Thoughts On The Coons/Gordon NCCo Executive Race
(The following is my opinion on the state of play of this race.)
Mike Matthews from DWA liveblogged the last debate from the Widener Law School that I also attended with one of my neighbors. I took a lot of notes from that debate, mainly to be able to recount here what happened – the differences on issues and direction for the County that I expected to be discussed. As I kept looking over these notes (and in trying to recover from a bad head cold), it seemed awfully clear that issues and direction was certainly no where to be found in this debate. And, for at least one candidate, issues and future direction were not even on the agenda for the debate.
Taking this debate plus the WHYY debate together, it seems clear to me that this entire campaign is just personal for Tom Gordon. He doesn’t want to answer any questions about the direction he wants the County to go in, he doesn’t want to answer any questions about how he will fund and accommodate the promises he seems to have made to his supporters, and he doesn’t want to answer any questions about any of his past behavior or connections. And Gordon certainly doesn’t answer – not in public anyway – any questions put to him by the press about what he wants to do for the County.
What Gordon does appear to want to do is get some revenge or payback on Chris Coons. Personally. And he does this in Karl Rove/Lee Atwater style – he just makes whatever accusations or insinuations he wants, knowing full well that that no one besides Coons himself will ask him to back up what is said. To be fair, both Allan Loudell and his WDEL counterpart worked to redirect Gordon on a couple of occasions to focus on the questions being asked. Gordon, however, used each question to just launch off new attacks on Coons, often demonstrating to me that there were real gaps in his knowledge (like the difference between surplus and reserves). Any information that Gordon had about the current state of the County government seems to come from some unnamed County workers or insiders(who Gordon spends a great deal of time surveying) who are impossible to fact check, accompanied by the occasional insinuation of some latent current administration scandals that the listener could discover if only that listener could had Gordon’s access to the whisperers. And doesn’t that seem awfully convenient? That for the last four years folks with inside info on County issues would have never spoken on the QT to the WNJ — just to Tom Gordon.
I think that someone who wants a second chance at public office after a very public disgrace that made it to the courts would want to return to that office full of positive vision for the future, with a clear direction for the County that provides broad assurances that not only have past painful lessons have been learned, but that avoiding these spectacular management errors are key to the current vision. You’d also think that someone whose engagement with the Federal prosecutors was brought to an end by only the luck of drawing a lazy judge would come back before voters with some humility. Gordon’s campaign strategy is not about governing the County, it is about destroying Chris Coons, which is an utterly tone deaf strategy for a candidate who desperately needs to restore his credibility among the voters. (Speaking of which, why was Gordon campaigning with Paul Clark in Wilmington on Friday and Sunday? I wonder what his supporters think about that.) Unfortunately, his campaign is an appeal to his loyal and aggrieved compatriots, the kind of campaign like those routinely run by Marion Barry back in the day. And we all know how credible and effective Mr. Barry was when he came back from political exile. New Castle County voters should spare themselves the political pain and ridicule of living with this walking and talking conspiracy machine – tell Mr. Gordon to back up his charges or come back to office when he can. Given the challenges of leading the County in the next 4 years, it makes no sense to trust in someone whose only demonstrated rationale for governing is revenge.
Tags: NCC County Exec
Just look at the record folks Tom no increase in taxes for 8 years good libraries and parks a surplus. Coons raise taxes and fees more than once squandered the surplus gee this guy is a lot like Bush. But the reason dem’s keep loosing is because they forget which folks gave them success like the Clinton’s put his 8 years up against Bush. and put Tom’s 8 up against Coons 4 years. It doesn’t take brains to figure out who knew how to run the county and the country.
TT, with all due respect, blah, blah, blah.
That was then, this is now. That was before he allowed his assistant to treat the county like a trough.
Sorry, but Tom Gordon’s behavior in the past is exactly what this county doesn’t need. I know that you like him, but when I see him, I feel the need to shower.
Cassandra….I am perplexed as to why you wrote a totally bias one sided post. I heard the debate on radio (live) and I heard Mr. Coons doing an equal amount of tap dancing as you heard Mr. Gordon doing.
If you want to throw your support to Coons and his Goons that’s one thing but to use the debate as a jumping off point is disingenuous. I am, for one , disappointed to see you writing such tripe.
