OIB friend Frank Gerratana supplied a montage of images his dad took during his years as lead photographer of the old Bridgeport Herald. If an important pol set foot in Bridgeport, Gerratana was there to chronicle it in photos those many decades ago.
Barack Obama is schedule to speak inside Central High School around 3:30 today on the penultimate day of Tuesday’s general election for governor between Democratic incumbent Dan Malloy and Republican Tom Foley in what a collection of polls call a nail biter. Four years ago Obama filled the Webster Bank Arena on the Saturday before the election pushing out thousands of extra votes for Malloy in what became a ballot shortage debacle because elections officials had not printed enough for some precincts.
The venue is smaller this time, one ballot is now printed for every registered voter, but the stakes are just as high in a race that could swing either way by a few thousand votes out of perhaps one million cast.
Go Bridgeport CT!!!!!!!!!
I just watched the rally live on Channel 12. Did anyone else notice how lukewarm the audience was when President Obama recognized Mayor Finch?
Actually Maria, the crowd was surprisingly very excited by Finch and his pro-Bridgeport speech. Obama did not mess up one name. I was there and witnessed it all firsthand.
Thank you for sharing, Frank Gerratana. Any relation to the wise and productive CT state senator, Terry Gerratana, from New Britain?
Second, anyone fact check the following, from 10/15/14 OIB and CT Post?
“We’ve hosted 100 or so Presidential visits in Bridgeport’s history, and we’ll host 100 more, God willing” Finch said. “We’ll spare no cost to protect our commander in chief.”
One hundred? That would mean, on average, since 1821 when Bridgeport was incorporated and James Monroe was the 5th U.S. president, at least two visits to Bridgeport by each sitting president.
This illustrates once again Finch’s innumeracy and reflexive hyperbole–traits that are incompatible with effective governance in the 21st century.
Rep Gerratana is a excellent legislator. Pete, I believe the mayor included visits by Presidents before the Constitution, John Hansen alone visited Little Liberia (West End) about 50 times alone.
Steve, I wasn’t referencing Finch’s speech. I was referring to when President Obama acknowledged Mayor Finch.
When the President acknowledged Finch, the audience was fully aware they were for cheap applause. Finch was very well received. Truth be told, people were very impressed with Finch during his speech. But the anti-Finch people do not want to hear Mayor Finch has a serious following. He is not as despised as you’d like them to believe.
The base was rallied, as expected. The tree wasn’t.