OHHHH FOR THE GOOD OLD DAYS

It seems like just a couple short months ago Hartford Democrats were standing on the steps of City Hall about to break into a flash mob version of "KUMBAYA". Oh for the good old days when Governor Malloy was able to pull together "Team Segarra", to bring about unity for the good of Hartford, calling on Democrats to put their differences aside and join behind Mayor Segarra and Council candidate Shawn Wooden.

All for the good of Hartford, all to make Hartford a better City, it was the right thing to do.

Then on to the Convention and more "Kumbaya". Pedro Segarra pulled off the nomination for Mayor. Shawn Wooden who went into the Convention with a handful of support came out at the end of the night with the majority of the votes of the nominee's. Thank goodness for behind the scenes arm twisting, it worked out well for Wooden.

Sean Arena and rJo Winch were blindsided and Kate Kowalshyn was left spinning wondering what the 1st District politicos had done to her. No female candidates were selected for the endorsed slate, and Kate was left out in the cold to gather signatures. The hope was she would be able to do it, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Even though she would have probably been one of the most sensible Council members to sit on the Council dais in recent history, she was led down the wrong path by the HDTC brain trust from the 1st District.

If only there was a GPS unit available to give Kate correct political directions, she might not have run into the brick wall that ended her chances.

Luckily for the HDTC, Governor Malloy was able to get everyone to see the light and unify behind "Team Segarra". Except for one problem apparently. Governor Malloy came from a town that apparently had political integrity and people that realized "your word is your bond".

Welcome to Hartford politics Governor.

Apparently the Governor's help wasn't enough to ensure Segarra's election. The support of a handful of Republicans apparently was needed to put Team Segarra over the top and the negotiations began to solidify the last living Republicans in Hartford to support the Democrats. Well at least some of the Democrats.

It seems that the Republicans only wanted part of team Segarra and left half of the Council slate on the edge of the playground, not picked for the big game. Sorry Governor, only the best get to be chosen for the Republican Team. Well, not really the best but they already had three "R's" running so they could only allow three more to fill out the Republican row. And since GOP Chair Mike McGrayy ended his sham run for Mayor to open the line for that loyal Republican Pedro Segarra, I mean Democrat Segarra, oh I'm confused, who stands for what anymore.

So anyway, only three "D's" could be on the "R's" line with the Segarra "D" as the Republican "R" ,a choice had to be made. The Mayoral candidate "D" who dropped out of the Mayor's race at the request of the "D" Governor for "D" party unity also was the high vote getter in the "D" primary. So that kind of sealed his fate. Since he was a threat to Mayor Segarra in the Mayoral race (which he dropped out of for party unity) he now was threat to the "D's" operation if he actually could eventually gain the top position as Council President.

Luckily Hartford's version of Jurassic Park, I mean the Hartford Republican Town Committee, was willing to wheel and deal for their survival. The conversation probably went something like this.

Republicans: "Let's cut a deal here. No countertops though, we both already got in trouble for that. We will cross endorse you and fill our line with Democrat's, even though you have doubled Hartford's taxes, increased the budget over $150 million dollars in the last decade, are financially reckless and go against just about everything the GOP stands for, but as you know we are desperate".

Democrats:" We have over 30,000 voters, not to mention 10,000 unaffiliated voters citywide, why would we need your endorsement?"

Republicans: " Because we need to stop the Working Family Party, they are a threat. Look at what they have done already, they knocked out two Republican council seats, they got their own Registrar of Voters who makes both of our Registrars look bad by actually doing her job and earning her salary. We need to stop them, not to mention Brookman, who knows what he is capable of if he ever got inside City Hall, it's bad enough with him working from the outside"

Democrats: "OK, makes sense, but we don't want to include Wooden, we already have it worked out for Council President and he is not part of our plan. Minnie can cut her own deals to get deJesus on and the other guy, what's his name, is on his own. Besides, look at what they are doing in Waterbury with altered test scores, we don't need anyone looking at that here"

Republicans : "Yeah. that's the last thing we want is anyone finding out about this sweet deal until it is too late, by that time we can change all the ordinances we want and no one can do anything, especially since the Mayor is solidly behind this"

And finally the whole scene ends with a 3 Musketeer cheer, "All for one and one for all, off to the polls"

For the actual version of what was supposed to be Democratic Party unity in Hartford, take a look at the video below: