Where were we yesterday? So Providence mayor David Cicilline was blamed for not averting the 2007 “December debacle” by former Providence mayor (and convicted felon) Buddy Cianci.
Let me tell you about Buddy.
Buddy was the most corrupt mayor Providence ever had, and that's saying something. He got out of jail a few years ago – he was in for racketeering, by the way – and has since repositioned himself as a political commentator on radio and TV. He holds forth daily on how he “saved” Providence when he was mayor, and how terrible the current administration is.
People actually listen to this lump of soggy polenta!
But here's the great thing about him: his predictions are wrong with great regularity.
I followed his political prognostications during the local 2010 elections with great interest. He had very strong opinions about everything. He knew what was going to happen.
But he was very often wrong.
For example: Buddy said Angel Taveras, the Democratic nominee for mayor, was going nowhere.
Taveras won in a landslide.
(Oh, Buddy changed his mind right before the election, when the polls showed Taveras with an unstoppable majority. I can't blame Buddy for illiteracy. He can at least read the paper.)
Anthony Gemma, a local (and completely politically inexerienced) businessman, ran for Congress against the adorable David Cicilline. Cicilline won easily. Gemma made a mess of his whole campaign, and lost badly. Cianci championed Gemma.
Guess what? Cianci was wrong again.
So why do people listen to this dope?
Well, have you ever had a really ugly old dog, with terrible bad breath?
Sometimes you just put up with it.
Cianci still thinks and acts as if it's 1980. There was still a regimented Democratic political machine in the state in those days, and things happened according to plan. Also, the ethnic balance in the state has changed enormously. Also . . .
Times have changed.
But people still listen to convicted felon Cianci on the radio and on TV.
To paraphrase Cindy Adams: Only in Rhode Island, kids, only in Rhode Island.
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