Thursday, July 31st, 2008...8:00 pm
Gordon (Hearts) the Democratic Party
Y’all may remember a while back when I wrote a critical post about Phil Gordon’s endorsements of Republicans, and not just moderates but hard cores like Andrew Thomas and Jim Weiers. I recieved a reply from Gordon’s campaign the general gist of which was that Gordon is above petty concerns like partisanship. Apparently, he is some sort of immortal creature who exists beyond pedestrian, party politics.
Well, how the tables have turned. Now that Gordon has seen the light on Joe Arpaio (I ask again, what took him so long?) he is subject to a recall organized by local knuckle draggers. So, who does he turn to for help. A couple of clues: it is a certain political party whose name begins with “d.”
This from the state Democratic Party:
Dear Friend:
An attempted recall election is being organized against Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon in an effort to overturn his most recent re-election in 2007, which he won with 77 percent of the vote.
I urge you to take a moment today to help stop these efforts now by visiting http://www.friendsforphilgordon.com/.
Mayor Gordon’s overwhelming victory at the polls last year followed his important involvement in our efforts across the state in 2006. As you well know, the 2006 election was a banner year for Democrats. J.D. Hayworth, still sore from losing his congressional seat to Democratic Rep. Harry Mitchell in 2006, is fanning the flames of the recall assault on the Mayor from his right-wing, talk-show perch.
As you know, most recently Mayor Gordon has been standing up to Sheriff Joe Arpaio and condemning the Sheriff’s large-scale round-ups in Hispanic neighborhoods that are designed to create a pool of Hispanics for the Sheriff to sift through in search of undocumented people. Mayor Gordon has condemned these aggressive sweeps as racial profiling, and he has requested the Department of Justice to investigate Sheriff Arpaio’s tactics for civil rights violations.
In short, Mayor Gordon is standing up for what is right, and we need to stand up for Phil Gordon and help him stop this ugly recall effort in its tracks. What can you do to help? You can visit the website of Friends for Phil at http://www.friendsforphilgordon.com/, where you can learn more about the recall effort, sign a letter of support for Phil and make a contribution to support the integrity of the electoral process in Arizona. It’s the right thing to do.
Sincerely
Don Bivens, Chairman
Arizona Democratic Party
Hey, I don’t want the guy recalled either (as much because I don’t want to grant the Cro-Magnon wing of the Republican party a head for their wall), but this is a bit, I dunno…
So, if he’s getting help from the party, has he recinded that endorsement of John McCain yet?
27 Comments
August 1st, 2008 at 12:10 am
I sincerely hope that Phil realizes where his bread is buttered and has a come to Jesus moment where endorsing Republicans is concerned.
Hey, that’s 2 metaphors in one sentence. Do I get a T-shirt for that?
August 1st, 2008 at 12:11 am
I am deeply, deeply thankful not to live in the City of Phoenix (I live in Avondale, where our wingnuts proudly call themselves Republicans, and don’t hide under the cloak of Democrats.
If I lived in Phoenix, I would not vote for Phil Gordon.
He’s the worst mayor Phoenix he’s had since I’ve been old enough to pay attention (and that includes Skip Rimsza).
Like his buddies, Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas, he’s never seen a microphone stand he didn’t try to dry hump.
City employees I know can’t stand him, and the only other “Democrat” (a term used very loosely here) I’ve seen gush as much about Republicans as he does is Joe Lieberman.
As I said, I’m grateful I don’t live in Phoenix, because I would not vote for the man, I would not give him money, I would not work to get him elected. Hell if he was drowning in a bathtub, I’d have to work up some serious enthusiasm just to pull the plug so he didn’t drown.
August 1st, 2008 at 9:23 am
I too am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but ONLY if he recinds the endorsment of Thomas and McCain publically.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:27 am
A member of the United States Senate, known for his hot temper and acid tongue, exploded one day in mid-session and began to shout, “Half of this Senate is made up of cowards and corrupt politicians!”
All the other Senators demanded that the angry member withdraw his statement, or be removed from the remainder of the session.
After a long pause, the angry member acquiesced. “OK,” he said, “I withdraw what I said. Half of this Senate is NOT made up of cowards and corrupt politicians!”
August 1st, 2008 at 12:15 pm
As a member of the minority political party in our great state, I don’t think we can afford the “better late than never” special dispensation for the turncoat Gordon. I subscribe more to the “always should have been” school. Gordon is not reliable; what he can be relied upon is to endorse members of the other party to further his own ambitions. He should never again hold public office in this state.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:42 pm
“You’re either with us or against us.” That’s what our brilliant President said to our allies when he decided to invade Iraq. Do we really want to adopt that as the motto for the Democratic party?
Gordon has been a really good Mayor, and whoever left the post about Skip Rimsza is really out of touch. Rimsza was a glad handing real estate salesman to the bitter end. Sick!
