We have Joe The Bartender, Joe The Barber, Joe Six Pack and now Joe The Plumber. Hey, my middle name is Joe, were they talking about me?
Any way you slice up the Joes, it was another good night for Barack. John McCain tried left hooks, right hooks, uppercuts and body shots. In each case Barack side-stepped the punches and said let’s talk about fixing this screwy economy.
McCain played to the Republican base and that’s not enough. He looked snarly and angry, and that pretty much typifies his campaign. Right about now, McCain could use a cup of Joe with a couple of shots of whiskey. His demeanor, however, suggests he’s better suited for a whiskey sour. Bottoms up.
A Nail Biter
A new poll released today by SurveyUSA shows Democrat Jim Himes with a 48 to 45 lead over Republican Congressman Christopher Shays. The survey was taken on Monday and Tuesday. A poll by Sacred Heart University released last week showed Shays with a 10-point lead, but that sampling was roughly three weeks ago. UConn is scheduled to release a poll of the congressional race early next week. I get the feeling the debate exchanges between Shays and Himes will be intense as they engage over the next few days.
Are You Registered?
Bysiewicz: With Surge of New Voters, Total Number Registered in Connecticut Surpasses 2,000,000
Latest Figures From Secretary of the State Show Nearly 220,000 New Voters Have Registered for 2008 Elections; Town Offices Across The State Will Hold Saturday Registration Sessions 10/18
Hartford: Less than three weeks before the most historic national election in generations, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today is reporting that a surge in new voter registrations has pushed the total number of registered voters in Connecticut to over 2,000,000 – one of the highest such figures in state history. Specifically, since January 1st of this year, nearly 220,000 Connecticut residents have become newly registered voters.
“By all accounts 2008 has seen unprecedented interest in our political process and that has only been heightened in recent days,” said Secretary Bysiewicz, “Now that Election Day is upon us, more and more Connecticut residents are realizing it’s time to make a serious decision about the future of this country and they clearly want to make their voices heard on November 4th. It’s truly inspiring.”
Just in the first half of October, nearly 50,000 new voters have registered for the November general election. As of October 15th the total number of registered voters in Connecticut is 2,021,749. The largest group of registered voters in Connecticut is unaffiliated, accounting for 845,311 voters. There are 750,999 registered Democrats and 418,531 registered Republicans.
Since the beginning of this year 217,126 Connecticut residents have become newly registered voters. Of those, 92,752 new voters have registered as Democrats, compared to 28,652 new Republican voters and 94,342 new unaffiliated voters.
Once again, young people in Connecticut between the ages of 18 and 29 continue to be the largest group of new voters registering for the November 4th election. Since January 1st, some 91,485 young people have become newly registered voters. Of those new younger voters, 39,392 have registered as Democrats compared to 9,959 who have chosen the Republican Party and 41,504 who have signed up as unaffiliated.
“All indicators are pointing towards a record turnout on Election Day November 4th and young people are leading the way,” said Bysiewicz, “Cities across Connecticut such as Torrington, Danbury, Manchester, New Haven, Bridgeport Norwich and many others are seeing much heavier requests for absentee ballots in 2008 than they did for our last presidential election in 2004. I fully expect that we could see a voter turnout figure of 90% of registered voters on November 4th and we may even break the all-time Connecticut record of 93% set in 1960.”
Secretary Bysiewicz is also reminding voters that registration forms sent by mail must be postmarked no later than Tuesday October 21st and the final deadline to register to vote in person at town offices is Tuesday October 28th at 8:00 p.m. Registrars of Voters in every municipality in Connecticut will be available in their offices this Saturday October 18th from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. to register voters.
For more information about Connecticut’s safe, easy, and secure optical scan voting system and to download voter registration forms, visit www.vote-EZ-CT.com
Super Joe
Speaking of Joe, Say hello to Joseph Gaudett Jr. The 25-year veteran of the Bridgeport Police Department will serve as acting police chief while the city conducts a national search for a new top cop that’s expected to take at least six months.
Mayor Bill Finch appointed Gaudett, a deputy chief, to the top post after Bryan Norwood resigned last week to accept the chief’s job in Richmond, Virginia.