P.S. Your homework assignments, if you choose to accept, is to investigate the the pension plan that was supposed to attract more police officers and instead gave Guy Sapp a sweetheart pension deal that your kids will probably be paying as NCC adults.
Also, investigate the +20% tax increases to hire more police officers which never materialized.
In addition, as a city resident I pay $124.98 in county taxes (city: $96.03) each month. Please give me some idea what Mr. Coons has done for me and other city residents.
Thank you for your time and prompt attention to this matter.
I plan to vote for Mr. Gordon based on Truth Tellers comments and my own observations of the candidates and the race.
Sorry TT. Part of that record was huge giveaways to staff and organizations that were unsustainable, certainly not sustainable as the economy sours all over.
Gordon is making financial promises to folks now — where will the money come from? This is financial smoke and mirrors much like the BushCo policy.
Funny hearing from Tommy G’s hard core, all reading from the same talking points.
Gotta beat Clark, too, an accident waiting to happen.
If you read my post, you would note that I was in the audience for the Friday debate, so I heard it not only live, but in person too.
So it is stuff like this that is just unbelievable:
P.S. Your homework assignments, if you choose to accept, is to investigate the the pension plan that was supposed to attract more police officers and instead gave Guy Sapp a sweetheart pension deal that your kids will probably be paying as NCC adults.
So if people like Gordon and From where I sit have real incriminating information here, you should just lay it out so people can judge your accusations with all of the data, not just by snide insinuations. None of us are going to have access to NCCo pension data. And if you have this incriminating data and won’t post it yourself, send it to me at cassandra_m at delawareliberal.net and I will post it in complete confidence.
And if you can’t stand and deliver on these non-stop accusations, then peddle this stuff elsewhere.
This race cracks me up . . . actually what cracks me up is that there are people who still support Gordon. Two words: Gordon-Freebery.
“Gordon is making financial promises to folks now — where will the money come from?
Kinda sounds like Obama.
Look he was a victim of a BUSHIE AG and you folks bought it. That’s one reason you guys buy all the Repuk puma bullshit on the Clinton’s. Tommy produced and Coons didn’t that a fact. No wounder we loose elections to the likes of Bush you guys swallow the repuk kool Aid. And you call yourselves dem’s most of you are registered independents because you feel it’s a yuppie thing get real.
“Gordon is making financial promises to folks now — where will the money come from? This is financial smoke and mirrors much like the BushCo policy.”
This? From a Markell supporter?
Yo, TT, no one here is buying any PUMA bullshit here, so don’t be in here making stuff up. You won’t even address the real questions or issues here — just like your favored candidate. No one here can afford to live in the past.
The only reason Gordon is running is because he is completely unemployable. He wants back in to the easy life.
Cassandra
it’s you and your ilk that has swallowed the repuk Puma bullshit and are to dumb to know it read some of your post after your guy won you couldn’t let go of your hatred for Hillary who by the way has done more for women’s rights than anyone in this blog with the exception of myself,however we won’t go into that now.
if obama looses this race it will be because of folks like yourself who have done everything in their power spouting the repuk line against Hillary. So grow up and support you party and those who have made life better for all of us. Or keep your head in the sand and drink the Repuk Kool Aid.
“Look he was a victim of a BUSHIE AG and you folks bought it.”
Rather than having me repeat the fact that TT, unlike those making the anti-Gordon points, is an on-screen alias (and that s/he has the same inability to spell “lose” that Liz Allen, another Gordon supporter, routinely displays), let’s examine this bullcrap claim (which is another one Liz Allen routinely makes, complete with the oh-so-mature “Repuke” label).
In the real world, as opposed to Tom Gordon’s pathological-liar-based fantasy, Colm Connolly’s name was on the list of targeted U.S. Attorneys. Gordon supporters — oh, let’s go ahead and acknowledge they get all their information from the fevered brain of Tommy Boy himself — claim this shows that he was motivated to “get a Democrat” to get his name off the list.
There’s a huge fact that gets in the way of this fantasy: Connolly only knew his name was on the list AFTER THE SCANDAL. He was never told, “Get a Democrat or you’re done.” We don’t know why he was one of four or five who were spared.
But let’s examine how he might have gotten on that list. One of the first Washington insiders Tom Gordon turned to was Joe di Genova, a former Delaware Catholic school guy, just like Gordon, Biden, U.S. District Court Judge Joe Farnan — the whole stinking lot of Wilmington and NCCo’s Irish Mafia gang.
