing job turning Hoboken around and we all should be thankful of her service. I have a feeling she will continue to do amazing things and help Hoboken and make us all proud.
Beth always hated Ravi as did her clique, including 411. He was the focus of so much acrimony, in many ways the person they were "running against." I would expect some beth bucks and a lot of that acrimony to come storming off the sidelines now.
ReplyDeleteThas loser Beth better not think this is an invitation to run for anything. Someone please send her a memo that she is not welcome back
DeleteIt's an invitation to write big, illegal checks and wash them through the [redacted] family laundry
DeleteI like Ravi and applaud him for his stand on national immigration issues but since he wants to be mayor of Hoboken, I hope he focuses his attention on local Hoboken issues.
ReplyDeletedo you see these as incompatible?
DeleteIt can be both, can't it? I think Ravi has done a good job in supporting both local issues as well as being vocal about larger issues.
DeleteYes. If you are asking me to vote for you as Hoboken's mayor, I expect that local issues to be your primary focus.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying you don't believe Ravi is focused on local issues?
DeleteI said that in my opinion, if Ravi wants to be mayor of Hoboken that the local issues should be his primary focus.
DeleteSure, I can agree. Ravi's focus will be Hoboken. When larger national issues intersect with local ones as they occasionally do (LGBTQ,for example) its appropriate for our elected officials to take a stand. Right?
DeleteSounds a little too much like what you're really saying is you want him to stop talking about issues that remind you he's not "like you."
DeleteYes, local first. Hope he cleans up more problems in city hall like the building inspector and zoning officer.
DeleteGA Of course when they intersect occasionally .
Delete11:07 I didn't say that and stand by my post. Your attempt to spin it in that direction says a lot more about you than me.
11:52 I think they are doing a good job for the people of Hoboken. I can see that those who would like to go back to the days when Hoboken government regulations were more shall we say privately negotiable.
12:17 Things were bad under the old guard regime, and things are bad under the building inspector and zoning officer now as well, and no, they are not "doing a good job for the people of Hoboken". They're both in over their heads.
DeleteThis is awesome news! I guess the cartoons became a reality. Back to New Hampshire on the SS Don Zimmer, paddle fast and don't forget your polaroid for those bar mitzvahs!
ReplyDeleteYay cold-sore captain! Let's see some cartoons of your "before" and "after" Slimfast ads, Mr. Eat, Puke, Hoboken!
DeleteBefore: Fat slob
After: Fat slob
Everything inbetween: Fat slob
For dessert: Raia's poop holster
Nice cold sores!
Zimmer has been more WONDER WOMAN than SUPER GIRL. Just sayn'
ReplyDeleteSad to hear. Reform with Zimmer at the forefront saved Hoboken from the Cammaranos/Russos/Masons of the world, and for that I am forever grateful. I like Ravi and will vote for him. Stick has a very realistic chance of winning unless reform rallies the troops. Nason and DeFusco aren't plausible candidates, bless 'em.
ReplyDeleteGo Ravi!
I'm with Horsey on this one. We had more than one good reform option. I'm not a lemming and I won't be dictated to. Let's stop with directives and see if any number of viable reform candidates jump in. Ravi's no great shakes. Sad that on Zimmer's way out the door she anoints someone without including other people on her team in the discussion.
ReplyDeleteUnacceptable.
Word is the Reformers on the council weren't told until last night. In fact one wasn't told at all.
DeleteThe council and mayor are there to serve Hoboken residents not service bruised egos.
DeleteZimmer's not perfect. She picked a successor. Doesn't preclude anybody else from running.
Trusting Mayor Zimmer has gotten the City and the reform movement very far... I see no reason to question her judgement now.
DeleteI like and support many of the reform people who may be considering announcing all I can say is I know who is getting my support and vote for Mayor this November. I'm hoping we can all work together to keep the Reform Movement going and not take the hard fought success for granted.
Not telling your council allies until the night before that she was not running again is fine, NOT telling them until the night before she chose a favorite son as her choice for a successor sounds like a typical HUDCO style bossism tactic.