Finch describes the 47-year-old Gaudett as a “great leader; he has excellent management skills and is a believer in the community policing concept that has helped keep the city’s crime rate down and broadened police presence in our neighborhoods. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead the department as Acting Chief as we search for a new chief.”
Gaudett comes from a family of Bridgeport cops, including his father and grandfather. The Bridgeport native, a resident of Newtown, graduated from Fairfield Prep and attended Fairfield University and University of Bridgeport.
Gaudett has seen a lot during his years as a city cop. As he joined the PD as a young man, then Republican Mayor Lenny Paoletta was doing battle with Joseph Walsh whose ascension to top cop followed Civil Service testing procedures with layers of job protection. Paoletta wanted Joe to retire after a long tenure as superintendent of police, as the position was called. When Joe wouldn’t pack it in, Paoletta and the Board of Police Commissioners gave him an involuntary retirement. Deep animosity within the police ranks pitted cop against cop. Walsh malcontents sided with the mayor while Lenny detractors sided with Joe. It was ugly. Walsh challenged his termination in court and won his job back, after a judge ruled no just cause to remove him, albeit in a diminished role while Paoletta was mayor. Paoletta deputized Walsh haters to run the PD. Walsh basically was chief in name only.
In 1985, Democrat Tom Bucci defeated Paoletta and Walsh had his powers restored. Walsh retired three years later. On the heels of Walsh’s retirement came a voter-backed charter revision that created the position of police chief and a five-year term of appointment, with an option if the mayor chooses to reappointment one more five-year term.
Gaudett has a lot to deal with in his new role, including overtime issues and a dozen or so cops slated for layoffs late next week as part of Finch’s plan to reel in a budget deficit.
See Gaudett’s background below, in a timeline provided by the mayor’s office.
2007 Deputy Chief, Administrative Services
· Responsible for oversight of Communications, Records, Community Services, Auxiliary Services, Animal Shelter.· Chairperson, Region 1 ESF-2 Communications Committee.
· Member, Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Working Group
2005 OIC Communications Division/Management Information Systems (current)
· Hiring/supervision of thirty-six (36) civilian Telecommunications Operators and supervision of six (6) Sergeants in Communications Center (CAD) and MIS Group· Created a visual representation of Department’s Table of Organization
· Systematic upgrade of critical technological infrastructure
· Provided integral contribution resulting in COPS Interoperability Grant Award ($6M)
· Resultant key leadership responsibilities in Combined Emergency Communications Center/Regional Emergency Operations Center Project
2003 Patrol Operations, West Side Precinct, Executive Officer
· Responsible for management of all aspects of Evening Shift
· Reduced Part I Crime through automated beat reporting and innovative initiatives
· Successfully managed unique responsibilities created by I-95 bridge disaster
2001 Promoted to Captain
Patrol Operations, East Side Precinct, Executive Officer· Responsible for management of all aspects of Midnight Shift
· Periodically assumed responsibility of the Department’s Senior On-Duty Officer
· Significantly reduced Part I Crimes, notably stolen vehicles, through automated beat reporting and innovative initiatives
1998 Promoted to Lieutenant
Communications Division/Management Information Systems· Supervision of thirty-six (36) civilian Telecommunications Operators and six (6) Sergeants in Communications Center (CAD)
· Established a Departmental Management Information Systems (MIS) Group
· Converted legacy systems to state-of-the-art technologies in response to Y2K
· Significantly improved internal communication processes
· Implemented the first mobile data systems in police vehicles
· Established regional partnerships with other police agencies
· Upgraded legacy 911 system to Enhanced-911 application
· Implemented performance measurements and created divisional P&P’s
· Established an Alarm Management Program culminating in new revenue stream and reduction in false alarms
· Bolstered ComStat initiative via support of Crime Analysis Unit
1996 Promoted to Acting Lieutenant
Sick and Injury Management Officer· Established and implemented departmental Sick/Injury Policy
· Elicited and received medical provider community acceptance of Policy
· Significantly reduced sick and injury occurrences directly impacting overtime expenditures and increasing morale