Now pay attention (especially you, Liz; I know how feeble your reading comprehension skills are): DiGenova is married to Victoria Toensing, one of the sleaziest, least talented survivors of the Reagan Justice Dept. When her legal “talents,” such as they are, stopped paying off, she got into the pundit game as a go-to gal during the Clinton scandals. She’s not inside enough to have had a hand in the BushCo assault on the Constitution, but again served as a go-to gal for the media (albeit little beyond Faux News this time) for legal justification for the rape of the Constitution.
Why turn to diGenova/Toensing? Think about it. She has ties to lots of Republican Justice Dept. types. Democrats like Gordon’s patron, Joe Biden, had no pull in the Bush administration, but Toensing did. And Gordon was trying to pull strings in Washington to have these charges dismissed. So, lo and behold, Connolly’s name lands on the endangered list.
If there were any political games played in the Gordon prosecution, they were played by Gordon, who was desperate to have the charges dismissed so that he wouldn’t have to acknowledge that he spent AT LEAST $300,000 in taxpayer money seeking to cover up his affair with his chief aide.
Stick that Truth in your pipe, Ms. Teller. Your last paragraph above showed your true colors: You’re just another angry bully, just like your hero, Tom Gordon.
Tell us, since your nose is so far up his butt, exactly what do his farts smell like?
As for you, Liz, that’s the sort of Republican you have climbed into political bed with: Victoria Freaking Toensing. Look her up, moron, since I doubt she made the overseas satellite news.
Progressive my ass. You’re an unhinged clown without either a brain or an original idea in your perpetually open-mouthed head.
Once again Al you show your stupidity It appears that you favorite pass time is FART SMELLING I BET YOU GIVE GREAT RIM JOBS ALSO. However since it appears that you are unable of an Honest discussion and must rely on childish insults I thought I would stoop to your level for a moment. But will pull myself out of the gutter because i can’t stand your company. So if I offended anyone else on this Blog I am sorry
TT — you can’t come in here with revisionist bullshit and pretend that somehow answers the questions I’ve posed and re-posed. Address the questions or pipe down.
And Al, TT is NOT Liz. He may be surprised to know that we know who he is, but he is not Liz.
Right, TT. Ignore the entire post and focus on the insult. Just like your hero again.
Cass: I don’t care whether or not he’s Liz. I was simply making the point that he’s just as crude, stupid and truth-challenged as she is. It’s no big wonder why they both would support as big a coward and liar as Tom Gordon.
Cass- your summary is right on the money!
When Tom Gordon talks he reminds me of Dustin Hoffman’s character in Dick Tracy…..and his literature is down right scary–nice picture!
Sorry Tom–back to obscurity for you in two weeks….
Al Masscitti: you are so feverishly focused on everything I say or write, you now associate others words as coming from me. You are a loose cannon and you have much to fear as you worked for the News Journal when some say the “documents were leaked from Colm Connoly”. Now you want to associate democrats like Biden as being a Gordon supporter?Where is your proof of what you say, or do you think “your saying is all the proof anyone needs”.
Fact is you have no real facts except those delivered to you by Connoly. Why did the courts throw all the crap out Al? If there was any validity to any of it, they would have convicted him, they didn’t.
By you feel obligated to make allegations and posit as facts, after the court ruled. Don’t believe in the American justice system Al?
I will support any candidate I choose too, that is my right. You support yours its a personal decision. I know many things I wish I could post here, but can’t for many reasons. If you feel so compelled to get at the truth, why are you not asking some questions of the county workers who are being threatened.
There is one thing I know for sure. I would rather have Tom Gordon as County Ex. than Chris Coons who uses the democrat party and their goon squad to threaten workers. Tom Gordon didnt have an affair with Freeberry that was another “link” the News Journal made in their throwing every piece of crap they could find against him.
You tell all of us, why the county cops, fireman and others are so heavily supporting Gordon, not Coons. Why Al, Why? Could it be that you are simply wrong on some of your points, or are you simply “never wrong”.