DeleteNot debating whether Bhalla will be the best choice or not- he's worked hard against bad guys and he endured a ton of bigotry from Mason's innuendos and lawsuits she aided in to hurt him. But honestly, What about Giattino, Fisher, Cunningham , Doyle ( who was told ahead of the others because he was Bhalla's runningmate) Word is nobody even called Mello, he was said to have read it here.
This seems very rushed and poorly organized.
Ravi is a good choice, he's pro union, pro development and his stance to ban Uber and stop the Hilton Hotel will be very popular amongst many in town. Businesses are cheering not because Zimmer is leaving but because Bhalla is willing to sit down and cut deals.
6:47- I agree. I don't like the way the rollout was done. But it's done. Reform needs to coalesce behind one candidate, and support one candidate. Ops are drooling to split Reform- take this morning's Energizer Bunny of Conflict for example. Lied like a rug. How does Mayor Romano sound?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteRIP, Troll.
DeleteAnointing? Dictating? Where and how did Zimmer do anything like that? She made a personal endorsement and didn't claim it to be on behalf of anyone but herself. She made her own personal choice based on her own assessment and expressed it publicly. She's earned that right. Anyone who disagrees can vote for whomever they want, but get over yourselves with the conspiratorial crap. None of you have made even close to the personal sacrifices she has for this community, and she's allowed to state her preference of a successor without being accused of "rigging" or "backroom dealing." Some of the people I see lobbing those types of accusations take a lot more than they give and epitomize hypocrisy in action.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteWhen/where did she say that the endorsement of Ravi is on behalf of anyone but herself? If she feels he is the one to cement her legacy and wants people to associate them together, she's earned that right.
DeleteRIP, Troll @ 4:03.
DeleteFolks, our NOT-friends see an opportunity to throw shade and split reform. One of the above deletes was Liebler. My bad for not sweeping out the garbage sooner.
ReplyDeleteBut why wasn't any of the Council there?
DeleteIt was a press conference not a rally.
DeleteC'mon GA, you know better... Politicians in this town attend press conferences look how many show up when they open a Trader Joe's alone ... Puh-leeeze ;)
DeleteHow can anyone with a straight face say that wasn't odd. Personal endorsement or not Bhalla will need Giattino Fisher and Cunningham. Ward leaders that all have the strongest reform bases. Without them Bhalla can't win. Just my 2 cents. I wish it was Giattino, but whatever. It will be a Old Guard shit show this writer won't be around to have to live with the results anyway...
6:53- this wasn't a Trader Joe's opening in the making for a year+. It was a press conference called the night before.
DeleteI spoke to my ward council person yesterday morning - Jen was attending her kids graduation that day and others were working at their day jobs.
Comparing a presser to a Trader Joe's opening is dishonest. I didn't say it wasn't "odd" and I was certainly taken by surprise. Hoboken politics have always been "odd" - sometimes entertaining, sometimes not.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletePlease do not repost trash here. I don't appreciate it.
DeleteThank you.
the reporter deleted that comment.
DeleteWho will be his at-large team? There wasn't a single councilperson there in support
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm....
It was a press conference you stupid ass.
DeleteYea and political allies attend press conferences, stop trying to spin it. It was very odd
DeleteEspecially Bhalla's late night announcement he was the chosen son.
His reform allies were NOT told of her endorsement and that's a FACT.
This "stupid ass " was told first hand by 3 of them.
6:57- aren't you the Energizer Bunny of Conflict today!
DeleteYour FACTS are WRONG. Zimmer spoke to each, and the way it was rolled out was per the mayor's wishes. Ravi is not the bad guy- this is a decision that involves personal sacrifice, financial sacrifice, and the buy in of his family.
Those are the FACTS.
Two of everything for Stick.
ReplyDeleteTWO Pensions
TWO Buildings on Washington St
TWO car spaces taken by ONE County owned SUV
TWO bedroom apartment her earns TOO much money to really be living in
TWO Buildings on Court Street he could live in and free up MV towers to a needy family.
