Burney was Green's hand-picked candidate in the Primary.
Those who wonder just how low Plainfield Democratic city committee chair Assemblyman Jerry Green can go need look no farther than his 'Post-campaign Thoughts' post of Wednesday (see here).
Less than twenty-four hours after the polls closed, Jerry declares that Burney, his personal pick for the Wards 2/3 at-large candidacy, did not have the support of many regular Democrats who felt he [Burney] had not been supportive of them in the past. Here are Jerry's exact words --
...[i]n fact, Rashid most likely would have won [had Don Davis not run]. Many of my supporters would not support him because he is a New Democrat and they felt he was not committed. They said other than his commitment to the Obama effort; they felt his support for the Democratic Party was very soft.Decent folks will feel sorry over the fate that has befallen Rashid.
Taking this all into consideration, along with the fact that the Regular Democratic Party were not impressed with any of those running in the primary, there was a low turnout, just ask our neighbors in 3-10 and 2-11. I respect the fact that Rebecca Williams has won the Democratic primary, and I have to accept the fact that many of my supporters could not bring themselves to support a candidate that they felt has not been supportive of them in the past. [Emphasis added -- DD]
Whether or not one sees eye to eye with Rashid, he has been loyal to Assemblyman Green for the last five years (since the 2005 primary election) and must have swallowed his convictions more than once to support (or at least not oppose) initiatives the Assemblyman wanted to see move forward. He certainly deserves better than this for having been, in Jerry's favorite phrase, a 'team player'.
Now, with a slur on his Democratic bona fides, Green has essentially banished Burney from the regular Democratic organization.
That is a sad commentary on the 'democracy' of the local Democratic Party, but such is life under the ham-fisted leadership of 'Boss' Green.
Of course, it will not be lost on readers that Jerry is probably writing with an eye to one potential reader -- County Dem chair Charlotte DeFilippo, to whom he must once again admit (and justify) yet another drubbing at the polls.
- Jerry Green's Page: "Post-campaign Thoughts"
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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15 comments:
Unbelievable.
Time for Jerry to find his own pasture. His incoherent musings on his blog are only a microcosm of how he operates. He's the only constant in Plainfield government for the past 20+ years, and it doesn't take a political genius to say that the outcome has been very counter-productive.
This City would NOT be in the shape it's in now, on many levels, if more people who were really in it for the people of this town, and for not some other motive to please the hierarchy, could step forward and govern. With his approach, that can't and doesn't happen, but fortunately we're seeing his approach unravel.
Let's make sure it completely unravels in November!!!
Believable.
You said "BOSS"....that bothers Jerry.
Anybody who wouldn't see themselves as potential cannon fodder for Chancellor Green would seriously have to be ignorant. Exactly why I wouldn't vote for Mr. Burney was his refusal, absolute REFUSAL to publicly call out that hot mess of a Mayor and Jerry Green out on their self serving pathetic antics they play on a daily basis.
And per BOSS GREEN..a bit of advice, the tighter the grip the more that slip between your fingers...power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Since people are forever and terribly forgiving in politics in NJ, might I suggest you start reigning in your Mayor with a few good swats to her nose with the newspaper and seriously start LEADING instead of RULING.
AMAZING!!! NO DIFFERENT THAN SATURATING THE ELECTION WITH CANDIDATES DURING THE LAST MAYOR'S ELECTION.
HOW SELF SERVING CAN ON GET...
I believe this election, as was the election of Robinson-Briggs, a testiment to how reviled our local democrates are. Mr. Burney did serve with distinction on the City Council, but lost because of his affilitation with Assemblyman Green. We are coming to a point were we will see an end to the democrates who have used and abused us as well as their positions. The writing is on the wall for all of the old-school democrates in this state and in Plainfield.
7:54 AM is all the evidence one needs that some people only read the headlines. How about the New Dems throwing Rashid under a ten-ton truck because he showed he was willing to work with anybody, even Assemblyman Green, in the interests of the Plainfield community? I guess for many New Dems, including Dan, that's an unpardonable sin.
