Sunday, March 4, 2007

Hack in the Saddle Again

Reactions ran from surprised to bemused when Joe Morelle quit as Monroe County Democratic Chairman during his unsuccessful bid for State Comptroller. Surprised, because it seemed unnecessary -- so now it's a disgrace to chair a political party? Wouldn't most people view it as an expression of confidence in a person by his peers?

Bemused, because no one's mistaken Joe for a non-partisan since about the seventh grade (least of all the people who thought he'd be a good choice for party chair). Quite the opposite. Did he really think anyone would see him as less of a partisan figure the day after he resigned his chairmanship than the day before? It was a transparently opportunistic move in an effort to get what he happened to want at that moment -- the Comptroller's office. Even so, most of us were willing to cut him some slack. Against big odds, he had to give it his best shot. If he thought a situational metamorphosis into someone who's above the partisan fray might work -- hey, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.

But it looks like Little Joe is back in the saddle again. Saturday's news of his return as Monroe County Democratic Chairman takes Morelle's metamorphosis to its final stage, of full-fledged political hack.

Morelle to Monroe: "I didn't make Comptroller, so I can stop faking it now. And I figure you're too stupid to notice."

Not all of us, Joe.

3 comments:

RP said...

That was a weird set of events indeed. I've heard some good things about Morelle, but I have no idea what he was thinking on this one. I actually thought it was kind of cool that he stepped down when it was clear he was really looking for another job. I wish Hillary would do that.

Rottenchester said...

Nice to see some conservative blogs from Rochester. I added a link to your blog at mine, the fighting29th, which is focused on the NY 29th CD.

Anonymous said...

I think you nipped it in the bud. I wished I read this article to comment on it a year ago...truth is he didn't step down because he couldn't win. Since he talks about Shelly like they are old pals, it was his criminal record that killed his bid. Joe Morelle hasn't had a real job since college outside politics. It pains me to say that he lived in an era before background checks. You think the panel didn't check? You think the Dems are going to trade Hevesi for Morelle? The GOP would have had a field day and the Dems weren't going to stick their neck out for Uncle Joe! That is the truth beyond speculation, but the D&C didn't want you to know that.