Now he wants TWO spots on one Ballot
The City has given TOO much Stick already
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete^^^ offensive
DeleteNow that Bhalla is officially running for office, it will speak volumes about his integrity if he doesn't shift his clients to a colleague and set aside his legal practice for the duration of the campaign, and his potential time in office. He's had those ethical disconnects in the past.
ReplyDeleteo goody, our concern troll is back. enjoyed your "concern" that bhalla not spend too many calories on national issues such as whether other people in turbans are getting shot by the fringe trump has unleashed.
Deletekeeping your hand in your profession is not an "ethical disconnect." carrying a lighter workload would make sense.
If there are no conflicts of interest then that is not necessary. That is the standard for all politicians. He has been the target of what a judge stated was "a political operative" and "a bigot."
Delete8:30 you have me confused with someone else, just as you confuse a standard of ethics with "carrying a lighter work load", and confuse old guard standards with reform standards. Nice to know the mayor of Hoboken is now a part time job in your opinion, one we hope Bhalla doesn't share. I'm sure his clients would enjoy the benefit of easy access to the mayor's office if he follows your logic.
DeleteBhalla supports 2 kids, a wife and a mortgage. However he balances his professional responsibilities, as long as it is done in an ethical manner, is his business. Unless you are volunteering to support his family for the next 4 months. Are you? Remember Occhipinti quit his job to run in 2013-something many in reform sniggered at. Did that make him an ethical standard bearer? Rhetorical question
DeleteIf Bhalla's elected, it's a substantial pay cut.
8:54 I am not confused and I did not confuse you with Belfiore. You tried to get a dig in while feigning concern so consider yourself called out on it. TTFN
Delete8:54 i don't have you confused with anyone. you have me confused with someone who can be bs'ed with a steaming pile of character assault masquerading as concern. but since you already have him handing out favors at city hall, you may as well drop the pretense.
ReplyDeleteHere's my question, and it's an honest one: Other than being mayor and having people discuss climate change and resiliency in her presence/explain it to her, what are Zimmer's qualifications for taking on a full-time role in that field? Don't people study at colleges and get degrees in order to be able to provide that type of service and expertise?
ReplyDeleteI'm not trying to be a troll, I'm legit asking why she's qualified for that type of job other than being mayor during Sandy.
I think its the policy end she's interested in, not engineering or design. She is certainly qualified, was appointed by Obama to the federal Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience as the only rep from New Jersey. Leading the group that obtained $230M in Rebuild By Design grant money for Hoboken, implementing Resist, Catch, Delay (or whatever the order is) in park design with underwater storage tanks-- she is well qualified for a public policy position. From your comment, I see you think she's an empty vessel. Really, that's opinion, and when she seeks a new position she'll be judged on her experience. Neither you nor I will make that decision.
Deletehttp://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/11/hoboken_mayor_selected_for_federal_climate_change_task_force.html
I think you answered your own question. She has first hand real world experience as an administrator working with experts in the field.
DeleteGA- I don't think she's an empty vessel, I just don't think she's an expert. To be clear, I don't think that politicians appointing other politicians makes them experts. I think that we have a lot of people making decisions at a high level that don't know wtf they're doing (see: Trump's cabinet). Would you say that Carson is going to be an expert on low income housing once he's done his tenure? I highly doubt it.
DeleteAnon 9:30 - I work with experts in the field of engineering daily. I listen to them, I read their reports, I review their findings. That doesn't make me an engineer.
I don't think she called herself an expert. I think she's ready to move on and this is what she wants to do. Leave it up to the public or private sector agencies to decide whether her experience makes her qualified for whatever position she seeks. Again, I don't think she ever called herself an expert. I'm glad she has found a calling after her 8 years of public service to Hoboken.
DeleteFair point. I read expert in anon and misused it.
DeleteIn any event, I didn't like the 3rd term run anyway so I probably should just be happy she decided not to do it. :)
snoopy- You are desperately trying to avoid the reality that an administrator does not have to be expert to do a good job, even though you say you are in the same sort of position.
Deleteanon 9:44 - I am not desperately trying to say anything. I was asking a question and after intelligent discourse with GA I've moved on.
