The long holiday weekend feels like the perfect time for our first Village 14 Setti Warren vs. Ted Hess-Mahan poll. But for our inaugural poll, let’s forget leadership. Forget vision or bold ideas. Let’s even forget who’d be the better mayor. There will be plenty of time to consider those things. Today’s question is: Who is less bad at carrying a tune? Check out both videos and then vote in our poll.
[polldaddy poll=”7223263″]
Greg,
Even though you’re no longer with the Tab I still have to deal with this garbage? You’re entitled to do whatever you want with your blog, afterall it’s your blog, but if you want mine and Jackie’s participation in the blog, why don’t you stop pinning those two against each other and giving them more name recognition than they already have. I’m in it to win it! AND I have been told I do a mean Elvis, which you will never hear now.
@Tom: I don’t consider Jackie or you to be a serious candidate but that’s besides the point since I don’t consider this to be a serious poll.
If Jackie or you want to post a singing video on YouTube, I’m happy to share it here.
I regret saying that Tom is not a “serious candidate.” I should have said he is not a “serious contender.” The man has a good heart and a long history of activism in Newton.
But I’m sticking my assertion that this is not a serious poll, although frankly Janet’s comment has taken much of the fun out of it.
Greg Reibman — Agree, but is the candidacy of Ted Hess-Mahan something other than a performance? Nothing wrong with it, but let’s not pretend he has any realistic chance of taking votes away from a Mayor that got three overrides passed. Any debate about who’s the better democrat will be clouded with who’s the better, more experienced administrator.
Yo Setti, Ted, I’m really happy for you. I’m going to let you finish but before I do, I just wanted to say that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time…one of the best videos of all time!
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/kanye-interrupts-imma-let-you-finish
Well played Josh, well played…
Not bad Ted.
You’d make a better rock star than a mayor.
Barry, the Mayor is a rock star mayor. I would be the rock ‘n’ roll mayor.
@Hoss, if getting 3 property tax override questions passed with less than 35% of registered Newton voters participating in the election, and with close to 41% of registered voters showing up at the last Mayoral election, yet Setti Warren winning by just a tad over 450 votes against Ruth Balser, there are quite some votes still on the table (or as Setti Warren likes to say “Everything is on the table”).
If only a likeable, strong fiscal conservative candidate were interested in running for Mayor, it would make this race interesting. With all due respect to all candidates (including Tom and Jackie), if it comes down to Warren vs. Hess-Mahan, this year’s race for Mayor may wind up look like watching Spy vs. Spy.
@Janet: Really? Spy vs Spy? Really? Is that your latest attempt at calling a spade a spade?
Janet Sherman — You might need one of these: http://tinyurl.com/social-media-swatter
Greg,
I can’t believe you brought up that stupid accusation against Janet again. It was idiotic to begin with, and certainly not worth reminding anyone about. Unless you just like dissing Janet at any opportunity. I guess let’s just call a Greg a Greg.
It’s totally unfair to say that Tom is not a serious candidate. He has demonstrated his total dedication to being involved in issues, participating in public discussions, and taking the steps to put himself in the electoral arena. Anyone who takes out papers and collects the required signatures and gives it a shot deserves credit and respect… regardless of whether or not you feel they deserve your individual vote.
It’s completely disingenuous to say there should be greater participation in the process and then slam people who make the attempt as “not serious”.
People stating their views in a respectful way deserve to be heard. Let’s encourage more participation and dialogue… not less.
True confession, I like Tom Sheff. He is earnest, sincere, and his heart bleeds Newton. I saw Tom yesterday collecting signatures out in front of the library, where he had been for several hours, in 95 plus degree heat. I know he is taking this race seriously, so I think he deserves to be taken seriously, regardless of his prospects of winning.
Thank you Ted and Charlie.
Greg, nobody took Scott Brown seriously and he won an election. It only takes one tsunami wave.
Last comment on this from me.
Greg, when you go around and say to people that X is not a contender, etc. you are sending a message to people that read the blogs and don’t write (probably 100’s if not 1000″s) to not vote for X, because X has no chance.
This is old school politics, this is what Cohen and supporters tried to do and if they couldn’t convince you to vote for their candidate they tried to discourage voter turnout. Old School. Lets have a 70% turnout.
I represent a viewpoint, who won an override vote 5 short years ago. People who are tired of being taxed to the max. If we come together, finally for a candidate, we can win…you can diss me all you want. If we come out in strong numbers, we’ll win. Strong contender or not.
Tom:
@Tom: I assume the vast majority of people who read “the blogs” are smart, independent thinkers who don’t make their voting decisions on any one perspective, especially mine.
What I write here is simply my perspective. I’m not going to write “I think both Tom and Jackie have a terrific chance of being our next mayor” just to be nice — because I don’t believe it.
Also, I’m not aligned with an “old school” political faction or candidate that’s trying to discourage voter turnout, I’m just sharing my 2 cents.
Charlie:
Again, I’m just participating and dialoging. I’m not stopping anyone from having a different view. The fact that I’ve devoted so much time to two blogs over nearly a decade speaks of my desire for discussion from all corners of this community, don’t ‘cha think?
John on Central: Thank You Very Much!
Janet: Good observations
Greg: I have to disagree with you. Your comments to Janet sapped some of the fun from this thread
Barry: Good observations
Charlie, with regards to your observations about Greg Reibman calling for new candidates only to slam the challengers that toss their hats in the ring, you’re not alone in noticing that particular pattern of rhetoric from Greg.
Ted, I can find Common Ground with you on your assessment of Tom Sheff
Tom, Ted’s comment about you said it all.
Setti & Ted, I’m really happy for you. I’m going to let you finish but before I do, I just wanted to say that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time…one of the best videos of all time!
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/kanye-interrupts-imma-let-you-finish
It must be true if someone is continuously hectoring you, it’s likely because they are either interested in or jealous of you. In this case, the repeated trepidation must be an indication Greg has a crush on me. (Anyone care to bet there will be lots of insults to follow this commentary?)
As for prospective Mayoral candidate Sheff, the ink isn’t even dry on the preliminary municipal ballots and Reibman is already dissing him… coming up with the same old rhetorical baloney in attempt to justify his verbal diarrhea. Hello… I thought bullying is against the law in Massachusetts – or is that just for kids?