Tell us why when 80 volunteers who were not organized by the Gordon campaign, but showed up on their own did so? Why did Paoli photograph those people and then threaten them? Al, isn’t it true you have no real inside information on anything, your trip from WDEL to Hockessin is about as far you go. You are not involved in these campaigns, are not working behind the scenes and simply know nothing but feel absolutely free to assault, insult based on your personal opinions?
Idon’t respect you Al, I don’t give a damn what you think, get it!
Pointing out that TT was not Liz wasn’t meant to be a criticism — Liz, et al have enough to answer for without adding another sockpuppet to the list.
Thank you Gharmon. I want to hear why Gordon, the so-called defender of NCCo land-use with its greatest enabler of lax land-use code.
You tell all of us, why the county cops, fireman and others are so heavily supporting Gordon, not Coons.
The 2 county employees I’ve spoken to who support Gordon are convinced that Gordon will give them larger raises without having to increase contributions to health care. And how does that get paid for?
Cassandra: got any proof or evidence that Gordon is promising money to anyone! Don’t tell me that you are gonna throw out that garbage without proof…damn your starting to sound like Maschete….throw out stuff…where is you evidence. The ball is in your court, can’t substantiate it or can you. Lets hear your “proof”?
I gave you as much proof as you or Gordon give to anyone — how do you know that the police, fireman are supporting Gordon heavily? Proof please. This guy Gordon is saying anything to get votes. The two county employees (on a cop) that I know supporting Gordon say that specifically. And I know of other promises being made around town. But no matter. What is your boy doing with Clark?
Liz: Shall I count the lies? Or are you so stupid and willing to believe Tom Gordon’s every syllable that you don’t even know what’s true and what’s not? I’ll get to that in my next post. For now, let’s look at you.
Liz, I attack you because you are a cancer on Delaware’s body politic. You are a no-nothing, nasty about it and incapable of thought, logic or the most basic tenets of research. You have foisted yourself upon the public as some sort of “progressive” for many years. You have lied repeatedly about how much support you have in the community. You are obsessed with your own importance, of which you have none, and so must put down anyone who disagrees with you or exposes your ignorance, nastiness and all-around unworthiness to share the planet with the rest of us. Nevertheless you proclaim your own brilliance and importance at every turn, without a shred of evidence to back it up, and spout insults with all the elan of a not-too-bright sixth-grader.
In truth, you are just a pathetic leftover from the ’60s who learned perhaps two agit-prop tricks from Abbie Hoffman’s book and has been using them ever since. I know all about you, Betty. That was your name before you left Wilmington, wasn’t it? Betty? In spite of your advocacy for all sorts of issues, you never getting around to accomplishing anything in any of them.
When I challenged you about your accomplishments, you cited working for some black politician back in the ’60s and getting Mike Billington to do an article about the problems in group homes in the ’90s. There wasn’t much else. In fact, despite your constant braying about your “expertise” in media fields, you revealed your work in the “film industry” amounted to being a regional sales manager for Kodak. That would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.
You didn’t hesitate to pass along yet another libelous lie from the perpetually lying mouth of Tom Gordon, this one about me, despite the fact that the feeblest attempt to fact-check it would have shown it was a lie.
You have no brains, no morals and no scruples. You are living proof that good intentions aren’t worth a steaming pile of manure, that a little knowledge is more dangerous than complete ignorance, and will serve forever, at least among those unfortunate enough to know you, lasting monument to gullibility and nastiness.
Please, by all means, repeat whatever new lies Tom Gordon is whispering in your scaly, pointed ear. I look forward to suing him and relieving him of the pension money that he undeservedly takes from taxpayers every month.
Have a nice day.
This conversation reminds me of the quote “Get all the fools on your side and you can get elected to anything.”
Gordon continues to offer the moon while not offering any real idea of how he will deliver. His negative campaign has only reinforced why it would be a bad idea to reelect him. Al knows the facts of the Gordon admin better than just about anyone–thankfully he is not afraid to remind everyone of what went on!
Now let’s have some fun. Let’s go over Liz’s spittle-flecked rant line by line:
“Al Masscitti:” As usual, you can’t spell my name. Not a surprise, since you can’t even spell John Flaherty’s name right, and you like him.
“you are so feverishly focused on everything I say or write, you now associate others words as coming from me.”
You have posted as “anon” in various places. And the words sound just like your words. Would you like a list of all the similarities? Do you disagree with what “TT” wrote?
“You are a loose cannon”
Scared, aren’t you?
