Michael Wildes' New York State of Mind

Wildes is proud not to care about Jersey (4.00 / 1)

How hard is to at least buy a cell phone with a local number and forward it to wherever you're working?

But Wildes doesn't even bother to put up that appearance.  He is proud of his out of Jersey support.  Aside from the fascinating photo gallery, his web site actually has a copy of a Bergen Record article from a few years back that points out how hard Wildes works his out of town connections.  It includes this quote from then-Englewood Council President Douglas Bern discussing a charity fundraiser hosted by Wildes

"Until Governor McGreevey showed up, most leaders were from out of state and really limited in what they can do for community, but not what can they do for Mr. Wildes and his fund raising,"

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by: Lacey Davenport @ Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 19:52:24 PM CDT

Bingo! (4.00 / 1)

The thing that I really appreciated about Valerie Huttle was that I knew her BEFORE she ran for Assembly.  As a constituent of hers when she was Freeholder, she actually kept us updated on her progress while she was in office, not just while she was running for office.  I always noticed that she cared about what we thought - that she would listen to the concerns of the people she represented.  As I got to know her during her run for the Assembly, I realized that that is exactly the kind of person she is.  Tireless, effective, organized, empathetic, and kind - especially to those who were not able to speak for themselves or stand up for themselves - people who aren't famous or don't have a lot of money, or who aren't even old enough to vote.  You know - ordinary folks who aren't exploitable victims of a horrific tragedy that gets national attention. 

Michael Wildes tried to steal an election from this same woman - a freeholder who he actually barred from an event in Englewood where Hillary Clinton came to fundraise.  He's that petty, and that afraid of Valerie Vainerie Huttle. That's why there are photos of Michael with every famous person to pass through Englewood. It's all he has.

It isn't that hard to get a picture with a famous person even if you AREN'T the Mayor.  It doesn't confer on you the status of bestest buddy and confidant. It's a photo like you take when you're a TOURIST. It never dawns on Michael that when any mayor asks you to take a picture with them, you kind of have to.  Tourist.  hmm. That's a great word to describe Michael.  He sure isn't planning on sticking around.  Englewood - a nice place to take pictures, but he wouldn't want to live here too long.

Me? I'll be here all week.........

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 21:39:16 PM CDT

Working Class Hero: NOT (0.00 / 0)

Ambition: Toxic vs Healing

Michael Wildes says...

"I make no apologies for my ambition,"

We are all flawed and imperfect human beings.  If we hold out for saints before we support someone's run for office virtually no one would qualify.

Having said that, this man's "ambition" is so transparently, blatantly and absolutely geared toward abject self aggrandizement that it reeks. 

I will give Wides credit for this much; he's not pretending to be humble.  He is so full of himself that he puts it right out there...if you want to join the personality cult of a self obsessed "superstar"/"winner"; then this is your guy.

Toxic ambition results in policy choices that are, by definition, corrupted.  Whatever small good things (like raising money for worthwhile charities) are done......are only done in order to obtain the power to do larger bad things (like making it easier for developers to rape a community).

Wildes is rightly proud of the fantastic job his father did in helping John Lennon to kick Nixon's and Hoover's ass in the constitutionally abusive immigration case they brought against Lennon. 

I dare say that if John were alive today; he wouldn't see Mr Wildes as a "working class hero". 

John Lennon was also an ambitious man, who on occasion, seemed "full of himself...but Lennon's ambition was a healing constructive force in the world and driven by an inner sense of outrage at the unfairness/injustice that results when the people in power abuse that power.

It's a pity.  Michael Wildes has (had) the talent and potential to break the ethically challenged BCDO machine and to do good things; instead he joins it in opposition to a solid progressive like Loretta Weinberg; a REAL working class heroine!

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by: Nick Lento @ Thu Apr 05, 2007 at 10:37:29 AM CDT

Working class hero? (4.00 / 1)

The ONLY thing Michael has ever worked for is his own advancement. His behavior is childish and pretensious.

