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Friday, Sep. 26, 2008

Loose Lips: Will the real Joe Rivero please stand up?

Lips has been trying to solve a riddle for the past few weeks: How do you tell the difference between Joe Rivero and Joe Rivero?

One is a current Atwater councilmember. The other, his son, is a former council member running again.

The signs scattered across town, some recycled from dad's campaign, say vote for Joe Rivero. They're walking precincts as Team Rivero. (Does the family that campaigns together stay together?)

Just before going cross-eyed trying to come up with an answer, Lips decided to call Rivero the Older and inquire.

"The so-called fat-cat power brokers," the white-haired one began, anticipating the criticism, "they don't want to see another Rivero in there. He worked for the people and not the fat-cat power brokers."

Lips couldn't reach the fat-cat power brokers (say that fast 10 times!) for comment but, cordial as they are, we figured they'd say they have no problem with Joe.

Still, does the door-to-door spiel go, "I'm Joe Rivero and this is Joe Rivero, I'd like you to vote for Joe Rivero"?

No, he said. The duo make it clear right off the bat that they're different people, even if they share genes, generally conservative political philosophies, a name and maybe a dais. "It's silly to say the old man will have any influence on the son," Rivero noted, adding that his son is "furious" at him for voting to hike the city manager's salary by 20 percent spread in a two-year span.

Sly strategy ... bash yourself to champion your son.

The biggest difference Lips found between the Riveros? Papa is far more of a chatterbox. That's fantastic, as Rivero the Older would say.

We're not sure Mayor Joan Faul could handle trying to control yet another Joe Rivero during the meetings.

We do know Jack

Lips heard recently from Jack "I really want to be in the Assembly" Mobley's campaign. Turns out local elephants are trumpeting once more about their party. Is the G-Dub ghost fading?

It must be the Gov. Sarah Palin factor. Doesn't say much about 72-year-old Sen. John McCain, though, does it?

Anyway, anyone asking for a McCain-Palin sign from Victory Headquarters gets ... a Mobley sign! Some 50 people have stopped by recently, Lips learned.

The Mobley campaign has also branched out into the far reaches of the district, which includes Tracy, where he's known as "Jack Who?"

His reps are trying to drive the name Mobley into voters' short-term memory by touting his support of small business and his opposition to big government.

Mobley's also had an active fan club that's been pummeling the Sun-Star with letters. The editorial page bosses have published five so far with headlines such as "More on Mobley," slowly growing more tired.

Five may not seem like many, but Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani's come up with goose egg. Is this Richard Nixon's silent majority speaking up? Maybe.

Lips also learned that Mobley has a sense of humor. He's contemplating a haiku contest in his campaign newsletters, which Lips suggested. Here's our entry:

Stockton to Merced

Voters tired of late budgets

Now they Mobleyize