· Automated timekeeping and OSHA reporting
1991 Promoted to Sergeant
Department Clerk’s Office· Supervised/modernized Personnel, Payroll, Timekeeping and Fiscal Service Units
· Clerk of the Board of Police Commissioners
· Re-established and implemented Departmental Recognition Policy
1990 Promoted to Acting Sergeant
Patrol Supervisor· First Line Supervision of Patrol Squad
· Computerized Patrol Division administrative records; created Beat Profiles; designed and implemented automobile emergency equipment plan
1983 Appointed Police Officer, Bridgeport (CT) Police Department
Patrol Division· Responded to calls for service
· Pro-active Criminal and Motor Vehicle Law enforcement
ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Police Executive Research Forum, Senior Management Institute for Police
FBI National Academy 205th Session – 19 Credits with Honors
Criminal Justice Command Institute (Tunxis Community College) – 15 Credits with Honors
FBI Instructor Development Training – Certified POSTC/OSET Instructor
POSTC Executive Training Seminars:
Resolving Labor-Management Conflict Through Principle-Negotiations
Evaluating Patrol Productivity
Risk and Performance in Police Management
Civil Liability for Police ExecutivesRECENT PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES
2005 Interoperable Communications Technology Program Conference, Phoenix, AZ
SatCon Conference 2005, Jacob Javits Center, New York, NY
Sprint/Nextel Interoperability Conference, 2005, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
ISC East Exposition 2005, Jacob Javits Center, New York, NYLEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Leadership Greater Bridgeport (LGB) – Class VII Graduate – LGB Board Member – Chairman, Public Safety Day Committee – Member, Selection Committee
Connecticut Police Chiefs Association – Telecommunications & Technology
Committee MemberCapitol Region Council of Governments Public Safety Technical Committee Member
City of Hartford Oral Assessment Board – Director of Emergency Communications, and Communications Supervisor Panel Member
Town of Farmington Oral Assessment Board – Director of Emergency Communications Panel Member
City of Bridgeport Emergency Operations Center – Police Representative
Total Quality Management – Computerization Team Member – Workers’ Compensation Team Leader; Recipient of Gold Connecticut Quality Improvement Award
City of Bridgeport Labor/Management Steering Committee ‘s Health Benefits Subcommittee Member
Bridgeport Police Pension Board – Union Representative
Bridgeport Police Federal Credit Union – President, Board of Directors (1990-2001)
Bunnell High School Marching Band, Stratford, CT – Assistant Band Director, Director of PercussionPROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Managers of Emergency Communication Centers Association (MECCA)
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA)
Police Association of Connecticut (PAC)
Police Benevolent Association (PBA)APPLICABLE CERTIFICATION
POSTC – Police Officer Certification # 1984
I have known Joe Gaudett since he was a rookie cop. He is the right man for the job and I think it was a great choice to head the Police Department. I hope he ends up with the job on a permanent basis. Good Luck Joe.
I, too, wish Gaudett well. I just hope he does a better job of controlling overtime than he did controlling his own overtime last year.
Three killings in one day of all young people. Finch, you did a bad job laying off cops out of all people.
Thanks, Cliff. I’m sure Joe appreciates your sentiments.
Yahooy are you talking to yourself again?
Cliffy,
Does the concept of diminished utility mean anything to you?
Yahooy there you go again asking yourself questions again. What has happened to you? You used to be able to post coherent posts. I hate to see someone like you deteriorate so fast.
There was a great front-page article in the Monday USA Today that made a good case for blaming the economic problems on 2 key issues and from there both parties. If you can get a copy it’s worth the read. The 2 issues are derivatives, pushed by Phil Gramm (R) and the un-regulation of Fannie and Freddie starting from 1998 with Dodd, Barney Frank, and Bill Clinton’s sect. Rubin leading the charge to let them free to give away the store and self-police themselves. Enough blame to go around here, self-serving politicos seeking to “help” society and raking in the cash contributions along with greedy ceo’s at the head of agencies and brokerages.
Shame on us all.
Quick question guys, is it true you can register to vote on Nov 4th at your polling place? If so this can be good news for Himes in the city.
Doesn’t exactly sound like one tough cop in the mold of Bo Dietl. More like Patrolman Pencil Pusher.