Hopefully, he'll get soundly trounced in the primary (and 'his' candidates in the upcoming school board election will, too) and that's the last we will hear of him.

You're right. Wildes had the opportunity to do good, and chose the fast track to political stardom. I'm embarrassed for him and for Englewood.

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by: NJ Liberal @ Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 00:12:17 AM CDT

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Wildes for Senate? Or Wildes for Congress? (2.00 / 2)

The pictures of Wildes and just about anyone with a face to snap is pretty funny. The guy is like a little kid with an online autograph collection.

I'm just wondering what Mayor Mike will do with all of his Joe Leiberman photo ops? Is that "independent" senator from Connecticut kind of like that "independent" mayoral candidate, Dr. Stern?

I quite don't know what to make of it.

But how does Wildes justify having an active senate campaign account as well as an active congressional account (www.wildesforcongress.com)?

I mean which is it? Is he even committed to the full term of the senate which I believe is four years?

If he's not committed to serving a full term, why is he really running for the senate?

The proliferation of rumors seems to suggest that MM (Mayor Mike) is doing Chairman Joe Ferriero this favor by running against a 74-year old widow and grandmother who has spent her whole life serving the Democratic Party because he just doesn't want her to be the senator any longer.

So if Wildes wins, will he serve or just posture for the Rothman seat in the 9th CD? Rothman to some is regarded as too "low key" for politics. But many believe his standing with Democrats runs long & deep and they won't stand another Ferriero purge at the congressional level.

It wasn't that long ago that Rothman was the only countywide elected Democrat and he is one of only a two countywide elected officals (Surrogate Mike Dressler is the other), that doesn't owe his political existence to Chairman Joe.

Given Senator Joe Coniglio's mounting problems along with new rumors that others in the Bergen delegation may hear foot steps too, does this primary really make sense?

Who will be the real loser in all of this nonsense?

It's hysterical to see in the Wildes congressional site that he actually mentions Rothman and claims to have spoken to him.

These two people don't even talk! There is little love between the two!

Is Mayor Mike suggesting Congressman Rothman is supporting this toppling of a long-time incumbent? How come Mayor Mike doesn't have a picture in the old photo Gallery with Rothman, an ex-Englewood mayor himself?

More importantly, when is Rothman going to get off the sidelines and take a stand? Is he going to let Ferriero bully him into a phony endorsement for Wildes, Zisa and Wilson?

Steve Rothman is a well respected Democrat with a bright future. But he'll have no future at all if he continues to ignore the politics of self destruction within the Democratic Party and District 37.

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by: BigDaddyDem @ Fri Apr 06, 2007 at 18:55:48 PM CDT

Great. It looks like he changed it on the website now but (4.00 / 1)

that is actually a phone number I've seen in attempts to call me as a county committee member when he was attempting to run against Huttle in '05.  So I am thinking it was a cell phone, or one of his cell phones.

I thought it was strange he was calling. While Huttle had been in Bergenfield several times, I never saw Wildes in working class Bergenfield prior to running this year.

Very ambitious, well to do.  Can't fault ambition.  But too close to county machine.

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by: BergenfieldView @ Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 11:28:38 AM CDT

Ambition. (0.00 / 0)

BergenfieldView writes:

Can't fault ambition.

There's ambition and then there's ambition.  Gandhi was ambitious.  So is Karl Rove.  It's a meaningless word without context.

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by: Moxie Sebright @ Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 15:55:14 PM CDT

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Excellent Observation (0.00 / 0)

A bit of extrapolotion on the Gandhi/Rove "ends of the stick".......

If one thinks of it as a polarity; ambition can be a noble concern for the whole that drives one to action despite the personal sacrifices/risk; or it can be a ruthless/toxic lust for wealth and power that puts the whole at risk to benefit the ego of a particular individual.

At one end you have a healthy body politic; at the other you have a cancer.

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon Apr 09, 2007 at 16:34:49 PM CDT

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