Convince Calistro
So today, a new Facebook page was put up by a grassroots movement to convince Wilmington’s Paul F. Calistro, Jr., the current Executive Director of West End Neighborhood House, to run for the Mayor of Wilmington in 2012 as a progressive alternative to the prospective candidates currently assembled. I am told that Calistro has a lot of support among he same progressive activists that supported Governor Markell in his primary race against John Carney in 2008.
To quote the as of yet unknown author of the Facebook page:
Paul Calistro is known throughout Wilmington as a strong community leader. Why? Because he gets people talking. He gets people thinking. He gets people together. His numerous accomplishments over the years as Executive Director of West End Neighborhood House speak volumes about his effectiveness and commitment to helping out his fellow citizens. Paul gets things done. He is constantly striving to meet new goals, from greening our community and making sure our streets are clean to improving the lives of our youth and supporting the endeavors of artists and small business owners.
Paul is one of the finest men I have ever known, and if he was to run for Mayor and win the office this City would continue to evolve for the better. If elected, he would inspire our city to even greater action. I want my City to be truly renowned as a place to be somebody, and I know that if Paul answers this call to service, we will all have the opportunity to be whomever we want to be–in a Wilmington that lives up to its full potential as a safe, welcoming, and livable community. […]
Paul Calistro is an inspirational force. Through the vehicles of Cornerstone West and West End Neighborhood House, he has led the revitalization of Wilmington’s West Side: through affordable housing (bringing over 100 new homeowners to our community), the Rodney Street Reservoir Community Garden (Winner at the DCH Garden Awards), and the Cool Spring Farmers Market. If what he has done for the West Side in any way parallels what he can accomplish for the entire city, Wilmington will truly become renowned as “A Place To Be Somebody”.
I don’t know much about Calistro, but I “liked” the page because I want to hear more. I am not endorsing him because how can you endorse someone who is not even running yet. But I want new and different candidates for the Mayorship of Wilmington. If you want that too, then do the same.
I’ve known Paul for a long time. His commitment to progressive causes is unparalelled by anyone else whose hat is in the ring. If you don’t know him, go meet him and talk to him. You’ll be impressed.
I too would move back to the City if Paul chose to run. Paul Calistro is a leader with vision, fresh ideas, passion, respect for others and an insatiable commitment to the improving the quality of life in the City of Wilmington. Our great City needs you Paul!! We need Paul “IN” Wilmington.
I moved to Wilmington seven years ago, and was fortunate to live next door to Paul. I cannot say enough about his steadfast commitment to improving the lives of those around him–on a large or small scale–and the fun he has while doing so. His accomplishments speak for themselves. I urge everyone to consider his potential candidacy, and to get to know the man if you don’t already. As AQC wrote, you will be impressed.
Paul’s a great guy. I would love to see him run and win. The City has great potential, but its gross management over the past 20 years has left it a shadow of it once was. Its inept leadership (if you can even call it that) has driven businesses away and had a devastating impact on the real estate market, which drives the economy.
Paul’s accomplishments with the West End Neighborhood House, his genuine love for the City and concern for its citizens give me hope that he may be able to turn things around.
He’s clearly the most accomplished of any of the candidates. Plus, unlike most of the other candidates, he genuinely seems to be in it for the right reason. I hope he officially throws his hat in the ring.
With all due respect, I don’t think he’s a candidate. That’s what the move to convince him to run is all about.
I don’t know how to say this without it seeming cynical and condescending, but has anyone thought out the monumental challenges that would face a political neophyte trying to run a city as mayor?
Keep a few things in mind: Running a non-profit, you generally have the benefit of everyone working with the same goal in mind. You don’t have entrenched power centers undermining your efforts; you don’t have sticky-fingered council members and employees using their positions for self-enrichment; you aren’t responsible for every shot fired in the night.
I don’t doubt that Mr. Calistro would bring many and varied abilities to the table. I do worry that it wouldn’t be enough to overcome a lack of political experience.
Geezer, he has been involved in politics, albeit behind the scenes, for decades. He also was the mayor of Newport for years. Yes, I know Newport isn’t Wilmington, but, politics is politics.
You’re right, Newport isn’t Wilmington.