I agree Dan. Jerry Green is a political Bully and, like all Bullies, a coward. The Bully will continue to bully until those being bullied fight back which renders the Bully powerless. Not standing by Rashid is a classic example. He tried to bully voters to vote for Rashid, the voters 'fought back' by voting for Rebecca and Jerry is now scurrying away like a coward versus showing class and character by standing by Rashid even in defeat.
Additionally, Jerry's statement that he NOW realizes that a lot of HIS own supporters could not vote for Rashid because they felt Rashid had not been supportive of them or the Democratic Party is laughable and insulting to voter intelligence. What Jerry doesn't realize is that he just admitted that he is not in touch; even with HIS OWN supporters. Why didn't he know this sentiment, among his own supporters, BEFORE the primary election? I think they call it doing due diligence before making decisions; in this case, doing his homework before deciding which candidate to support.
Lastly, the arrogance and narcissism of this man is beyond belief for implying that if Don Davis had not run, Rashid would've won; as is if Jerry can predict how a voter will vote. A classic example of God complex if I ever saw one.
Reminds me of a parable:
A boy climbed a high mountain. It was cold up there. At his feet he saw a snake. The snake was cold and pleaded with the young man to pick it up and take it down where it was warmer.
The boy listened to the enticings of the serpent. He gave in. He gathered it up into his arms and covered it with his shirt. He carried it down the mountain to where it was warm. He gently put it on the grass. When the snake was warm it raised its head and struck the boy with its poisonous fangs.
The boy cursed at the snake for striking him as an answer to his kindness. The snake replied, "You knew what I was when you picked me up"
Hmmmm.....
What do the "old folks" say,"If you lay with dogs, you get up with fleas." There is always a price if one consents to being the Assemblyperson, hand-picked (read controlled)person. Look at the Mayor!
M. A. Lewis
Sorry 7:54AM - this is very BELIEVABLE!
This is Jerry Green! Soon he will be "making nice" with Rebecca. Mark my words.
Jerry GREEN is true to his name . . . Slimey . . .
I enjoy the post-campaign analysis devoid of math logic. How can you blame the third candidate, who won less votes than the margin of victory?
One problem, Jerry keeps winning with the 1 and 4 ward votes.
Adrian lost the mayoral election. In my opinion, the most imporatant one. Rebecca will be a good councilperson, and I am sure will vote in many respects the way Rashid did. In order to get things done, you must work as a team, and that means compromise. Rebecca knows that.
But we needed a leader for the city. Adrian would have made a tremendous difference.
Until we can educate the 1 and 4 wards about Jerry's unconscionable behaviour, there will be no change.
You say wards 1 & 4 voters need "educating" about Assemblyman Green--I guess you're voting for open class warfare in Plainfield? Oh, sorry, that's what we already have, isn't it--the haves versus the have-nots. Keep trying, "haves"--some day we'll have a beautiful downtown just like Westfield. Or haven't you noticed how many empty stores Westfield has now.
Rashid is the one official in this town who always voted his conscience - he always voted for the best interest of Plainfield. Sometimes that meant he voted with Jerry or the Administration - sometimes it meant he voted against them. He is also the hardest working member of the Council - doing his homework so he could make the right decisions. He is also the most responsive councilman with respect to his constituents, returning phone calls, following up. What he is not is a rubber stamp for his team. Therefore, even though Jerry supported him, Team Jerry never rallied around Rashid the way Team Rebecca rallied around her. Also, they didn't rally around him because he had been a New Dem. That's what Jerry was saying. He didn't throw Rashid under the bus. You perceive it that way because, in your world, the underside of a the bus is the only proper place for one who thinks and acts outside the "Us vs. Them" paradigm that you and the rest of this town operate under.
So Rashid got beat. Now we'll have Rebecca, the "Charlotte of the New Dems," fighting it out with Jerry and Sharon for control of the Plainfield turf. No compromise - no one to work the middle. Let the negative mailers and blog posts like this one run rampant.
Plainfield, you had the best public official you've had in years. The 800 of you who voted for Rebecca and the rest of you who stayed home have ejected him. The People have spoken. Good luck to the People.
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