Councilor Adrian Mapp and his wife Amelia will open their home to a 'Potluck Party' hosted by the New Democrats in celebration of the upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States.
Attendees are asked to bring party food and beverages to share as they mix and mingle with new friends and old at this momentous occasion in our country's history and in anticipation of a new year of exciting and positive change.
Obama Celebration Party
Saturday
January 17, 2009
7:00 PM
At the home of Councilor and Mrs.Adrian Mapp
535 West 8th Street, Plainfield
Saturday
January 17, 2009
7:00 PM
At the home of Councilor and Mrs.Adrian Mapp
535 West 8th Street, Plainfield
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5 comments:
Bill, With all due respect, I think the people of Plainfield, of whatever political persuasion, are looking forward to celebrating this momentous occasion.
The idea of such a 'potluck' party came from other people. I personally asked the Mapps if they would open their home, to which they graciously consented.
Incidentally, Assemblyman Green, who did NOT support Barack Obama during the NJ Presidential Primary, when it was really important, is hosting a fundraiser for himself at Snuffy's on Inauguration Day and trying to bask in the reflected light of the Obama victory.
You tell me who is grandstanding.
Dan,
I didn't know that you allowed what used to be known as "curse words" on the blog comments. I am equally surprised that Mr. Hetfield, whom I used to respect, would use such language, which is completely uncalled for. There are many inauguration parties going on around town, and I, for one, will be attending the one that Mapp is hosting. I have many questions to ask him about what he is going to do while he is on the council, and I plan to ask him my questions. I think a free potluck open to the community is preferable to a paid event with money going in to Green's election campaign so that he can continue to degrade Plainfield. To Mr. Hetfield, it's a free country, so stay home and sulk.
I agree that the people of Plainfield are looking forward to celebrating this momentous occasion. You have always seemed to be fairly evenhanded in promoting events of all kinds in this City.
I also want to note that it IS gracious for the Mapps to open up their home. You can disagree with the policies and politicians they support and still recognize that they have a long record of positive civic engagement.
I do however disagree with your characterization of the local presidential campaign. I for one think that supporting President-Elect Obama in the general election was just as important as supporting him in the primary, if not moreso. Senator Obama won the Democratic nomination despite losing New Jersey on Super Tuesday.
But, if you were to look back at the course of the general election, New Jersey was reasonably close during the entire campaign. The support which Senator Obama received from places like Plainfield was crucial to winning its electoral votes. Plainfield's general election effort and turnout were applauded all over the State.
I also wish to take note of the fact that although Mr. Mapp and other New Democrats may have supported Senator Obama in the primary, they did not fully participate in his general election campaign locally. Assemblyman Green, Councilman Burney, and Mr. Charles Eke led this effort with the support of many, many others who gave freely of their time, money, and effort.
I find the New Democrats' lack of participation in this effort especially troubling. Two of their leaders were part of the official Democratic line and the local Obama campaign helped to get them elected. The local campaign supported the whole ticket, including Councilman Mapp and Councilwoman McWilliams. It is unfair that they would repay that support by only supporting themselves and Senator Obama.
Did the New Democrats' personal feelings regarding those running the campaign cause them not to participate? If this was the reason, their conduct this fall is unbecoming of those who wish to lead the Queen City.
Finally, I don't believe that ANYONE intends to granstand. All those who supported Obama are eleated at his inauguration. It is good for this City's civic leaders to provide places for the people of Plainfield to celebrate such a happy occasion. This is true whether they do so at their homes or at Snuffy's, and whether they participated in a primary or general election campaign.
This moment is larger for this City, State, and Nation than our petty differences.
-Publius
Publius is wrong about New Democrats not supporting the whole ticket. As a New Democrat, I made plenty of calls at local headquarters along with a lot of of New Democrats. We worked very hard and even made calls for our our assemblywoman Linda Stender to be elected as the only Democratic congresswoman from the state, which she was unsuccessful in doing. I live in the first ward, and made many many calls on behalf of my Councilman Reid. I don't like the idea of characterizing all the New Democrats based on the "perceived" lack of support of a few. We could talk about Green not supporting McWilliams and Mapp in the wake of his primary loss too, and all the negative comments he made and continues to make about them, especially at the senior center and other events which I am a witness to. It doesn't matter now, we have a new president, Obama, and I am thankful to God that I was able to live to see it.
The last anonymous comment was right that some New Democrats did participate in the general campaign. My comments may have been too broad, and for that I apologize. Everyone's efforts should be applauded based on their own individual participation rather than their political opinions on local matters. However, I do stand by my earlier comments that the lack of participation by that organization's leaders, especially those on the ballot, was dissapointing.
-Publius
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