If y’all are serious about this — politics is, after all, politics — you need to find the money to make it happen.
Calistro is well-positioned to navigate the invisible primary. Although I’ve never met him, it’s clear the head of such a well-regarded non-profit could raise significant funds. The key question is whether he could gather the street-level support. He has a multi-district base, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th, from which to build.
“it’s clear the head of such a well-regarded non-profit could raise significant funds.”
What’s a mayoral race cost these days, JM?
Ask David Plouffe about the difference between running campaigns and running a government entity.
@Geezer, Paul has been a driving force behind numerous campaigns in Delaware, ranging from State House to statewide. I would hardly call Calistro a political neophyte.
Gosh if you give Paul as much support as you’ve given Occupy Delaware how could he lose.
The cost of running for mayor? Not as much as a suburbanite might think.
Baker spent $100,000 in 2000 to unset a two-term incumbent backed by all the forces and horses of MBNA. Norman Griffiths spent under $40,000 to defeat Gregory for council president in 2008.
Advertising costs are minimal. The real goal is to secure the first-tier organizers. If you recruit them, money is secondary. Lots of well-funded mayoral candidates get nowhere [Tom Knox and Marty Weinberg in Phila]; well-organized candidates win [Frawley, Nutter]. Baker was outspent by Sills, 2-1, in 2000.
Thanks, John. That is a lot less than this suburbanite would have guessed.
So the question is, which of these organizers are in Calistro’s corner?
I have a question, and it isn’t snark, but comes out of my years in politics: Why does a would-be candidate need to be convinced?
Here’s why I think it’s an important question. I used to work on committees dedicated to candidate recruitment within the Democratic Party. More often than not, when a big fish needed to be convinced to run, what often eventuated was a candidate with one foot in the pool and one foot still on dry land. In other words, they ran less-than-ideal campaigns and virtually always lost. They never really jumped into the water for the race.
I respect Paul Calistro. Got to work with him on a housing rehab program in SW Wilmington, and I was very impressed. I think he’d be a very strong candidate for Mayor and could be a superb mayor.
But only if he’s fully committed to the chase. Which is why I’m leery of ‘convincing’ him to run. Either he wants to run, or he doesn’t.
I wouldn’t hesitate to vote for Paul Calistro for mayor in 2012! If you knew how “political” running a monumentally successful social service-based non-profit really is, you wouldn’t label Calistro as “political neophyte”!
I am well aware of the differences between running campaigns, non-profits and cities. For anyone to suggest that either of the first two is half as difficult as the last one shows they don’t know what they’re talking about.
I suppose everyone has forgotten that Jim Sills was recruited from outside the city political culture to run for mayor. How well did that work for ya?
I don’t believe that anyone is suggesting that running a city with issues as complex as Wilmington is easy. It’s a bit condescending to imply that Mr. Calistro isn’t himself aware of the vast differences between running West End Neighborhood House and managing an entire city. And it is certainly silly to parallel Mr. Sills’ disastrous terms with a potential candidate “outside the city political culture”. If you seriously consider Calistro’s accomplishments in affordable home ownership in Wilmington, let alone all of the other successful programs he’s implemented, it would be naive to think that any would have been possible outside of the political arena. It is equally naive to suggest that experience serving as Mayor of Newport is not without value or merit. One just can not simply dismiss actual experience, ability and skills within or outside a “political culture”.
There is no question that the new Mayor, no matter who is ultimately elected, will face tremendous hurdles in implementing change and new/improved policies and tactics. Based on the changes and improvements he has spearheaded as just executive director of West End, I for one, am anxious to hear Calistro’s platform(s) on critical issues.
For the record, I am a home owner and resident of the City.
And I am not, so what I think doesn’t much matter. Plus you’re right, it does sound condescending — I acknowledged as much at the outset. It would be faint praise indeed to say he’s the best-sounding candidate I have heard connected to this race.
Still, I would guess Mr. Calistro is quite well aware of the differences between what he has done and what you’re asking him to do, and I think it’s one big reason you are having to go to him instead of the other way around. Perhaps he would say yes and go on to do a wonderful job, so I sincerely wish you luck in your persuasive efforts.
El Som I am pretty confident Paul is planning to run. He just hasn’t gone public yet.