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My
Editorial-Blog The Million Dollar Ham Sandwich Congratulations to Dave Roberts, Bernie Kenny and Bob
Menendez on their big win in We can all understand the reelection of Roberts and
councilman Ruben Ramos. The election of Terry LaBruno is understandable
too. All have been in the community long enough to have built a big
network of friends and supporters through their service. LaBruno as a
school teacher got to know the parents and children. As the wife of a fire
department captain and in law of the police chief her ties to Now if you think I have gone soft on the Roberts ticket don’t. Throughout the election I never said a bad thing about Terry or Ruben. My comments were saved for Roberts- and I had a few also for Peter Cammarano- or as I will now refer to him – “Ham Sandwich”. I think it was Getting Cammarano elected was important for all the Those who know Bernie Kenny, I mean really know
Bernie Kenny, know that this victory feeds his ego.
Bernie is a man that likes to bully his way through races. Getting a ham
sandwich elected sent a message to the state’s democratic machine and
the people who oppose him in For Roberts the message isn’t as clear as he would
like to believe. Dave can spin the victory anyway he wants. In the end he
still had to spend almost a million to get reelected and take the low road
in doing so. I don’t think this behavior is the type of stuff that gets
you membership in Bay Head Yacht Club. I remember a conversation he and I
once had during the entire Monica Lewinsky episode. He wondered how he was
supposed to explain For Cammarano getting elected means a great boast to his law career. His employer is the firm that represents the State Democratic party. For him it means more face time with the partners at the firm. Better lunches, a better parking space, half day Fridays, less pressure to bill and a fast track to partner.
Both men should be ashamed of themselves for insulting the public. They should spend some money on public relations. Even if Kenny broke no law in making the contribution
he did break a moral obligation to respect the wishes of his constituents.
By a vote of 10,000 to 1,000 the people of Kenny is a powerful senate democrat who now has his
hopes on becoming Senate president. Recent questions have been raised
about a $5,000 contribution that Kenny solicited from a The troublesome part of all this is that all that money wasn’t needed in the first place for Roberts to win reelection. With so much in motion in NJ politics and at stake for HDO leaders, i.e. a governors race, Menendez up for an appointment to the US Senate and the state senate’s presidency I wonder way the Hudson County Dems would what to make waves. All they should have done was lay low and wait.
Speaking of the Jets stadium deal, here's a question: Why hasn't anyone been speaking about the stadium deal? If it had been built hundreds of Jets fans, and other event attendees, would have been driving into Hoboken to jump the ferry over. Parking on Sundays, our one day of hope, would have been gone. I have to believe
that someone in the machine was quietly hoping for the stadium and the Olympics
to come. The money the bars and restaurants, including one certain Mexican
spot on Washington St., would pull in would be a godsend. The cost to the
city residents in additional police overtime and parking loss would have
been disastrous. NASCAR Comes to Hoboken The candidates disappointed though for the most part acting like mature individuals. Sticking up for each other while still keeping Roberts on the defensive. They were just going around and around in circles, bumping the Roberts' car when they could. It was during the last few laps, during the candidates' closing statements that things heated up. While Carol Marsh was at the microphone quoting statistics on city personnel, Mayor Roberts muttered something. According to Michael Russo,who was seated next to him, Roberts accused Marsh of being a liar. What Roberts forgot was that chivalry and competitiveness is genetic in the Russo family. Michael stood up for Marsh, calling the Roberts' mailings that have attacked her disgusting. Then he told Roberts he should apologize. It was like one car in the race getting too close and threatening to send the other driver into a tailspin. That woke the crowd of three hundred sending them into the loudest and longest applause of the evening. The debate moderator waved the yellow caution flag granting Roberts an extra 15 second to reply, but it was too late. With the finish line in sight Roberts lost control of his car and was headed for the wall. After the race the drivers walked through the audience shaking hands like the stars they were that night. Roberts visibly concussed by the turn of events rushed out of the room. Possibly to a medivac helicopter or to his idling Range Rover. I didn't see which.
Newcomers are this Spring's Accessory No one has knocked at my door and the election is only 2 weeks away. I would like to speak with three candidates in particular who need to prove themselves to get my vote. Every election year the campaigns try their best to make their tickets look acceptable to the people who come out on election day. It's a strategy that is called "playing to the masses". This year each ticket is using the "newcomer" strategy. Roberts has Peter Cammarano, Marsh has Brian Urbino, Russo has Brian Keller. Up to perhaps a few years ago putting a newcomer on the ticket was a waste of ballot space. Newcomers ( I won't use the Y word in public) don't vote- not in local elections where they have no connection or investment in the community. Until they buy a home and get that first tax bill or unless their girlfriend's car gets booted and she refuses to return they don't show up in numbers. A friend asked what I thought of the newcomers on the tickets. His feeling was that they must be uncorrupted given their youth. They must be cool and wanting to do the right thing. Not at all in my view. Look at a Chris Campos. Young, educated and controlled by the county democratic machine. Chris could find himself out of his county job pretty quickly if he objected to Bernie or Bob. Peter Cammarano is no different as he works for a law firm that represents the state democratic committee. He could find his fast track to partner at the firm slowed considerably if he votes against a contract no matter how much his cool young personality might disagree with it. (Peter- prove me wrong). Until they knock on my door I won't vote for any of them. I think a lot the old timers in Hoboken are willing to vote for a new face but not until they see it in the flesh.
March 2005 Mayor Dave Roberts' letters and comments ( and the letters that the city's PR guy Bill Campbell probably writes for others to sign) are filled with lousy excuses for his shortcomings as a politician. Every time that Dave drops the ball on a great opportunity to win over a constituency he refuses to take the blame. Instead Dave points the finger at them and cries obstructionism or about some hidden political agenda. One example is the group of concerned parents that organized and met with Roberts to discuss the open space issue. Instead of winning the group over by actually listening and incorporating their energy ( and winning their votes), Roberts sent them away angry. When they printed a letter in the Reporter claiming to have been ignored, Roberts countered that they had a political agenda. Most recently the mayor has claimed that his opposition on the city council, Marsh, Soares, Castellano and Russo have a political agenda in holding back their vote on the sale of the municipal garage. And he is right. They in fact hold political seats in the city and there for, from time to time, make decisions based on agendas. But not all agendas, Mr. Mayor are as devious as you would like us to believe. Perhaps these four council people are of a different school of thought than you. Perhaps they see the fiscal future of Hoboken differently than you. Perhaps instead of attacking them as self serving political saboteurs you could have negotiated, compromised. Here's
are a few lines that could have avoided you a lot of problems: Mayor Roberts you
have alienated the family, responsible development, quality of life and
open space constituencies that worked so hard to get you elected. If you
had just kept your promises to these people then you would have leverage
to get your budget passed.
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Then as a final blow to the county bosses, McGreevey signed an executive order banning Pay-for-Play. Political
infighting between N.J. Dems, GOP gets nasty
from
the Jersey Journal McGreevey takes another near hit The Trentonian July 11, 2004
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