Bill Finch may have flicked Joe Ganim the bird with his reappointment of Police Chief Joe Gaudett, but voters flipped Finch the ultimate bird when they fired him after two terms in office. Ganim campaign supporters have engraved “Bye Bye Birdie” pens, as a fitting tribute to the Bird Man’s mayoral grave. Ganim takes office 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Ganim made history in his against-the-odds comeback. But Finch made history too, becoming the first incumbent mayor in Bridgeport history to lose office in a primary. Quite the credential. Voters plucked Finch’s pettiness, preachiness, promises and flighty pomposity. Or maybe he did it to himself, right, from the beginning to the end. Yes, “Bridgeport Is Getting Better Every Day.”
Finch said the other day in working with Ganim that he does not associate with known felons. Gee, a majority of voters saw it in reverse. As one voter summed up on primary day “I’d rather vote for the effective felon than the ineffective liar.”
It’s December, a time of miracles and glad tidings and joy. As we celebrate the birth of Christ, the rededication of the Second Temple and the first fruits of the harvest, let us take joy in brotherhood and fraternity.
Lennie, I am a little disappointed in the mean tone of the post. I cannot attest to all of the personal assaults against Finch. I have never been the recipient of any special favor or the target of his vindictiveness he is accused of. He served the city and now he will be gone in three days. In three months Ganim will have made his mark. The only positive I can say about this post is there is not one person who knows me doesn’t know I have had a huge crush on Ann-Margret for 22 years before I became friends with her in 1981. Bye Bye Birdie was my favorite and I am certain one of my friends who were huge Ganim supporters will get me a pen!!! The theme song is very bizarre to me! But hey. Bye Bye Birdie, we are gonna miss you so!
Steve, I don’t usually hit videos, but all I could think of was you when AM was singing. Well we can say there was some worth to the message, Ann-Margret sang for all of us.
*** Ganim may have to raise taxes in the 2016 budget, thanks to all the city spending Finch has done in the last two years! Police and Fire Dept. contracts, paved streets, brownfields turned into playgrounds and parks, city lawsuits, nepotism and political crony city jobs, etc. Finch’s vindictive ways before he leaves office are going to play out right to his last day! *** Once a snake, always a snake, no? ***
Was on I-95, is the Bridgeport police dept hiring again? Saw a sign next to harbor yard.
Good riddance, Bill Finch. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
*** Did Ganim win because he was such a good Mayor back in the day and deserved a second chance even though he’s an ex-con? Or was it voters were just tired of Mandr. Green Jeans &a his non-transparent admin. along with his smiling, lying ways?! ***
YET!
Honestly, I’d expect Ganim to be above Grinch’s level now and have no need to throw a minor dig. Grinch left Joe a mess and Joe got the ultimate dig in when the voters of Bridgeport fired BirdBrain.
I’m like most on here who say it was about Grinch hate more than Joe in the primary.
Frank Venna // Nov 29, 2015 at 7:40 am
To your post
Think about this, Frank.
Is a two to one victory over a shadow candidate supported (after years of disdain) by the Finch really all about the Finch? The margin of votes on this victory says a lot more to me about Joe Ganim himself and less about the Bird.
Steve,
I don’t believe Ganim was behind this penultimate prank. An awful lot of people, Joe included, had to eat an awful lot of shit from Finch and Friends. It may be a little bitter and not so sweet but it is just desserts being served. I also hear the pen does not have disappearing ink and features a penlight at its tip!
It really would have been cool to have an AM sound clip attached to the pen.
Daly’s column was very kind to Bill.
Carolanne,
It says volumes about registered voters, the majority of whom do not vote regularly. Because they are poorly informed? I do not see the connection between their presence at the polls and good governance results. Because they find it more comfortable to complain about things that are ‘wrong’ for too long, than figure out what might be right and different and fight for it? Or a mixture of all of the above.
So elections are left in this community to 90 citizens who are members of the DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE who exercise their power in each District to promote and endorse the most qualified, experienced and able among us to stand for City Council? And other elective offices? And once elected the leaders fail to stand for OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT or HONEST governance? Or not. Why do you ignore the MACHINE and the way it has manipulated the public for decades because of low voter turnout? So disgust and outrage alternate and a “hero” at one moment becomes a “goat” at another time (or more colorful OIB descriptives)? But the adult diverse public yearns to be listened to and to participate at some level? Time will tell.
Everyone is talking about how Mr. Finch flipped the bird to Mayor Ganim. How about all the people, businesses and homeowners of Bridgeport that pay taxes in Bridgeport? Now they all have to pay for the contract extension Mr. Finch signed with the Chief of Police before leaving office. The People of Bridgeport also got the bird flipped to them. It’s unfortunate, but that’s how politics is. Just watch TV and listen to whom may be our next president.
*** It’s funny how all the Finch supporters during the primary and after learning Finch could not run as an independent all now seem to sing Joe’s praises. Also many of the Finch suck-ups! ***
Can somebody just show respect for the office? Joe Ganim is the Mayor of Bridgeport, not just the 12,000 who voted for him. We want him to succeed, is that suckup in your dictionary?
Especially Timpanelli! They’re not buying it, or him.
Nice-looking pen but poor taste in choosing the inscription. We need to have more respect for the office and more positive versus negative slogans.
*** Finch has applied for a job at Bass Pro Shops in the fishing dept., rumor has it. ***