Friday, October 23, 2009

Why is it wrong to state the truth?

I read the story in the Daily News about the mayoral debate and then I was reading The Newburyport Blog and I was totally bowled over by the notion (later backed away from) that Donna Holaday is dead in the water because she said something that's true.

James Shanley had no opponents for City Council President.

What's the deal?

My first thought was, is Shanley sacred now that he's been annointed by the "young, affluent" segment of our community? They aren't that huge of a segment, you know ...

The truth is the truth, and no one should be thrown into the frying pan for telling the truth. I know the truth hurts, sometimes, but jiminy crickets, what's the world coming to?

I'm just askin' ... anyway, here's my favorite bit from the Daily News story:

Holaday questioned Shanley's experience in handling budgets the size of the city's $50 million budget. Shanley is a self-described small business owner, who operates a small printing shop in Amesbury.

"That's why we have an auditor," Shanley said, adding a key leadership quality for a mayor is setting goals and delegating specific tasks to experts.

"But the mayor does the budget," Holaday replied. "The mayor is the one who designs the budget."


Yes indeed ... the auditor does not prepare budgets; he verifies financial information. Can't do both, you know ... tsk tsk ... but not sure what he (Shanley) meant. Someone should have followed up on that.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes, it doesn't matter what you say, it's how you say it that resonates with people. Right or wrong, delivery is important.

Gillian Swart said...

That's very true, Anon. To switch to talking about Holaday, she sometimes says things in a tone of great authority that are not accurate. This is something I have been accused of myself. But I thought people here liked snarkiness (said with great authority).

The key is to question what people say - and that's where supposedly the press comes in.

Anonymous said...

The same question could have been posed to Holaday vs. Moak. Did Moak have experience with $50M budgets? Look at that outcome. Holaday had a laundry list of qualifications and experience then too. It's amusing how elections turn out around here.

Yes, we love snarky, but not when it's a turn-off. It can make or break ya.

Gillian Swart said...

Yes, it's all so subjective, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

BTW - I saw your interview with the challenger in Ward 1. After many "audible gasps" by me, all I can say is OMG!!!!!! That's not snarky, just shock.

Gillian Swart said...

Ward 1 needs some municipal spirit injected into the water. Wait - we don't drink the water.

Voter said...

Holoday had a valid point about the council president. There was no need to apologize. It's a debate, not a cotillion. She needs to show some fight if she is to win.