Friday, October 30, 2009

Herald News Endorsements

While I was very pleased to see the Herald News endorse 7 newcomers for the city council, I was incredibly annoyed that they chose to endorse Marilyn Roderick for School Committee but not Joe Martins...Marilyn is terrible.

City Council Endorsements:

Kris Bartley
Don Berube
Michael Canuel
Dave Dennis
Brian Dias
Mike Miozza
Eric Poulin

and recycled candidates, Brad Kilby and Ray Mitchell

55 comments:

Skoorey said...

So they didn't endorse Casey, Lund, Camera, Periera, Bigelow, or Pelletier? For real?

Being new here I don't know if this is a big deal or not. Seems so to me.

Anonymous said...

The Herald News has a trend of being more progressive than the actual election results. Here are their 2007 endorsements:

Nathan Amaral
Tim Bennett
Steve Camara*
Pat Casey*
Brian Dias
Ray Hague*
Mike Miozza
Gus Suneson
Cathy Ann Viveiros*

So, in 2007 the HN was 4/9 and all the newcomers weren't elected. On that list of 9, only 2 were incumbents, and all 6 incumbents were elected.

However, this current City Council is so lousy that none of its members deserved an endorsement.

Leo Pelletier
Brad Kilby
Ray Mitchell
Eric Poulin
Brian Bigelow and
Linda Pereira should all be safe, with the caveat that Bigelow dropped from 6th to 10th in 2007.

Joe Camara, Pat Casey, and Mike Lund are in trouble. Normally Joe Camara does move up a few spots (I think in 2007 he went from 7th to 4th).

Dave Dennis, Kris Bartley, and Mike Miozza are all within striking range of being on the Council.

It would be nice if the Herald News posted the SC, CC, and Mayor endorsements online Sunday or Monday. At that point, people would have already paid to purchase the newspaper. So, they should help their own cause by making it these endorsements more widely available.

Anonymous said...

If the HN were held in higher esteem their endorsements might mean something. The people they endorse that win would have won anyway.

Anonymous said...

I was thrilled to see endorsements of new candidates on the CC. I agree with Shamrock on the school committee-too many incumbents endorsed,

CharlotteDespard

Anonymous said...

Skoorey - I'm pretty sure Linda called the reporters, who did the endorsement interviews, gay out of towners....that may have had some affect on their decisions.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree it was very nice to see all "new"endosements for city council. I will never undrstand how anyone can endorse maryilyn rodrigric. if you catch her in an unguarded moment the real person shows up and its not pretty!

Anonymous said...

Well you know WSAR wasn't about to endorse any newcomers, lol. WSAR endorsements would probably look something like this: Pat Casey, Joe Camara, Mike Lund, Linda Pereira, Brian Bigelow...

Anonymous said...

I would say anyone in the Top 15 or so is close enough to get in.

That list includes I believe: Dennis, Bartley, Miozza, Canuel, Boutin, Berube.

There was less than 500 votes or so keeping (the bottom of that list)them out of ninth place, a very realistic possibility depending on what they did in the second half.

Skoorey said...

There were two very good articles in the Herald News online tonight. One reporter shadowed Will and another Cathy as they campaigned. I liked them both. The stories were positive and well balanced.

However, the comments by the readers were once again angry, pushy, and full of "our candidate is the BEST" stuff. Do you guys seriously think that you are going to change people's minds with that constant drone?

Tom Paine actually posted the first on both articles, essentially saying the same thing. Using the comments for campaigns is one way to go, but how about a little appreciation for the way in which the people are presented in the pieces? What I mean is that this is not war, it is an election. One of these two people are going to win.

The criticisms I read about Cathy from the Will supporters make me feel that if their guy loses, they will be in a very bad mood. Let's all just promise that whoever wins, that we will shake hands and support the winner and wish them well. Because whoever wins will need all of our help to turn this city around.

Anonymous said...

I don't see any difference why you are singling out Flanagan supporters writing on the Viveiros article, and not the Viveiros supporters writing on Flanagan's article.

