Joe Blinked

Why? (0.00 / 0)

You seem knowledgeable.  Would you please explain all this to me?  Weinberg rejected this guy's support the first time, so why is she accepting his support now?

Last month:

She's accused by her party of illegal and unethical behavior and will face a party-backed opponent in the June primary.

This month:

"If we had a rabbi, one of us would be stepping on the glass right now," Ferriero said, referring to his newfound union with the Teaneck senator.

Her response?

"Cinderella did come to the ball finally."

Can someone please explain to me what is going on?

---

by: Moxie Sebright @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 01:05:17 AM UTC

what's going on (0.00 / 0)

Last time, Ferriero wouldn't support the Assembly candidates. This time, he's supporting the whole slate. Big difference, no?

---

by: Juan Melli @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 01:31:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

"The Whole Slate" (0.00 / 0)

I was under the impression that only the Senator and Assemblypersons were moving over to the Ferriero column while the rest of the "Real Bergen Democrats" were being left behind.

If Ferriero's org is supporting/funding the whole slate, great. 

But, if it's only the three legislators, what happens to everybody else (candidates for Sheriff, Council, Mayor, Freeholder, etc)?

---

by: Moxie Sebright @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 04:02:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

really? (0.00 / 0)

Where did you hear that? I'm not sure they can switch columns now. They've already filed. I don't think anyone is switching from any column, but I could be wrong.

---

by: Juan Melli @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 04:08:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

You know what they say about assuming... (0.00 / 0)

I assumed that's what this meant: that the challengers' names are getting replaced with the legislators' names on the official line.  But, I wasn't really sure, which is why I'm asking.  Sorry if it seems obvious -- I'm a newbie.

---

by: Moxie Sebright @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 04:58:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Intriguing (0.00 / 0)

Looks like I'm not the only one who got this impression.

Can someone please clarify this?

---

by: Moxie Sebright @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 05:05:44 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Juan is correct (0.00 / 0)

Loretta had to run off the line to keep Valerie and Gordon on the team.  Joe wanted to give the slot to Zisa and let Valerie and Gordon make a comeback in some other year.  Not a very nice thing to do to two popular incumbent Assembly members. 

Our current incumbents won about 75% in the general election and when Joe saw the writing on the wall - or the votes on the blog, the Wildes, Zisa team realized they would lose the Primary.  In a landslide.  Quite embarrassing to our Bergen County Democratic Chairman.  If they went all the way to the Primary. If Ferriero's hand-picked candidates had lost this Primary he would have shown that he is redundant. And so Joe is taking his lumps now so he doesn't have to take them in June.  He knows he needs the Senator even if she doesn't necessarily need him.

From the press conference, it would appear that this truce was called about by other Dems in our state like the Governor, who want this rift healed to proceed with the Presidential campaigning season where NJ will finally not just be an ATM.  The party-line so to speak is that Wildes, Zisa and Wilson simply withdrew from the race to save resources - apparently for the 39th and 40th districts.  They're so swell.  But the fact is, in the 37th, the General election for Senate is usually the Dems to lose.  Ferriero may not want to waste Wildes' money on a Primary he will lose.  He needs it elsewhere. 
There was no real opposition to Senator Weinberg last time.  The Independent candidate got more votes than the Republican running.  I think Senator Weinberg was being gracious enough to show up at their concession speech.  She didn't have to do anything.  Ferriero appeared to be burying the hatchet, but I have learned from experience - things are hardly ever what they appear to be.  My actual first thought when this all went down was - so NOW what is Joe up to?  Tonite, I still have a few hairs on the back of my neck sticking straight up. Time will tell, but I'll try to keep you all posted. 

BTW, The Cinderella remark made by Loretta was based on the fact that last time Ferriero held a press conference to say he supported Loretta, he didn't invite her.  From her friends on her birthday, the Senator was given a glass slipper with "Joe's Cinderella" engraved on it because it was as if she was Cinderella - not even invited to her own ball. 

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

---

by: carolh @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 03:38:47 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks (0.00 / 0)

Thanks for the detailed reply.  I think this sentence is what confuses me:

He knows he needs the Senator even if she doesn't necessarily need him.

If she doesn't need him and she was going to win anyways, why did she help him save face?

---

by: Moxie Sebright @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 04:06:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

The opposition simply withdrew (0.00 / 0)

Wildes and Zisa conceded defeat before the election.  Simple. The Senator was asked nicely by the Governor to be present at the press conference.  She obliged. 