Not really clear about why Gordon takes so much crap. He is the only Democrat in the state willing to put their butt on the line to take down the villan Arpaio. Everyone else is just sitting back, cheering him from the sidelines and hoping they are not called on to do the right thing. Where’s Janet, how about our brave attorney general Goddard. It would be a great time for, not only democrats, but anyone who believes that Joe’s tactics are something out of the Jim Crow South, to stand up and be counted. Instead we use our time and resources to tear down the only person who is.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I read the archives on this and I just dunno, “the general gist of which was that Gordon is above petty concerns like partisanship”.? That summary is a real reach and is really attempting to objectify a conclusion beforehand IMO. I read it 3 times to see if I was missing something.
The endorsement of Thomas was bogus and I find fault with it, but I think Gordon’s recent actions calling out Thomas and Arpaio shows he knows it was bogus and made a mistake.
I dont really care that Gordon endorsed McCain in the other guys’ primary–I could care less. The fact that he is not endorsing McCain in the general is what most important.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:17 pm
When the mayor endorsed McCain it was when McCain was pushing a reasonable immigration bill last year. When this caused the polls to go south on McCain he jumped off that sinking ship and went hard right on immigration (and everything else).
Now the mayor has moved away from him and gone is the only one really pounding Arpaio on immigration. That counts for a lot with me.
There are many people in our party in Marciopa County who shrink from the Sheriff and play the “I wont mess in your election if you don’t mess in mine”. So I can live with Phil Gordon endorsing one of Arpaio’s enemies in a R primary. Actually I can more than live with it—I don’t really care.
August 1st, 2008 at 9:57 pm
here come the Mayor’s staff! lol. How many fake names can you come up with in 2 hours?
Notice the times those posts came in? Right after one another… LOL
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:55 am
Look everyone, he is going after Arpaio now (that Joe’s polling is down) when nobody else will (I mean sure, Arapio went after the Mayor first, but I swear this is actually an act of bravery), and for that I am grateful. He is really very similar to John Kennedy, because he is so brave. See, John Kennedy is a Democrat, just like Mayor Gordon. You know his name is Gordon just like that TOUGH commissioner I saw on batman. They are both really tough and I think both are Democrats too.
John McCain was endorsed by the Mayor back when he was a maverick (and popular in the state, though he was still a Republican) and making sense on immigration (like I always do) and now the Mayor has “moved away” from him (don’t google search for any statement by the Mayor endorsing a Democrat or rescinding his endorsement though). That is bravery, and a backbone.
Even though I am a Democrat who DOESN’T work for Gordon who WASN’T asked to post on this blog in response pretending not to be someone, I can’t MISS any opportunity to attack Terry Goddard. Why? Because. That’s why.
If you don’t like Phil Gordon, then you support the terrorists or something President Bush said. And Mayor Gordon doesn’t like President Bush (anymore) and took that picture of him he used to hang in his office down (polling).
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:01 am
By the way …
“I dont really care that Gordon endorsed McCain in the other guys’ primary–I could care less. The fact that he is not endorsing McCain in the general is what most important.”
… Is a RIDICULOUS statement and not true. Gordon endorsed McCain, calling him his choice for President. Gordon did not call him “my choice for the Republican nomination.”
I really really hope you guys, and yes it is obvious you are on the Mayor’s team, try to use that spinny bs, easily disproven argument when you are running in a primary against another Democrat.
Maybe a public statement saying “my endorsement(s) was(were) a mistake” would be nice. I mean going after these guys now that they are unpopular reinforces the Mayor’s weakness, it doesn’t eliminate them.
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:27 am
An endorsement of Barack Obama by Mayor Phil would quell any confusion, wouldn’t it?
August 2nd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Phil Gordo does the bidding of big money developers. Every two years we have some billion dollar ballot initiative that is nothing more than hand-outs to his campaign contributors. The city is becoming too expensive to live in.
August 2nd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I was at the Cesar Chavez luncheon when Phil made his first strong statements about Arpaio. I wasn’t much of a fan before, but he showed some real spine that day.
Getting rid of Arpaio would provide a strong push for Arizona turning blue, so now is not the time to be vindictive toward Phil.
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:43 am
Italiana,
I agree. For now, we should suck it up and support the Mayor 110%. should the time comes when he commits fratricide and declares in a primary against Goddard- then I will be the first one to volunteer to attack him, but unless\until that happens, he has my support
August 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 am
Dont work for Mayor. Simply noting what I read about McCain and the endorsement in the primary by Gordon in the Daily Forward last week.
http://www.forward.com/articles/13849/
I know Teds blog reflects pima county more than maricopa (and many of us get harsh treatment here), but the Arpaio-Thomas axis is much more to deal with than Dupnik-LaWall and has to be a win at all cost proposition here. So I will take what I can get to put sand in their vasoline jars.
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 am
Thanks for those comments Wow!, you took the pen right out of my hand. Arpaio is a disaster and needs to go. I had someone tell me that he is just a show hound, does everything for attention and really isn’t that bad–Really? I can’t imagine how all those lawsuits against him and the millions of dollars in payments made to people stack up to a guy not being that bad.