DeleteThere are far too many professional, credentialed "experts" in the field who are in reality anything but -- paid to rent out their credibility to lobbyist-solicited quack science.
DeleteIf Mayor Zimmer were to take on a post in this field, I'd welcome her as someone with sincere dedication to the truth of the issue with a well-established track record of rising to the occasion when public duty calls. She was not an expert in parking, hospital administration or municipal finance, either, but I'd say she did a bang-up job on all fronts specifically because she knows her blind spots and, out of earnest and proven commitment to honesty and excellence and ability to build dynamic teams to ensure all bases are covered.
We need more people like her stepping up and fighting for what they believe in, rather than always deferring to traditional definitions of "expertise," which can be a tool of evil when not paired with good public-policy goals. Her expertise is in working her butt off for the public interest. Bring it on.
To illustrate my point, here are some "experts" we could do without:
Deletehttp://www.merchantsofdoubt.org/
This is really kind of a stupid discussion. Whether the mayor is qualified or not for a position is a decision for whoever her future employer will be, and I suspect that she'll have little problem finding organizations that see substantial value in her experience and skill set.
DeleteRunning a city like Hoboken is a pretty difficult and complex job. Unfortunately, as Snoopy's comment makes clear, its also a pretty under appreciated one, especially by those who don't really understand what the job entails and how hard it is to do it well.
Snoopy has a right to ask the question. My point is, the same "questions" were raised about Zimmer in the 2009 race. Cammarano characterized her as a homemaker and former photographer with no relevant work experience. He presented himself as the candidate with the more suitable education and professional background, ready to step into the job on Day 1.
DeleteOn paper, according to the traditional definition of qualifications for the office, there was some merit to his argument.
However...
The best part of this whole thing is if Zimmer becomes Lt. Gov or even an official w/in the executive branch at the state level, Beth Mason deserves a lot of the credit. Mason's minions helped make Dawn who she is. Their nasty attacks proved she has grace under fire. Their pathetic attempts to steer the conversation proved she has the ability to galvanize support without resorting to showering people with money and build a coalition. The way she governed and managed even the "council of No" showed everyone she has the skills to do a complicated job and do it well even in the face of adversity. And my favorite part is Mason will end up screaming at herself in the mirror saying "it should have been meeeeeeeeee!" if Zimmer gets tapped for anything by Governor Murphy.
ReplyDeleteAnything is possible!
DeleteIt would make me smile if she made it to Lt. Governor. Oh the irony of BM being a "kingmaker" after all!
DeleteHoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer was interviewed this morning on Fox5 about her withdrawal from the November election.
ReplyDeleteYeah, they are humping the Trump angle.
Deletehttp://www.fox5ny.com/news/262800623-story
Bhalla was at the uptown ferry this morning campaigning and passing out Bhalla for Mayor lit, has all his B4M internet pages up and running and his campaign is sponsoring thank Zimmer event on the 27th.
DeleteThe classlessness of Team Defusco knows no bounds. Now that they think the see blood in the water they are turning the ugly all the way up on Stick. He was damned right in his assessment of his so-called friends. They found a new toy and stab him in the back every chance they get.
ReplyDeleteStick is going to smoke turbanboy and the homo. We are taking ourt city back from you fucking yuppies!! Ding dong Zimmer can get in the bike lanes and go back to Canada or ewherefver the dumby is from
ReplyDeleteFolks: THIS (11:24) IS THE DEFUSCO CAMPAIGN.
DeleteI will be going to registration system if this doesnt STOP.
GA you should forward this to Mike - make sure he knows this is being done on his behalf so he doesn't have deniability.
DeleteMike's camp haunts this blog. One hairy DeFusco supporter said he refreshes it every hour. Mike's partner checks in from work. No need to do that. They know all about it. If DeFusco wanted it to stop, it would.
DeleteAt least the DeFusco campaign is consistent. Consistently full of crap, consistently nasty, consistently dishonest, consistently bad news.