That being said, as residents of Fall River, we need to unite behind Tuesday's winner.

Anonymous said...

I don't think there were any comments saying the Herald articles were not balanced.

I did comment about the unflattering picture of cav. to which BDC countered (touche) but not the articles I think they were balanced.


Koorey has a point and I am guilty of some overzealous comments myself but here have been comments from both sides.

I have already agreed to shake hands when this is all over no matter who wins.

CharlotteDespard

Anonymous said...

and then I turn to cathy's ad in todays paper and take back my comments. Who authorized such negativity???

Anonymous said...

No one reads The Herald News anymore. The obits and Dion is all they have that doesn't suck.

Skoorey said...

I don't get the paper but read it online. Who did the they endorse today?

The reason why my reaction was about the Will supporters was because they were swift and quick to be the first on the scene---using the comment section, I think, for them has been a strategy. Maybe Cathy's group is caching onto that idea, but from what I have been reading it was Will's "side" that really took advantage of this---no judgment about that, just an observation.

I also believe it is well known that one of the comment folks, not using his own name, was Will himself. This may be a rumor, but I have it on good authority that this is so.

Anonymous said...

According to the reaction in the comment sections of the 2 articles, it appears that the Herald News endorsed Flanagan. I have not seen a hard copy of the paper myself, so I cannot confirm that, just going based on the reactions there.

On what "good authority" do you have that Flanagan was a commentor on the site? It's just weird to have the words "rumor" and "good authority" in the same sentence. Even if Will was a commentor, is he not allowed to contribute and offer his comments?

Skoorey said...

There were conversations/comments in the beginning of this election cycle that were seriously pro Will well before people even knew who he was. Someone I trust told me of two of his identities on the Herald News.

Because it is not my knowledge, but someone else's, I cannot say it is a fact.

I also don't have any problem with it nor do I judge him for it. I don't care, really. It isn't illegal. And almost everyone on the comment section is anonymous.

However, from the very beginning, the juices were boiling in the Will camp, online in the Herald News at least. This is my observation.

There are those who say there has been bloviating on both sides. That stuff started from the Will camp. The negativity was there first. That doesn't excuse the behavior of the Cathy supporters in participating---but the first volleys were launched by Will's supporters. Again, who cares, right?

If he wins, he wins. If he loses, he loses. Same with Cathy. I hope whoever wins will do the right thing for the city. That is all I really care about.

Anonymous said...

C'mon Koorey everyone thought on good authority I was Stefani Koorey on the herald news comments!!

CharlotteDespard

Anonymous said...

another thought on that, we don't know who the herald commentors or bloggers are for sure unless the identify themselves. Cathy could be a blogger or a commentor.

Do we really know who is spewing the negative words on either site?

One thing is for sure the negative ads are authorized by the candidate.

Skoorey said...

Again, I don't get the paper, so could you provide here the full text of the negative ad? I am interested.

Skoorey said...

Charlotte, this was different. Yes, people think I am you and you are I, yet those same folks don't take into account that you were here years before I came to town!

I do like your handle,---had to look it up in Wikipedia.

Anonymous said...

SKoorey,

You can view the political ads online. The ads are midway down on the right collumn, OR

http://fallriver.shopping.wickedlocal.com/ROP/ads.aspx?advid=1182878

Anonymous said...

and you have to pay to view them!

I liked someone's suggestion that they print them after people have bought the hard copy of the herald.

Stefani, I'm sure you took some heat for some of my commnents, sorry!!

CharlotteDespard

Skoorey said...

What's negative about that? Comparing oneself to the competitor seems reasonable. Does this ad lie? It is almost totally about her positives. With the image of the empty suit---pretty powerful. Does Will have one too?

Anonymous said...

Here's a link to a sample ballot. It never hurts to be prepared.

http://specialsections.wickedlocal.com/SS/Page.aspx?sstarg=&facing=false&secid=72340&pagenum=15&zoomid=3856078#3856078

Anonymous said...