Go Phil go! The democrats need to rally behind Mayor Gordon not hold him back demanding he make up for past comments. It’s not like the party is a sorority or fraternity–although some of you may see it that way.
And who treats Pima County people harshly? I did not get that part of your post Hayden S. What does that mean?
August 3rd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Bidget, your missing the point. This is less about Arpaio but more about what many see as his shallow turning against Arpaio because he wants to run against Goddard for Governor.
The man has not shown a single principle over his entire career but rather a cold calculation that makes the Governor look like a teary eyed ideologue.
Did you know he does a poll every month?
He probably saw the public turning and jumped on the bandwagon, but when no one jumped on with him, he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.
His only escape now is to destroy Arpaio for real and now he is asking for the same loyalty he never showed in 15 years of political life.
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 pm
It is interesting that the defenders of the Mayor use this logic:
Hey, everyone - we need to defend Phil Gordon when he takes on bad Republicans like Thomas and Arpaio because it is important and because that is what we do as Democrats.
The rest of us are saying - why should we defend Gordon the politician (not the cause of ousting Arpaio) when he not only refused to help Democrats but chose to support Thomas (over a Democrat) and Wieres (over a Democrat) and McCain (over Democrats.)
Pause for a minute and consider the hypocracy of that.
Tom-AZ is right. We need to stand up right now AGAINST Arpaio. And if Phil Gordon is the guy taking it to him, then we should help Gordon do that and support him when he is attacked. But, the Mayor needs to help friends too … and not just the ones he chooses to help (Mitchell etc) but all Dems ORRRR do the honorable thing as a party leader and STAY OUT OF THE RACE and not support the Republican. This is something he hasn’t done in the past multiple times.
Can a Gordon people acknoweldge that this isn’t a made up concern and that their defence, while fair, is a little hypocritcal considering why we are angry at the mayor?
August 4th, 2008 at 11:53 am
I’m back. Funny, how anyone who speaks against the Mayor is an individual and anyone who speaks for him is on his staff. . . . just an excuse to dismiss the reasonable voices.
I don’t care if the Mayor endorsed Thomas — if the Democrats had fielded a candidate that was worth a darn, I suspect he would have endorsed him/her. Instead we get out there with the weakest excuse for a candidate and expect the rest of the Democrats in the state to fall on their sword and support that person. Thats’ a bunch of crap!! And, it is why the independent party is growing so fast. I don’t expect ANYONE to support an inept candidate, I dont’ care what party they belong to. It’s hard enough to be a democratic office holder in this state without having a bunch of far left maniacs chained to your ankles.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
This Wow! person is clearly either eighteen years old or hasn’t been paying attention to Phil Gordon over the past twenty years. Gordon has endorsed Republicans over Dems MANY times when the Dem candidate was SUPERIOR. Gordon is a self-aggrandizing DINO, and shouldn’t be rewarded for his johnny-come-lately act by finally showing the semblance of a spine with Arpaio. Gordon isn’t leading on anything–he’s had years to lead on this and many other issues, and hasn’t. That is the essence of Phil–he leads on precisely nothing, preferring instead the soft comfort of glad-handing and compromise to real leadership, then relying on his slick PR machine to make him seem like he’s somehow meaningful or relevant. He stands for nothing. Maybe that’s why folks are trying to defend him on his Arpaio ephiphany: it’s the first time he’s taken a brave stand on anything in his political life.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Sure, La Bamba, I’m an attention deficit 18 year old — and you must have been spiking trees in the 80’s. . . .
Have it your way, next time a right-wing Republican runs against a Democrat that fails to meet your standards — vote for them, give them money and volunteer your time on their campaign. Ignore the fact that the Republican candidtate is against EVERYTHING you believe. It will really teach those Democrats a lesson. . .
August 5th, 2008 at 10:37 am
BTW, I suspect that you and I have really different ideas about what a “Superior Democratic” candidate is. I’m looking for something more than a pulse.
August 5th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Wow, I think La Bamba is referring to Gordon endorsing Jim Weirs over Rep. Jackie Thrasher in both runs for that seat. Rep. Thrasher won in the 2nd go at it. Or supporting Arpaio over Dan Saban in the last race.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
I support Mayor Gordon as Phoenix mayor. Being a mayor is a tough thing–it’s like running a gigantic HOA with millions of people in it, so I understand why Gordon did some of the things he did. I just wanted to add that time changes things: Rep. Thrasher has been endorsed this year by both Mayor Gordon and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. If that’s not proof District 10 is purple I don’t know what is..
August 6th, 2008 at 10:05 am
And… exactly where Phil gets his name of “Fair weather Phil”
He’s never there when you need him but always there when he needs you.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Hey–how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
The way I see it, if Gordon is eating up Arpaio, you give him a knife and fork and encourage him to dig in.
It’s politics baby.
The difference between Gordon and Goddard, Goddard wins Statewide races, Gordon does not—. Goddard participates with the party, Gordon does not. I don’t see Gordon as a threat to Goddard at all.
Leave a Reply