DeleteRomano 4 Mayor, more Defusco bottom scraping. Trying to associate Stick with homophobia and racism. Nice. All you've accomplished is letting everyone know that MIKE DEFUSCO THINKS HOMOPHOBIA AND RACISM ARE SUITABLE CAMPAIGN PLOYS.
ReplyDeleteWell done, asshole.
Ravi is intelligent and has done hard work through the years on the Council. He'd make a great Mayor. His positions on issues also align with the reform group. That's why the prospect of reform splintering and giving the election to Mayor Romano is sad. Jen running is a non-starter. She's a Republican who I am assuming supported Trump. She'll be asked whether she voted for him, why she is still a Republican after he was elected, whether she is supporting Guadagno, is she against immigrants, Muslims, what's her position on Russia, etc. A Republican mayor of this town is a no go. I think Tiffanie is too inexperienced and does not seem to work well with everyone in reform. The Council Members who are upset about the process should be, but I don't think they actually have any substantive issues with Ravi. In other words, when Dawn ran, we had real issues with Beth. 2 sets of candidates running on the same positions this go around makes zero sense. There needs to be a different way of addressing the concerns about process but punishing this town for four years and beyond with Mayor Romano while we have no deep or real substantive policy differences is terrible. Reform needs to get it together. We can win if we're unified.
ReplyDeleteA little perspective on the "process" discussion. What was the "process" that was employed to anoint Jen Giattino as the reform 6th ward city council candidate back in 2011? As I've heard the "process" described by various people in the know, the mayor called her up, asked her if she was interested in running, gave Jen her support and worked hard to help her get elected. In other words, the exact same "process" that was followed here with Ravi.
DeleteAsk yourselves, if Jen and Ravi both wanted to run for Mayor, what exactly would the proper process of choosing between them have been? why would the loser and his or her supporters have accepted the choice as opposed to simply resulting in an impasse?
Who gets to decide? Is there a group of reform leaders who vote in some kind of secret back door primary? Who decides who gets to vote? Is it just elected officials or do other self selected leaders get to vote? Are all the votes equal or does the Mayor's vote count for more? Is it a secret ballot?
Back in 2005, the "process" was that a guy named Mike Lenz who most voters never heard of, decided who would get to run for what under the "reform" label. Was that a better more appropriate reformy process?
I'm not sure what the "right" process would be but having a popular elected mayor publicly announce who she personally supports as she announces her decision not to run herself seems like a better more transparent process than some kind of secret back room mysterious "process."
Let's all ask ourselves this question. If the mayor had decided to endorse Jen would she have been OK with the process like she was back in 2011? I suspect the answer is yes, and Ravi would be the one unhappy with the process. I also think Ravi would have swallowed his pride and put the good of reform (or at least electoral realism) ahead of his ambition. Let's hope Jen shows the same strength of character that I think Ravi would have - that would truly show the bad guys how different reform really is.
Let's all recognize the process discussion for the red herring that it is. We have two people who would like to be the "reform" candidate for mayor. Either they both run or one steps back for the greater good. The Mayor, having worked with both, made a decision which one she personally thought would be the best choice for the city at this time. The alternative would have been to abdicate her leadership responsibilities and hope it would all somehow magically work out through a mysterious undefined arbitrary unfair and un-transparent process that would not have led to any kind of workable consensus anyway unless one candidate volunteered to step aside for the common good.
The bad guys always put personal ambition ahead of the greater good. I guess we're about to find out whether reform is just a marketing label like it was to Beth Mason or whether reformers really are different.
The process was Zimmer and her husband wanted the BFF Joe Branco back then, when they floated that balloon one too many times, the Mayor reached out and discovered Jen. But If the supporters didn't go ape shit against Branco privately, their ex- drinking buddy would have been the suicide mission against Giacchi and the 6th Ward would still be old guard or worse- Those are facts not psychophant spin
DeleteSorry, but when you're the Mayor who was a NOBODY 10 years ago and needed a group of neighbors and reformers like Marsh and Cunningham she wanted collaboration, but now it's a PERSONAL choice? NO, you're the damn Mayor of our city and you just threw this town into chaos and lame duck government for the rest of the year!!!