SKoorey,

Here is the link to Will's ad.

http://fallriver.shopping.wickedlocal.com/ROP/ads.aspx?advid=1179863

I think you should also take note of the multiple comments from Cathy supporters insinuating many rumors about Will. It's going to be harder to mend fences if supporters keep spewing that kind of garbage.

Skoorey said...

Thanks for the links. Will's ad says what he plans to do, which is a different type of ad than Cathy's. However, I find it sort of funny that his qualifications are almost the same as Cathy says his are. So no deception there.

Now is it negative to compare oneself to another? Depends on how nasty things are written. I don't think Cathy's ad is nasty at all. And neither is Will's. Good ads by both!

Skoorey said...

Did anyone notice in the article in the Herald News about Will campaigning that he was spending time speaking to the business owners on Columbia Street and one owner said that he would vote for him but he doesn't live in Fall River?

Has there ever been a study as to how many or what percentage of business owners actually live here? What percentage of employees of Charlton live here? What percentage of cops and firefighters actually live here? Teachers?

For instance, bringing in high tech jobs won't much help Fall River residents because Fall River does not have the educated high tech employees to fill the positions. It would be another sector filled with folks who live, and thus pay taxes, elsewhere.

What this city needs is tourism.

Salem, for instance, had over 100,000 people visit it just this weekend alone. Add to that 600,000 in the summer. If Fall River could find a niche, a real tourist niche, and every business supported it and catered to it, then we could have a boon the economy.

I come from Orlando where tourism is of course the leading industry. It also pays for everything! There is no state income tax in Florida and while individuals suffered the same foreclosure issues as other parts of the country, the cities and towns didn't go bankrupt. Tourism is really a big deal in terms of revenue.

Anonymous said...

I would like to continue that discussion on tourism stefani.

The ad does ommit some of wills experience and I don't have time to debate cathy's maybe another time.



peace
CharlotteDespard

Anonymous said...

But Will IS an empty suit. That's the point that is being made there...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the clarification because I saw the empty suit there, and I wasn't quite of the message it was trying to convey.

It is funny how the same voters that overwhelmingly voted Obama over McCain, now may be struggling with the same concept that you need someone new to implement change.

Anonymous said...

Using the Obama analogy, how is Cathy Ann not new? Obama was a senator, now he is president...moving a someone from one seat to another.

Anonymous said...

Well, because when it comes to the Presidency, you have to have some government experience either as a Senator or Governor, for example.
The rigors of being President requires that you can't elect a President with zero government experience.

However, when it comes to being a Mayor, it is a lot easier to be Mayor without being a member of the City Council. We already learned from Mayor Correia that even 30 years as a State Rep. doesn't prepare a candidate to be a Mayor.

So, while Obama did go from Senator to President, he was still new enough to be an advocate for real change. You just don't have a shot at the Presidency running as a state senator of Illinois. Obama was midway through his 1st term as Senator when he decided to run for President.

Skoorey said...

It may come down to other factors entirely than change for the sake of change. For instance, I have met them both and I think one candidate would make a better mayor of Fall River. Others may feel the same way about their choice.

I am not against someone, just for someone. Others may be voting because they don't like one of the candidates for personal reasons, and choose the other because they don't have anyone else to elect.

I like one over the other, not one because of the other.

Anonymous said...

Sterile Loser endorsed Will Flanagan
I guess Lisa and the other two girls on the editorial board must really like Flanagan.
They call him, "Will the Thrill."

reality check said...

Orlando has the weather for year round tourism. And all though tourism would help existing businesses like restaurants, it would not create enough good paying jobs for the many unemployed.

Green technology comes in many forms and does not require just people with PHD's. The fact that green businesses recently opened in New Bedford and Raynham, means that it is a viable option for Fall River.

Skoorey said...

Did you miss my post about Salem?

Anonymous said...