” and you have much to fear as you worked for the News Journal when some say the “documents were leaked from Colm Connoly”. ”
There was never a leak from Colm Connolly on anything relating to Tom Gordon. And I fear nothing, least of all you and that hair-plugged monstrosity you’ve now attached your suckers to. You’re always attaching yourself to someone, aren’t you, Liz? But then that’s what weak women like you tend to do.
“Now you want to associate democrats like Biden as being a Gordon supporter?Where is your proof of what you say, or do you think “your saying is all the proof anyone needs”.
Now you’ve really exposed yourself as a dumbass. Go back to our exchange on DWA. I believe it was Truth Teller who bragged there about the wonderful tribute Biden gave to Gordon. The ties between Gordon and Biden are longstanding and well-known in Delaware. Not by you, of course, since it wasn’t on satellite TV.
“Fact is you have no real facts except those delivered to you by Connoly.”
Wrong, as usual. I have interviewed many people, including some interviewed by the grand jury, and so have some knowledge of what’s on those tapes. Of course, that’s beyond the facts supplied by Mr. Connolly in many court documents detailing the wrongdoing by Mr. Gordon and his henchmen and -women. Have you read them, Liz? Or course you haven’t. You’re so incapable of reading that I suspect you are functionally illiterate.
“Why did the courts throw all the crap out Al?”
Again, if you read the court documents, you wouldn’t have to ask. The judge ruled that the actions described did not come under RICO statutes, and ruled — against common sense and plain evidence — that the actions did not constitute the taking of government cash and services from the people.
“If there was any validity to any of it, they would have convicted him, they didn’t.”
Here you reveal yet another area of your towering ignorance, the inability to understand legal proceedings. The validity of the material was never challenged, nor could it be: It’s all on tape, backed up by testimony from members of the administration. This is all public record, which you of course are too lazy to look up. In short, because something is ruled not criminal does not make it right — something Tom Gordon knows full well.
“By you feel obligated to make allegations and posit as facts, after the court ruled. Don’t believe in the American justice system Al?”
“Believe” in it? It’s not a unicorn, Liz. It is what it is — a flawed system, like all legal systems. I make my judgments based on facts and sworn testimony. You make yours based on the lies of an adulterous criminal.
“I will support any candidate I choose too, that is my right.”
Who said it wasn’t?
“You support yours its a personal decision.”
Who said it wasn’t?
“I know many things I wish I could post here, but can’t for many reasons.”
Classic Gordon slime technique. He even used it during the debate of Friday and backed down like a whipped puppy when Peter McArthur called him on it. Just like you.
“If you feel so compelled to get at the truth, why are you not asking some questions of the county workers who are being threatened.”
First of all, I wouldn’t believe anything said by any Tom Gordon supporter who couldn’t support it with pictures, tape recordings or sworn testimony. I have dealt with that liar often enough to do no less. Second, there is nothing — absolutely nothing — that anyone else in Delaware politics can do that Tom Gordon has not done worse.
“There is one thing I know for sure. I would rather have Tom Gordon as County Ex. than Chris Coons”
Yes, we know. Another example of your sterling judgment where people are concerned.
“who uses the democrat party and their goon squad to threaten workers.”
Let them take it to the authorities if they’re so sure they have been wronged.
“Tom Gordon didnt have an affair with Freeberry”
Really? That’s what he told you? Ask him why, then, he was able to describe traits of her sexual anatomy so precisely to his intimates. Ask him what he felt compelled to find out about other women in comparison to her. Ask him to speculate for you, as he did for his intimates, the secret of her irresistibility.
Or, perhaps more simply, ask him why he was spying on her with night vision goggles. Ask him why Freebery rammed his car with hers in his driveway one night. Ask him why the threat of exposure of said affair sent him scrambling for extra settlement money for Sharon Hughes.
“that was another “link” the News Journal made in their throwing every piece of crap they could find against him.”
This is truly astounding. In addition to the slavish devotion of Ron Williams — whose fealty, I understand, is revealed on the tapes Tom won’t release — the News Journal enabled Tom Gordon at every step of his career, despite behavior that should have been publicized and, had it been, would have destroyed his political career before it started. I won’t go into that here; I’m saving it for on the air.
“You tell all of us, why the county cops, fireman and others are so heavily supporting Gordon, not Coons. Why Al, Why?”