As BCDO Chairman, Ferriero has the ability to put WHOEVER he wants on the BCDO line.  He was having second thoughts about it being Wildes, who he never liked anyway.  Who knows who Joe will put on what line.  He ALWAYS keeps us guessing that way.  Last year, he waited less than two weeks before the Primary to stick me on Column 4 for County Committee and Column 2 for Council.  I won both seats, but that's just what he does.  He's arbitrary and capricious that way.

Don't worry about the line so much this year.  We have to educate our districts who the candidates are and why they should not just vote straight down a ticket - ever.  We were planning on doing that anyway.  It is the only way to elect responsible folks to the County Committee.  We had to get that point across to the electorate in NJ to end pay-to-play in every town - especially Bergenfield this year. 

 

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

---

by: carolh @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 11:53:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

"As BCDO Chairman..." (0.00 / 0)

As BCDO Chairman, Ferriero has the ability to put WHOEVER he wants on the BCDO line.

That's the literal truth, although technically there is a little thing called a vote of the District 37 County Committee members.  It's kind of funny that nobody is even attempting to put forward the notion that it's a democratic process.  All that's needed is che Chairman's say-so. 

---

by: Bill W @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 13:10:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Precisely. n/t (0.00 / 0)

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

---

by: carolh @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 13:16:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

yes why not win in june (0.00 / 0)

thats what we all want to know. Why just walk away from all the people who you tricked into standing with you. All I can say is it will be funny when the clock strikes  12 and Joe has her holding that slipper one more time we will see what this show was about. If you think that the bcdo cares about anything else but the bcdo the maybe you help the voters of the 37th by stopping them of making the mistake of electing you.

---

by: truth hurts @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 05:11:00 AM UTC

You never know (0.00 / 0)

who will turn back into a pumpkin, or a rat.......

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

---

by: carolh @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 11:54:57 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

And you are angry at me - why exactly? (0.00 / 0)

When we stuck to our support of Senator Weinberg in 2005 for a month, some were angry that we were sore losers, but we were right and we prevailed.  When we fought to get our votes counted at the Huttle, Wildes special election, although we had to get a little unruly, we prevailed yet again.  When we were put on Column 4 for being uppity and wanting our voices heard he tried to eliminate us with his off-the-line trick.  Loretta Weinberg helped us spread the word that we were elsewhere on the ballot.  We again prevailed, with the Senator's help and retained our county committee seats.  When we protested the Bylaws vote but still voted some thought we were crazy for legitimizing the process.  But we were right again, and we won the vote.  Then some thought we were traitors for running off the line.  We were accused of "insulting" the Bergen County rank and file Dems.  But we were right - we made the Chairman cry "uncle", swallow his pride, and realize he was not as powerful as he thought.  Some were angry at us, but we know Joe better than he seems to.  We won that fight to run off the BCDO line on principle - some did not understand when we proposed it but it was our best option to call attention to the tainted process of coronation that exists in the Bergen County Democratic process.  Yesterday was proof of that.  And you are mad at Senator Weinberg and me - why exactly? 

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

---

by: carolh @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 13:31:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wounded lions (0.00 / 0)

Old African proverb: "Never leave a wounded lion in the jungle." Even Boss Joe may not realize the extent of his injuries, but we should. As Carol points out, there is a gathering storm for his ouster. When Bob Gulack opposed him in the '06 reorganization convention, he got 10% of the vote. On January 31, we got our first victory with one-third-plus of the vote, enough to defeat a move that required two-thirds plus one. He's wounded, but he's in place. We need to pursue him relentlessly.

Peter Zenger

---

by: Peter Zenger @ Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 20:50:21 PM UTC

Be careful what you wish for (0.00 / 0)

You aught to think twice before calling for Joe's ouster.  Much like revolutionaries who kill all the technicians and then sit in the dark when no one understands how to operate the equipment, those who see nothing but evil in the present organization should not forget that before Ferriero, Democrats might have had some idealogical fun, but we had no one in office.  For all his perceived faults, one can hardly contest that Joe's organizational and fundraising abilities turned Democrats from also-rans to winners in Bergen County.  I read post after post accusing the BCDO of undemocratic behavior, but I have yet to read how the new guard will provide for electricity and hot water when "comes the revolution."

---

by: Bergendem @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 21:53:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

ooh scary (0.00 / 0)

I read post after post sweeping Ferriero's undemocratic, corrupt behavior under the rug simply because he's been successful. That's all we can expect from leaders? Success at any cost? Almost every time, those people hide behind a pseudonym. I wonder if they're ashamed to publicly associate themselves with that kind of behavior.

---

by: Juan Melli @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 22:12:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]