Here is my predictions.
Mayor: CAV in a very close one.
Council: 1.Leo.
2.Kilby
3.Mitchell
4.Poulin
5.Bigelow
6.Camara
7.Casey
8.Pereira
9.Dennis

Anonymous said...

I think you are off on Bigelow. I think he is out. Probably in favor of Lund.

Anonymous said...

I would rather have Bigelow than Lund. Even better would be neither.

Anonymous said...

For those of you who missed it, Will was asked about the name change in the debate which featured the censured moderator.

http://www.ojornal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20383660&BRD=2677&PAG=461&dept_id=543384&rfi=6

Check out their answers for favorite president.

Anonymous said...

The legal name change happened to me also. It's just a leagality people...
Moxie

Tom Paine said...

Tourism is part of the mix, but a small part. Salem has a world class museum based upon the trade the city did with the orient. Plus, they have utilized their historical connection to the Witch trials.

Reality Check is correct about high tech jobs. Many of the jobs in high tech are manufacturing jobs. For instance, solar panels, wind turbines, high effeciency boilers, etc.

To say the people are of Fall River are not educated is a terrible thing to say. Many of the children to go onto higher ed, we just need to attract the jobs I have just mentioned to keep some of our kids around here.

After Tuesday we all need to work together on it...whether it is CAV or Will.

What do you all say?? Win or lose we all join forces for a better Fall River? I am willing.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Tom Paine- agreed.

Anonymous said...

sorry that was me, forgot to sign my name.

CharlotteDespard

Anonymous said...

Sterile Snooze reporter Jay Mistakeous wrote this.

"Two fires that took place at the same residence along Bay Street this weekend was caused by arson, according to the Fall River Fire Department."

The two fires "was" caused? Why trust this paper's endorsements when they employ "reporters" who didn't graduate high school?

skoorey said...

The statistics of drop out rate in Fall River are staggering. Those who pursue a higher education leave when they are done. The average educational level of the residents of this city is low.

You have to have the school system to support the industry you choose to focus on. High tech sounds nice, but we do not have the educated work force for those positions. Once again, jobs would come but the employees would be from somewhere else.

Education is the key. Unless Fall River can fix that issue, make school a good thing for people to pursue, I am afraid the city will not come out of its slump.

One way around this, of course, is tourism---creating a service industry sector that does not rely on highly educated or technical skills.

I am sorry if you thought I was insulting people by looking at the education stats for this city.

Skoorey said...

Sorry for the grammatical errors in the post about education. It is early. I am not really that dumb.

Anonymous said...

education was on a rise with dr. fisher so they let him go?????

johnybfallriver said...

I am holding a Cya-cardboard box drive for Bob at Goverment Center today at 5pm feel free to swing by and drop off any cardboard boxes to help Bob pack his stuff in.

shamrock said...

lol

Anonymous said...

Nah, screw him. Let him go to Stop and Shop and ask like the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

You know Bob isn't going to go to Stop and Shop and ask for boxes when he can send one of his drivers/coffee fetchers/umbrella holders instead. He better hurry though, at the rate he is promoting his staff to higher paid positions in city government he won't have any gophers left.

Anonymous said...

Shamrock,

I know your feelings on the mayoral race but any opinions on the city council or school committee results?

I am shocked at how many incumbents were re-elected.

CharlotteDespard

shamrock said...

I am coming to terms with the fact that Fall River will never vote how I want them to vote. This inspires me in a way. While Fall River keeps voting in dumbass incumbents and the underqualified, this puts a heightened responsibility on me, and you, and others to expose their lies and wrongdoings.

I am shocked that a city that is willing to boot a 30 year incumbent reelected all but 1 incumbent. I do give them credit for booting McCoy!

My personal goals for the near future:

1) Shine some light on FROED and Ken Fiola
2) Get rid of health insurance for city councilors
3) Push for open government in Fall River

Anonymous said...

Ok I am with you and educate people on the election process

i.e. not re-electing incumbents on name recogntion alone but what they do on the cc and sc.)

CharlotteDespard