Chavez campaign makes a mountain out of a mole hill.

The mountain began when Mayor Marty Chavez claimed to be River City's most "successful" mayor. Blogger Monahan took issue. Then the Mayor's people got in touch with Monahan, and told him that the Mayor actually said most "accessible".

Frankly, for the forum dodging Mayor, to claim to be the most "accessible" mayor in history is a bigger stretch by far than his claim to be the most "successful".

Never mind that "accessible" and "forum dodging" don't click; Monahan, who was once a campaign communications director for a Chavez political campaign, claimed to have re-listened several times and concluded that the Mayor had said "accessible". If you click on Peter St Cyr's, What's the word, link, you will find that there really is no room for doubt; Chavez clearly said "successful".

Apparently, the spot has been taken down from Chavez' website, which would be consistent with an effort to close the barn door long after the cow has left the barn.

So now, the ego-maniacal, and maybe even accidental off script use of the word "successful", a molehill by any reasonable standard, has morphed into what appears to be an outright and deliberate lie; a "mountain" by any reasonable standard. And what a stupid thing to be caught lying about.

More damage is heaped upon Monahan for his retraction. He claims;

The mayor's campaign checked the script and it says "accessible" and on a closer listen we agree. Our ears--obviously damaged by decades of high volume radio headsets--misheard the mayor.

Damaged ears or no; either he deliberately joined in the "cover up", or he really can't hear. Either way he has cast a shadow on his own credibility.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, ...!




photo Mark Bralley