2007 Deputy Chief, Administrative Services
2005 OIC Communications Division/Management Information Systems (current)
2003 Patrol Operations, West Side Precinct, Executive Officer
2001 Promoted to Captain Patrol Operations, East Side Precinct, Executive Officer
1998 Promoted to Lieutenant Communications Division/Management Information Systems
1996 Promoted to Acting Lieutenant Sick and Injury Management Officer
1991 Promoted to Sergeant Department Clerk’s Office
1990 Promoted to Acting Sergeant
1983 Appointed Police Officer, Bridgeport (CT) Police Department Patrol Division
I heard that the Civil Service Commission ruled yesterday that members of the Police Department do have bumping rights by virtue of their CS status regardless of what the contract may say. So the strategic or punitive (depending on your point of view) cuts the mayor and Mark Anastasi made to the police department were for naught as the laid-off officers can start bumping down so that the ripples may eventually be felt at the patrolman level. Nice going guys. And of course the City will say the Civil Service is wrong and go spend taxpayers money fighting a foolish battle.
Lennie segues from current events to old news so adroitly that you hardly see it coming until it is too late. Joe Walsh is old news. And Joe Gaudett could be too if he isn’t as slick on his feet as Lennie can be on the keyboard.
Grin: I think Joe has had enough street training. When you get to the chief level you are looking for management skills and not a knuckle dragger. Time will tell; I hope for everyone’s sake he does a good job which I think he will.
Finch and Anastasi are not the only people that screwed the cop layoffs up. Don’t forget our great Labor relations department where we spend over $250,000 in salaries for zip. It should not have been hard to figure out. Rule of Thumb involving unions: Last Hired First Fired.
You talk about the gang that couldn’t shoot straight, these guys couldn’t find the bullets to load the gun.
Grin, I’m just happy to be here!
LennieGrimaldi, what are your plans for election-day coverage?
All McCain can do is act like a big boss up there, he reminds me of Bush.
The debate was filled with nothing new, but more of the McSame.
Those Republicans love guys named Joe. Joe Six Pack, Joe the Plumber, Joe from Kokomo. Hey about the Dems talking about something about Mary or Jane?
Gee McSame is running away from Bush like Shays is running away for McSame.
I see Shays brought out his bi-anal playbook yesterday for the debates. For the last two election cycles he’s been running a ground game while in Congress and then breaks out the flea-flicker play to fool the voters. His Hail Mary Pass won’t work this time because he is not full of grace.
Finally a real poll and not some crappy polls like SHU and the internal polls by Himes. I never believed the SHU poll and I never believed the Himes poll either. But survey USA is a real-time poll.
RE: ongoing “Senator Government” talk concerning McCain’s (intentional?) debate miscue about Senator Obama and his desire to increase the size of government:
THE AMERICAN Government already has a $10 trillion debt and expensive social programs, HOW bigger a piece of our collective balance sheet and GDP could it be? Congress has outspent and overpromised to the max.
THE AMERICAN Government continues to be a “ginormous” and ever-growing part of our financial structure. Our free-market-loving President – the Harvard MBA who’s never balanced a budget in seven years – and the former CEO of an investment bank are now forced to accept neo-socialist remedies and a clearcut bailout whose net effect is to enrich the public sector at the private sector’s expense.
Obama didn’t do that but it is a clever tactic.
Two years ago I was reading an interesting article that I’d like to share with the folks at OIB. This article paints a picture of what we are seeing in today’s economic situation. I’m specifically posting this for my friend Local Eyes, whom I’m sure will enjoy the article.
Here is the link:
www .realnews247.com/money_myth_exploded.htm
Joel:
Your keen eye for prose-with-a-purpose should serve you well in your political career. You’re correct, the story in the your latest link illustrates the dangers of government-controlled money.
ACORN’s representatives have claimed that Bridgeport’s Republican (i.e., uptight conservative honky) Registrar of voters has an agenda to discredit the organization. If that’s so, it is organized on a national level. ACORN is being investigated for fraudulent voter registrations in New Mexico, Indiana, Missouri, Connecticut, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Nevada. In addition to the seven-year-old registered in Bridgeport, Nevada officials are looking into why ACORN registered members of the Dallas Cowboys in their state.
