Fear.
No, not really. Julie always seems to be the most sensible person in the room. A supreme realist, strategist and with high level political skills that many of us can't match.
Thus her reaction when the NY Post came calling to do an article on Mulgrew's refusal to debate Julie -- and can't you see why he won't.
I got the call from Yoav Gonen from the Post, the one guy many of the fighters against ed deform sort of trust even though he works for the Post. He wanted Julie's number to get her reaction. I didn't think twice about it. The press wanted to do a story so why not I thought?
So we don't hear anything for 2 days and then Julie emails that not only is she busy with a sick Jack but she feels icky even talking to the Post on this issue even though she likes and respects Yoav. She said that the Post would use this to bash the union and Mulgrew in an unfair way and didn't want to be a part of that. Thus an internal debate inside MORE.
One MORE member was to get back to Yoav as a courtesy. But at this point the vicious anti-union Post reporter Carl Campanile entered the picture and MORE was pretty unanimous we wouldn't get involved. In fact he wanted a quote from Julie and wanted to send a photographer to her house to run a picture which would have appeared next to Mulgrew's.
Instead of looking at this as an opportunity to troll for votes, given that the Post is read by more teachers than the NY Times, Julie flat out refused. The Post was informed her letter to Mulgrew was public knowledge. And that is what was used in the article co-written by Yoav and Campanile -- the good and the bad.
The upshot of this is that for those of us who were initially not put off by Yoav's inquiry, is that Julie's instinct that a Post attack on Mulgrew and the UFT was not a good thing for any of us, a reaffirmation why Julie Cavanagh is the perfect spokesperson for an alternative to Unity that sees the big picture.
When Julie talks, I listen. Except when she calls me "grandpa."
Sometimes the buck has to stop with Julie and she has to make the final decision when it comes to putting her name and reputation out there. And the NYPost is not the place to do it.
ReplyDeleteDid you not read the above? That the buck did stop with her and she refused to cooperate with the Post. But they did it anyway. She could have called Rupert or Joel Klein and ordered them not to do it. If you need a translation I'll send you one.
DeleteI don't need a translation. I was referring to your own statement "thus an internal debate inside MORE". Julie is level headed (which was also my point) and yes, more than you and obviously other members who thought this was a good idea. And I never would have given her number to the Post w/o asking her first. Thus--the buck stops with Julie.
DeleteThis is the biggest non-issue out there. At the request of MORE, I talked to the Post for this piece so call me whatever you want. I was quoted. A Unity person spoke to them too. They are quoted. Randi Weingarten once did an oped for the Post. Is she a tool of the Post too? Let's get back to the issue of why Mulgrew won't debate.
ReplyDelete"At the request of MORE"......I assume Julie rubber stamped that first because she is the lead ticket and if MORE wins, she will be the voice of all NYC teachers. The NYPOST is notorious for taking quotes out of context. That said, it was better for someone other than Julie to respond.
DeleteAfter what happened at SOS with 2 speakers not thinking before speaking, it is MORE important than ever that whoever handles the press is savvy and professional...and Julie fits that to a tee.
Great story from Norm! How Julie refused to talk to the Post about Mulgrew and how he takes the orders from Julie like a good soldier. Of course Norm, you can have it both ways!!! Make a non story a story, and then say how good you are for not making it a story. And yes, please....translations would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way James, a tool is a tool...and two tools are two tools.
you have reached a point where you officially become the village idiot.
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