That’s like asking why hoodlums are happy when the don gets released from prison. It’s also not true. The cops I know have Coons signs on their lawns.
“Could it be that you are simply wrong on some of your points, or are you simply “never wrong”.
Nowhere near as much as you, and I acknowledge it when it happens.
“Tell us why when 80 volunteers who were not organized by the Gordon campaign, but showed up on their own did so?”
I neither know nor care. Why do flies show up on a turd?
“Why did Paoli photograph those people and then threaten them?”
I have no proof that he did that. If you have some, produce it.
“Al, isn’t it true you have no real inside information on anything,”
Yes, Liz, this is what you crave more than anything else — inside information. I don’t need inside information, Liz — I have the facts that were presented in court documents and have been neither credibly disputed nor disproven.
“your trip from WDEL to Hockessin is about as far you go.”
Is this supposed to be an insult? How cute.
“You are not involved in these campaigns,”
Nor would I ever be.
“are not working behind the scenes”
Nor would I ever be. Unlike you, I do what I do above board.
“and simply know nothing”
Really? Feel free to dispute anything I write. You never do, because you can’t, because you’re a lazy bigmouth without the skills to do it.
?but feel absolutely free to assault, insult based on your personal opinions?”
Pot, meet kettle.
“I don’t respect you Al, I don’t give a damn what you think, get it!”
Oooh, I’m crushed! But then, the turd never respects the hand that flushes the toilet, does it?
the turd never respects the hand that flushes the toilet
Classic! 😀
I see you have your “rage on” tonight Al!
Al you are the turd, and I am flushing you!
Its late, and I will give you a response tomorrow.
Goodnight Turd.
Try answering the points for once, Liz. Just once. Rent someone else’s brain for the occasion. I imagine Tommy Boy will be providing most of the talking points anyway. What’s wrong, it’s too late tonight to call him?
When you talk to him tomorrow for your ammunition, please remind him that he can clear up any misconceptions about his affair(s) by simply releasing the transcripts of the FBI tapes. That ball’s in his court.
This is the post of the month. Cassandra clearly has no axe to grind but honestly, almost guilelessly, lays out her observations of this race.
Great blogging Cassandra.
Or Gordon could show up here himself to answer questions and deliver talking points himself.
Thank you, Jason!
I’m sure he’d love the opportunity to lie his head off here, too.
Once this Biden stuff settles down I’ll get back to highlighting all Gordon’s lies during Friday’s debate.
Fact is, Jason’s right. Cassandra nailed his motives completely.
And believe me, Cass, the tapes would be far more entertaining — in a smutty, sex-talk way — than anything Gordon will say when he knows the public can hear him.
Before retiring for the night, let me apologize for going on at such length.
Could we have more detail on Paul Clark campaigning with Gordon? That’s something the Bill Dunn campaign ought to be able to use to good effect.
No worries about the length. I always learn more about this when you are rebutting the talking points.
Will get more detail in the next day or two.
Tell us when you get back to Gordon, Al. Some of us have to make arrangements to listen to you in the AM.
Time for one correction. I was at the Friday and Sunday events, at les Jardines (?) and the Antonian.
I tended the Bar for Mojito’s.
For disclosure, I did wear my Gordon t-shirt.
As part of the caterers, I knew some inside information. Gordon was part of a shared event.
There were a few politicians who service the Hispanic community. Loretta Walsh, Theo Gregory, G. Brady, Paul Clark. Sammy Prado.
Both Gordon and Coons were present.
For more disclosure, I shook Coons hand, and wished him luck. Same with Nicole Majeski.
Joe Reagan played the Accordion, and neither he or the Bartender (me) were shot that night.
In witness thereof:
It is INACCURATE to state “(Speaking of which, why was Gordon campaigning with Paul Clark in Wilmington on Friday and Sunday? I wonder what his supporters think about that.)”
.
I also ate my Clark bar. Mojito’s are made with rum. Next time we should have something using Gordon’s Gin?
If you use gin, substitute a couple slices of cucumber for the mint.
Yes cucumber.
Gordon and Clark (yep, together) muscled their way into these (usually city-official attended only) events on Friday and Sunday. Coons was invited in haste so that at least one of the usual sponsors of these events could not be construed as supporting Gordon especially.