DeleteThis BS about the Paris Accord is crazier than her Poop Tomatoes. What whacko thought up that? Sounds like someone ate too many mushrooms in the 70's rather
In all fairness, Branco seemed like an okay guy back then.
DeleteIt's pretty rich to cite Marsh as a "real reformer" to whom Zimmer's indebted while spouting about someone who arbitrarily "threw this town into chaos and lame duck government for the rest of the year."
DeleteHow'd that Mason lawsuit and year-plus deadlocked council come about again? Oh yeah, that's right.
Glass houses, and what-not. That's the thing I've always found hard to stomach about the sanctimonious wing of our dysfunctional little family. You really do think your $#!+ doesn't stink.
Not to many of us. And those who felt otherwise were eventually heard. That's why these things need time.
DeleteWow, that's some serious spin going on there. Talk about bringing national issues into the mix. Personally, I think Jen's support base is much bigger than Ravi's and much more diverse. Besides, we're nonpartisan here in case you haven't noticed. But, if you must go there...Dawn reached across the aisle to Christie (and looked how that turned out); Jen, on the other hand, has worked across the aisle with very positive results right here in Hoboken and has secured a support base that crosses a very wide chasm of ideologies.
ReplyDeleteAn energized base of supporters (which Ravi doesn't have) is a powerful, powerful thing.)
Ravi has done tremendous good for Hoboken, done good and charitable works off the radar, and has then the target of years of public attacks by the Beth Mason slime machine with the cooperation of the Hudson Reporter. Do you know any other council person who made the front page for a traffic ticket? So let's be fair. Hoboken doesn't know Ravi except for the Beth Mason smear machine. He's been on the council longer than Jen and has more wear and tear, so to speak. You are trying to stir up dissent and weaken Reform by dividing us.
DeleteIt's not stirring up dissent, GA. It's just stating an opinion. I'm sure you'd agree with me that Jen has the right to run. Maybe "Hoboken" doesn't know Ravi, but I think "Hoboken" does know Jen and we like what we see. Some of us are very excited about a Jen candidacy.
DeleteActually hoboken doesn't "know" jen better than Ravi and she doesn't have a broader base of support. Most of hoboken doesn't know either one of them, and whatever base of support they have is shared and is a small subset of the Mayor's support.
DeleteShe certainly has a "right" to run. But it would be a shame if she made her decisions based the untrue idea that hoboken knows and likes her more than they know and like Ravi. That's nothing but wishful thinking.
Maybe you can ask Tony to share deFusco's poll results with you. Since he polled Jen it would certainly be interesting to see how well known she really is.
That's the biggest knee slapping spin I've read so far today. Don't kid yourself that Ravi's and Jen's voter base is completely a shared base or that their individual or shared bases are a small subset of the Mayor's base.
DeleteReform has lots of good people, and some very good potential candidates. Ravi is one of those very good candidates, and has the endorsement and support of a very popular mayor who would have cruised to victory had she chooses to run again. I like Jen very much, but she isn't running. Ravi is a good bet, and he has my vote.
ReplyDeleteIt actually appears Jen is running so now we all get to make a decision,
DeleteJen is not running. She announced she was considering it.
DeleteWhat did Jen announce? Where did she announce it? Details, please.
DeleteHoboken City Council President Jen Giattino’s Official Statement on Hoboken’s upcoming mayoral election:
Delete---------------------------------------------------
Like many, I was surprised with the series of events this week in Hoboken starting with our Mayor Dawn Zimmer opting not to run for a third term. This week I have been humbled and honored by the outpouring of support from many friends, colleagues and people in our community who have expressed their support and encouraged me to run for Mayor. I am passionate about the future of our town and giving this serious consideration. I plan to publicly respond soon.
---------------------------------------------------
Jen Giattino
I do like Jen but how do you say she has a great base of support than anyone else? Based on what.Hope? Spin? It's my understanding that Dawn has the highest name recognition by far in the city and then Ravi. I do agree that trying to re-elect a Trump supporter as Mayor is a terrible idea. I'm not surprised Roman is pushing her candidacy. He's repeats Breithbart talking points all the time, hates the idea of climate change, etc. Of course he's like a Republican. I agree that there are many who will aggressively call that out. It's a terrible idea to run her as much as I like her.
