All sides in Brooklyn GOP to blame for their part in horrible performance in 2013 Muni-elections -- even me
Will 2014 be more of the same ? Maybe everybody involved should just go off fishing, instead....
For Kings County Republican Chairman Craig Eaton 2013 was certainly “Annus Horribilis”; on the other hand, Eaton’s most recent main nemesis, State Senator Martin Golden, isn’t running around making any declarations that 2013 was in any way his “Annus Mirabilis”.... It remains to be seen whether either or both of those two are going to be looked upon by the rest of us as “Anus Horribilis” for what they did or didn’t do in 2013. Clearly, 2014 impends with a lot of its promise apparently broken from the start.
Like King Lear, Eaton would be in character soliloquizing about 2013 that he “...is more sinned against than sinning...” Nonetheless, also like Lear, much of the situation in which the Brooklyn party chairman found himself was of his own making — more often resulting from default than mis- or malfeasance (never forget that default does hold fault in its embrace).
For Marty Golden’s part, I’m sure he found himself in the position of Michael Corleone, with Craig’s being so close and so often doing the “Fredo” bit (over and over and over again). Can’t you just picture the Brooklyn GOP State Senator saying something like this to his Brooklyn GOP leader, “[Craig], you're nothing to me now. You're not a brother, you're not a friend. I don't want to know you or what you do. I don't want to see you at [my office or at the Manor], I don't want you near my house....”
Frankly, 2013 was enough of a GOP clusterf- -k that both sides in the kerfuffle should be equally proud. With a handful of exceptions, it was a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. The “Republicans for Change” (Golden’s guys) started the year with all the good cards and won a couple of tricks early, then it was losing hand after losing hand, with the 2013 General Elections for the municipal offices a complete and utter fiasco. The Brooklyn GOP establishment hung on by the skin of their teeth; with the outside possibility that the NYS Courts could take it all away by the end of January 2014. Only one GOP club in Brooklyn clearly improved their place at the table, the LaGuardia Regular Republican Organization, which moved camp from the 49th AD to the 46th with a very well executed primary campaign against the people from the Seergy Club, that earned two State Committee positions and the Executive Vice Chairmanship of the party. Each and every GOP candidate for public office in Brooklyn in 2013 lost — most lost badly. The one who did run the closest, was an RFC candidate for City Council, who should have won the seat and didn’t. For my part, I thought the big play for Hynes' running hard as the GOP-Conservative Party DA candidate was "BRILLIANT !" — I also thought the Giants had a good shot to be the hometown team in the Superbowl this year. So much for all that.
As we close the curtain on 2013, in the wings there are plenty of other characters anxious to jump out onto the stage in the next act, “2014” — they’re all dressed and prepped as Hamlet, Iago, Lady Mac Beth, with a few lesser roles for comic relief. In any case, it sure looks like it’s going to be a super-tragedy to me.
So what’s in store for 2014 ? Right now, I see this as Eaton’s plan going forward, “Every time I put my line in the water I [say] a Hail Mary, and every time I [say] a Hail Mary I [catch] a fish...” And Marty would surely be content responding, “Great, Craig, get into the boat — one of my guys will row you out....” However, since it’s 2014 and it’s Marty who is running for re-election, I think Craig might get to make this last riposte, “No, no ! Why don’t you go fishing instead ? Russell, why don’t you row our friend here out to where the fishes are. By the way, I’m completely neutral as to what happens in the boat, guys.”
The problem the local candidates had was the top of the ticket could not have been worse, and nobody saw it coming.
ReplyDeleteLhota and Hynes were destined to lose 3 to 1, and they did.
What were the brain donors like Quaglione thinking?
If his grand plan was to latch on to a scandal ridden prosecutor who got tossed to the curb by the democrats, than its time to consider bringing Weiner into the fold.
When Quaglione tried to play the race card in the DA's race it was over for him.
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked he got 36%.
Shocked he got up to 36% - OR - shocked he was down to 36% ?
DeleteWhat race card did John Q play ?
Eaton doesn't have to do a damn thing to Golden. Golden will do it to himself.
ReplyDelete2014 lawn sign:
ReplyDeleteAnother Family Ashamed of Marty Golden
If you look at the breakdown from Goldens last race, he did best in areas where they know him the least.
ReplyDeleteAny republican would do well in those same areas.
DeleteThey are the areas where several possible primary opponents have already run and have some name ID.
Why not Eaton?
ReplyDeleteVery clever.... I wonder why I never thought of that ?
DeleteHis record of civic and community involvement puts Gallo to shame. Eaton for Senate!
ReplyDeleteThere are no primary republicans on community boards or other "civic associations."
DeleteGallo would do just fine with his record.
This comment was moved to properly sequence the comments, the comment here was intended to be in direct reply to the earlier comment.
DeleteGalewyn Massey January 1, 2014 at 11:53 AM
Sure there are.... But, nonetheless, sure he would.... At any rate, you do make a good point.
Real down to earth people HATE all the "community activist" types that are on all these boards, committees, councils, associations and occasionally "ad hoc" groups. The man or woman in the street either doesn't know about this stuff at all or sees them all as a bunch of operators and insiders. More important than that, all of them are a relatively small circle of mostly Democrats, about 200 to 300 people, most of whom are members on each others' boards, committees and the rest. Only a handful are "free and independent contractors" the rest are somebody's toadies.
btw, many of the more independent types on these boards, etc., are very much "one issue zealots" who could care less about the GOP, who runs it or runs in it --- they only care if you can do something for their issue group.
This comment was also moved to properly sequence the comments, the comment above was intended to be in direct reply to the earlier comment.
DeleteAnonymous January 1, 2014 at 12:06 PM
Gallo disqualified himself with that crypto-assassin website. The point is to motivate voters, not scare them away.
The Community Boards are a waste of time for anyone looking to campaign for office. Its the same 20 or 30 people that are mostly democrats, and have there own agenda as they were appointed by either Gentile or Markowitz. Not exactly fertile ground for Republican voters.
ReplyDeleteKnow your targeted audience. Its not at a community board meeting
Eaton Has Been And Always Will Be A Wannabe Politician..
ReplyDelete