MoreMonmouthMusings

Keeping it Real and Getting to the Heart of the Matter:
The Wall Interview, Continued

I received the following messages from Terence:

"Hi

I'm trying to work with you (willing to not know who you are) but the "are you still beating your wife" stuff posted on your website is a bit beyond the pale.

Primarily because it is inaccurate.

I need to know what direction you're looking for with this blog (i.e. issues or just blather)

I'm fine either way but need to know if I should continue directing people to it. If it’s a hit parade I can’t be bothered

T "

And, culled from a subsequent email (sorry to not be verbatim):

"Thank you for trying to keep this thing real (it can be positive or negative – all I ask is that it is real)"


So, let's get real and stop ignoring the elephant in the room. This is not going to be easy. It could make a huge difference, if Terence has the courage to engage, and I hope he does, for his sake and our county's sake.

Terence,

I'm not looking for a positive or negative spin.

I am looking for an honest interview where my readers get to know you and can make an informed decision about your candidacy for Freeholder.

This years election is very important to the future of our county. The new and emerging fund raising scandal makes our candidate selection all the more important.

Given your experience and name recognition, you should be the front runner, winning the nomination, and the election in a slam dunk. Your refusal to accept PAC money, while not popular within certain factions of the party, will play very well in the with the general electorate and the press.

However, I don't think you are the front runner. The controversies about you and what you call the "are you still beating your wife stuff," are killing your chances. You have tried to handle that "stuff" by ignoring it, calling for discussion of county issues only and, simply saying the "stuff" is not true. I don't think your strategy is working. Your candidacy makes that "stuff" county issues and fair game.

I left the Affiliated dinner on the 24th very disappointed in our choices of candidates.

DeSeno gave a good presentation but won't win because he has no organization and hasn't paid his dues.

Kleinberg's rambling presentation was awful. He coulda been a contender.

Lucas is not ready from prime time.

DiBella was relaxed for a change. Talking to his old friends, joking about his weaknesses and the controversies about it him. He acted like he has the nomination in the bag, and at this point he probably does, which means we will have a Freeholder from Howell named Barbara.

And you, Terence, were great, except for the fact that you are refusing to deal with the controversies about yourself. There are many people angry at you and others fearful about what stunt you might come up with next.

You say that your critics' posts on my site are beyond the pale, primarily because they are not true. Rather than ignoring them or hope I delete them, let's tell the truth and hopefully get beyond them.

I'm on record as saying that DiBella can't win in November. Given the weakness of the other candidates, that leaves you as our best hope of maintaining our all Republican Freeholder Board, unless another candidate comes forth.

If you don't find a way to neutralize what your critics are saying about you and make people like you anyway, ala Bill Clinton, you can't win either.

With the hope that you can change the buzz about you, I ask that you honestly answer the following questions:

1) Do you have a tape of Serena DiMaso uttering anti-Semitic remarks. If so, why haven't you released it. If not, please explain yourself and clean up this mess once and for all.

2) If elected, will you continue to serve as Keansburg Borough Manager. If not, how will you support your family? Will you complete your term on the Holmdel Township Committee?

3) The redevelopment of the Lucent site is of critical importance to the future of Holmdel and the future of Monmouth County. You have claimed a leadership role in this issue. How do you plan to positively impact this redevelopment while at the same time managing Keansburg and running a county wide race for Freeholder.

4) Did you ever explore running for State Senate as a Democrat?

5) What have you learned since your primary race for Assembly? Did you try to trick primary voters into thinking John Bennett was supporting you? If so, what have you learned from that experience and how will those lessons impact your future races?

6) Given the demands of office holding, public service often means sacrificing private sector accomplishments and quality family time. How has your public service impacted your career and your family? Has it been worth it?

In your blog on jerseypolitcs.com, http://www.jerseypolitics.com/tmwall.html, you talk about an indefinable drive to get the job done that has nothing to do with money, power or prestige. While that drive may be indefinable, please speak to your experience of it, why you do what you do, and what you get out of it.

Please email me your responses and I will post them as comments to this thread. This thread is closed to other comments