Local eyes on # 22:
It was precisely my keen eye to prose-with-a-purpose that gave Democrats some cause for concern. Democratic-endorsed candidates are expected to follow the party leadership’s lead at all times; questioning the process is a sin. I spent my 6 years as a Councilman on constant prose mode and the last thing the party wanted was for me to return to my prose duty.
“The Bridgeport Kid” #23, wrote, “ACORN’s representatives have claimed that Bridgeport’s Republican (i.e., uptight conservative honky) Registrar of voters has an agenda to discredit the organization.”
For the record Bridgeport’s Republican Registrar of voters, Joseph Borges, is black and a very honorable man and not an “uptight conservative honky.”
Bridgeport Kid on 23:
What do you know about ACORN? Let me tell you a li’l bit about ACORN. From about 1992-1993, I was one of ACORN’s most active members. ACORN came and went during presidential elections. ACORN began in Little Rock Arkansas, where Bill Clinton was from. ACORN is and has always been an arm of The Democratic Party. In the early ’90s ACORN sent an organizer to Bridgeport to set up an office and organize a membership. Mathew was the organizer’s first name and we walked the neighborhoods together many times. The office was on Middle Street. Members had to pay $5 a month for the membership and as members joined, ACORN would identify issues and start actions to address the community’s concerns. The membership wasn’t what the organization made it to be and it was a relatively small group; members rarely kept up with their membership dues. The National chapter of ACORN kept pressure on Mathew despite their knowledge that Bridgeport was a difficult place to get people involved. Around 1993 ACORN decided to carry out actions against Banks, accusing them of redlining and refusing to invest in poor neighborhoods and not providing mortgages to poor people. The Acorn actions brought a lot of negative publicity to Banks such as People’s Bank in Bridgeport. Eventually, Mathew and ACORN settled the issue with the banks and the Banks gave money to ACORN to start the Homebuyers Program to assist low-income people to buy homes. A classic shakedown of a Bank, People’s gave $50,000 and I don’t remember what the others gave up. This was the start of the subprime mess we have today. After the homebuyers program was set, Mathew was transfered to Albequerque, New Mexico and I’d bet that they ended up shaking down some banks down there too. ACORN in Bridgeport wasn’t interested in community organizing after the Homebuyers program establishment and those wanting to participate in the Homebuyers program had to join ACORN as paid members. I saw the Bridgeport Now program last week, I heard what the ACORN organizer said and I can only disagree with most of his statements. If you are so sure that ACORN is on the level, I dare you or ACORN to produce documents to back up their statements and position. I’d bet their membership fees are not enough to cover their office rent and other expenses. After the elections, you will hear less from ACORN. Unless they hear about a major housing development (Steel Point) or another Bank shakedown opportunity.
Ron Mackey on #25:
Indeed Joseph Borges is an honorable man. I’m sure Mr. Borges isn’t highly offended by the “Honky” term and neither am I. I’d rather be a honky than a sucker.
Local Eyes:
“Oh great Rothchild! I feel your banking genius coursing through my entire being! Oh, illustrious master! How right you were when you said: “Give me control of a nation’s money and I won’t mind who makes its laws.”
Can you imagine the government controlling the nation’s money and at the same time making its laws? Where are we being led to?
*** Joe Borges is an honorable man whom I asked a few years back if he would consider running with me as teammates for city-council? At the time, me being a democrat, I did not know Joe was a republican ’til he told me so & why! Still today, I believe we would have made a good team for the voters of the #131st district. *** And as far as ACORN is concerned, I cannot overlook all the “GOOD” things (that) organization has done here in Conn. & in other states, to help those that had “no”where & “no” money to turn to for “HELP” in their struggles for fair & just treatment in this life! In the end whatever mistakes or laws were broken, I’m sure ACORN will be made accountable. But @ the same time, let’s “not” forget that for all the (bad) things ACORN is accused of, there are a lot of (good) things that they’re responsible for doing as well! So always try to remember that there is usually #2 sides to a story & somewhere in the middle you may find the truth(sometimes)? ***