Posted by Urban Times News on August 04, 2004 at 14:44:02:

ACTING MAYOR, ACTING FRIEND?

Urban Times News
July 30, 2004 - August 5, 2004

by Dana Osbourne

"He's acting like he's already been elected," said a visitor who had just met with the Acting Mayor Council President, and requested to remain anonymous. "I just met with him, and if he thinks he can just smile in my face and say one thing while doing another, he'll find out! Folks don't forget!"

At first, he quieted citizens with promises of "keeping order" in his actions as an acting mayor, now the president of the City Council has now grown more comfortable with lauding his own leadership and proclaiming his efforts to help Jersey citizens. As the local race for mayor heats up, other members of the City Council are also expected to throw their hat into the ring. Thus far only Councilman at Large Jeremiah Healy and Lou Manzo has announced his intentions to run. As the election year approaches, no perspective candidate is distancing himself from the pack more vigorously than Acting Mayor Council President L. Harvey Smith. In the minds of former Cunningham supporters this may not be the best thing.

While the late Mayor was alive, the Acting Mayor was one of his most vocal opponents. Sources in the Reform Democrat party, the party ticket (led by Cunningham) under which Smith gained his seat on the City Council, point to an early rift in their relationship when Smith was passed over for Cunningham as the party candidate for mayor. As City Council President, this paper and others chronicled how Smith led efforts against many of the programs and policies that were championed by Cunningham. His disdain for Mayor Cunningham was no secret. His disrespect was so strong that Cunningham widow, Sandra Bolden Cunningham, banned Mr. Smith from attending the mayor's funeral. Recent fundraising ads in the Jersey Journal, however, position the Acting Mayor as a "friend to Glenn D. Cunningham". In the minds of most Jersey City residents nothing could be further from the truth.

This publicity approach to reconciliation is rumored to be the brainchild of Acting Mayor Chief of Staff and public relations entrepreneur, Roger Jones. Sources at City Hall described the PR strategy as trying to "ease tensions in Jersey City, and put the past behind us". Such image positioning might be more worthwhile were it not for the present actions of the Acting Mayor: removing the plaque referring to Mayor Cunningham in the newly dedicated Webb Park and replacing it with a plaque featuring his own name for the opening ceremonies; storming voter registration efforts with police officers in order to stop the involvement of young people of color in the democratic process, and deceiving public housing tenants hopeful for a communicative, sympathetic Director at the JCHA, to name a few. And now purporting closeness to his beloved predecessor while everyone remotely close to the Cunningham knows it isn't true.

When Jeremiah Healy announced his candidacy for the mayoral election, several members of the Hudson County Democratic Organization were reported to be there. While the acting mayor has made his intentions known, the Hudson County Democrats have not committed to supporting his candidacy.

During the primary campaign for the congressional seat of the 13th district, Congressman Robert Menendez and Steven Fulop were campaigning at the Grove Street station. They got into a shouting match when the Congressman blurted at Fulop that he should be ashamed, campaigning on the name of a dead man. It meant nothing to the neophyte politician because he and everyone else knew that he ran with the full support of Glenn D. Cunningham. It now sounds like the Congressmen should be talking to the Acting Mayor. If Mr. Jones is the mastermind behind this stroke of bad idea gone worse, let us hope Mr. Smith is not paying a consulting fee. The point of public relations is to change opinions favorably, not raise more doubts in the minds of voters.

Follow Ups:

• Jones should leave the PR to the professionals Jones....just a wannabee 15:43:16 08/04/04 (4)
  • Re: Jones should leave the PR to the professionals Expoze Jonez 21:07:53 08/04/04 (0)
  • Re: Jones should leave the PR to the professionals had enough of bs from harvey 19:52:37 08/04/04 (2)
    • Re: Jones should leave the PR to the professionals The office looks likes dark to me. so, what u takin bout' willis 21:01:40 08/04/04 (0)
    • Re: Jones should leave the PR to the professionals The office looks likes dark to me. so, what u takin bout' willis 21:01:35 08/04/04 (0)

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: ACTING MAYOR, ACTING FRIEND?

: Urban Times News
: July 30, 2004 - August 5, 2004

: by Dana Osbourne

: "He's acting like he's already been elected," said a visitor who had just met with the Acting Mayor Council President, and requested to remain anonymous. "I just met with him, and if he thinks he can just smile in my face and say one thing while doing another, he'll find out! Folks don't forget!"

: At first, he quieted citizens with promises of "keeping order" in his actions as an acting mayor, now the president of the City Council has now grown more comfortable with lauding his own leadership and proclaiming his efforts to help Jersey citizens. As the local race for mayor heats up, other members of the City Council are also expected to throw their hat into the ring. Thus far only Councilman at Large Jeremiah Healy and Lou Manzo has announced his intentions to run. As the election year approaches, no perspective candidate is distancing himself from the pack more vigorously than Acting Mayor Council President L. Harvey Smith. In the minds of former Cunningham supporters this may not be the best thing.

: While the late Mayor was alive, the Acting Mayor was one of his most vocal opponents. Sources in the Reform Democrat party, the party ticket (led by Cunningham) under which Smith gained his seat on the City Council, point to an early rift in their relationship when Smith was passed over for Cunningham as the party candidate for mayor. As City Council President, this paper and others chronicled how Smith led efforts against many of the programs and policies that were championed by Cunningham. His disdain for Mayor Cunningham was no secret. His disrespect was so strong that Cunningham widow, Sandra Bolden Cunningham, banned Mr. Smith from attending the mayor's funeral. Recent fundraising ads in the Jersey Journal, however, position the Acting Mayor as a "friend to Glenn D. Cunningham". In the minds of most Jersey City residents nothing could be further from the truth.

: This publicity approach to reconciliation is rumored to be the brainchild of Acting Mayor Chief of Staff and public relations entrepreneur, Roger Jones. Sources at City Hall described the PR strategy as trying to "ease tensions in Jersey City, and put the past behind us". Such image positioning might be more worthwhile were it not for the present actions of the Acting Mayor: removing the plaque referring to Mayor Cunningham in the newly dedicated Webb Park and replacing it with a plaque featuring his own name for the opening ceremonies; storming voter registration efforts with police officers in order to stop the involvement of young people of color in the democratic process, and deceiving public housing tenants hopeful for a communicative, sympathetic Director at the JCHA, to name a few. And now purporting closeness to his beloved predecessor while everyone remotely close to the Cunningham knows it isn't true.

: When Jeremiah Healy announced his candidacy for the mayoral election, several members of the Hudson County Democratic Organization were reported to be there. While the acting mayor has made his intentions known, the Hudson County Democrats have not committed to supporting his candidacy.

: During the primary campaign for the congressional seat of the 13th district, Congressman Robert Menendez and Steven Fulop were campaigning at the Grove Street station. They got into a shouting match when the Congressman blurted at Fulop that he should be ashamed, campaigning on the name of a dead man. It meant nothing to the neophyte politician because he and everyone else knew that he ran with the full support of Glenn D. Cunningham. It now sounds like the Congressmen should be talking to the Acting Mayor. If Mr. Jones is the mastermind behind this stroke of bad idea gone worse, let us hope Mr. Smith is not paying a consulting fee. The point of public relations is to change opinions favorably, not raise more doubts in the minds of voters.


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