In true Hartford political style, the old "in the gutter" politics and showmanship are alive and well. If only as much thought and energy was put into making Hartford a truly better place.
I took some more pride in the power of bloggers to make change yesterday. If you recall, last week I had posted and asked the question when was the last time we saw any of our elected officials, the Police Chief or his Command staff or any of our various "Poverty Pimps" on a street corner in a problem area on a Friday or Saturday night.
Well, low and behold last night I was watching the 11:00PM new on Channel 30 when they had a story showing that Mayor Segarra and Chief Roberts and their entourage to create a true media spectacle, had descended on some of those very street corners I had asked about last week. I guess I need to commend them both for their true leadership and coming up with the idea to actually hit the streets to see what goes on.
I might suggest though, Gentlemen, that you are not dealing with stupid people. Even a young man out on a corner with a gun tucked in his pocket, probably doesn't see your visit as really one out of concern for them. The television cameras and the press release probably made it clear that you actions were more self serving for your own tarnished images and an attempt to save your own political lives, rather than the lives of the numerous homicide victims still to come this summer.
And if that isn't enough theatrics, in a city that hardly ever fills empty patrol cars or walk beats when they really should be filled, tonight to complete the Pedro and Daryl Dog and Pony show, HPD is bringing in at least 18 officers on overtime for tonight.
That's not a bad idea, the extra officers might make sense.It probably would have made more sense after homicide number 5 or 6 to start doing something rather than waiting for number 17 to be pronounced dead though.
But while the Mayor's side show was taking place out in the open and on the streets, another Mayoral campaign is forming its own strategies in the dirty political backrooms of Hartford. I can't say for certain 100% that it is the Wooden campaign because I'm sure they won't take credit for it, but last night I got a call from an "800" number, claiming to want me to be part of a political poll.
Now, usually legitimate polls sample between 500 or a 1,000 people through a random sampling of phone calls. The number of people that have called complaining about the poll would seem to indicate that it was more of a mass marketing phone banking scam rather than a legitimate poll.
It is what is called a "push poll" and is meant to instill either a negative image of one candidate while making his opponent look favorable by the way the questions are phrased and asked.
The reason I would think it is Wooden's campaign is because he was the one portrayed in the favorable light, while very negative questions were asked about Segarra, and Vargas and McCauley were quickly mentioned and passed over after the first few questions.
Did you know Shawn Wooden is going to improve education, focus on small business, make Hartford safer and and basically come in as Superman to rescue Hartford. Oh, and another good thing mentioned by the "pollster". he's not been a political insider like Segarra who has "been around too long to be effective" as one of the questions referred.
Did you also know that Segarra moved out of Hartford after not paying taxes, went bankrupt, was "financially reckless" while on the Council, left office as Corporation Counsel in "disgrace" after being forced out by Mayor Mike, he and his "husband" are currently being sued by a City employee, he kept Perez "cronies" in office, including Police Chief Daryl Roberts and finally he fails to take blame for his mistakes.
These are all things you can learn from a "pollster's" questions.
If this is what we have to choose from, the underdogs are looking better every day. The call came from 866-810-9248
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7 comments:
Kevin...the stuff in the push poll are all true.
What a crock of b.s that was last night. They looked and sounded like a couple of idiots when they were spewing rehearsed lines of garbage. It only made them look worse. What is unfortunate about it is that the majority of the residents of Hartford probably don't keep up with this blog and unless they can detect the stench of democrat rhetoric they will be pleased with what they saw last night.
When you think about it, it's really quite amazing but mostly pathetic on the part of DKR and Segarra to take politically strategic advice from the one who probably wants them gone most.
I don't know who's idea it was to have the Mayor and the Chief visit the hot spots in the north end but it was a bad one. A political stubbing of the toe. Everyone knows that DKR is no leader and he sure as hell is not a good Chief. His written score on his Sgt. Exam is exactly what he has done at HPD fail, but because of the bell curve and politics he has made it to the corner office which is why just like the dirty politics going on now Hartford will never emerge as a destination location.
This is for the Mayor why would you do the walk of shame with DKR. Going out onto the community is something DKR should of been doing all along. It's like shutting the barn door after the cows got out. You have seriously hurt your credibility. You could of accomplished a lot more by letting DKR go last July; replacing him with someone who knows how policing works and not cutting funds from an all ready depleted overtime budget. Mistakes that will come back to haunt you in the end.
Kevin should run for mayor but who would put him in his place.
Push polling as a tactic is a bit sleazy and more than a bit cowardly. On the other hand, negative campaigning is ok with me if the issues are relevant and the asserted "facts" are true. I believe, for example, that the Mayor's actions vis a vis the dump bureaucracy were wrong, may be indicative of the Mayor's management and integrity, and are worthy of consideration. Not that I can do anything about it, as non-Dems have nothing to say in the elections that count the most; Dem primaries.
Kevin,
I do not know you personally but read your blog often. I believe that it is easy to write/post these blogs and let people respond to their frustration with city affairs. While I applaud you on keeping us informed, the work is for people like you to get involved in city politics. Instead for spending time on telling us what you did to fight THE MAN or all the wrong there is, get elected to a position and work with US, help us become better people, use your character to win an election and change Hartford forever. I would be more than happy to help your caimpaign if what you say is true about what you believe in. Bring people together as I am a Hispanic and would vote for you. Stop the talk and start kicking ass by working for the common good.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Kevin needs to get into office. He has the intelligence, the political knowledge, the knowledge of Hartford and it's players, but most importantly....he really really cares about his city and neighbors, and that's been quite obvious.
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