ReplyDeleteRoman has always disliked Ravi. Fact.
DeleteI'm pretty sure that MSV's editor not only voted for Ravi but more than once.
DeleteRavi's family also knows that he covered Bhalla's Assembly run and actually volunteered to campaign for him up in Jersey City Heights.
Which probably places him in select company with none of the unbearable anonymous troll comments here.
If you don't like the facts, maybe lying with a cowardly name like "anonymous" is really your problem.
I don't know if roman hates Ravi but when he starts writing about an imaginary draft Jen movement as if Jen was a reluctant candidate he risks losing what little credibility his Trump insanity has left him with.
DeleteIt's not a draft Jen movement when Jen is leading it. Jen is ambitious and wants to be mayor. There's nothing wrong with that and she certainly has the right to run even if the result of her ambition is a Russo or a Romano mayoralty. We have the right to do many things we shouldn't do. unfortunately it is Hoboken that will pay the price if she exercises of her right to run.
But no one is drafting her and given the lack of any discernible policy differences between her and Ravi its hard to see any good reason for her running.
I think all these hurt feelings and resentment that are swirling around Zimmer's City Council could have been avoided if she had been even a little more open with them about what she was doing before she made her surprise announcement. Without the City Council majority working with Zimmer none of her victories would have happened and they deserved to be in on the decision. My thought is that Zimmer knew that Bhalla may not have been the choice of her City Council majority and decide that she would announce her candidate in a way that she thought they had no choice but to go along with because if Ravi loses so does a decade of reform in Hoboken. So I will vote for Bhalla but feel a little less good about it..
ReplyDeleteThe unions and lawyers from Trenton to Mahwah are salivating that Ravi is running.
DeleteUber ain't too happy...
Sacco is endorsing Bhalla
4:41- Liar (you must be from the DeFusco campaign).
DeleteThe HCDO (North Bergen) is endorsing Stick.
https://www.insidernj.com/hcdo-diehards-ready-back-romano-mayor-hoboken/
Stack, no comment yet.
I 100% agree that Dawn did not handle this departure well. Not telling folks and telling Ravi at the last minute and asking if he's in or not, was not a good idea. If Jen has an issue with Ravi or his vision, he should say so, but based on Roman's draft Jen post, it's clear that there isn't. He just says Jen is more popular with no basis for doing so (and is that code for, "but he wears a turban"). We are going to give Stick the Mayorship, the Council and Carmelo a Directorship over no policy or personality differences on the reform side. This is nutso. What's wrong with Ravi and btw he can't control what Dawn does or who she endorses. That's her choice. Maybe we just need all reform candidates. I like the Kids First group. They seem to not have this dynamic.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure there was any way for Dawn to handle this well - some things are inherently messy. If Dawn had shared her decision sooner and with more people would reform be in a better place? There would have been lots of talk but unless either Ravi or Jen decided to nobly just step aside and say OK you do it, something its obvious neither would readily do, the talk wouldn't have led to a resolution. All that would have happened is lots of talk, which would not likely have all been friendly and amicable. It all would have leaked out which would have made everything even harder and more destructive to reform.
DeleteIt may not seem right that Dawn made the decision in the way she did but would it be more right for a small council faction to make the decision instead of her? Roman seems to think so but I doubt he'd feel the same way if Zimmer had endorsed Giattino and the council faction wanted Bhalla.
To paraphrase from a movie line, the process Zimmer followed may well have been the best bad process there was.
Most movements face a challenge moving from initial charasmatic leadership to the next generation of leaders.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be reform without bickering. It would be creepy without bickering. I just hope the constant reminders of the douchebag alternatives get everyone to focus on what can't happen and plan accordingly.
DeleteYou can't be reform and embrace the machine.
DeleteWhich machine, 10:43?
DeleteWhich candidate do you see as non-machine?
Funny, DeFusco is the MACHINE and Soares has embraced him... so he is hardly one to preach.
Delete