Bill Marra Is Running

Don't you find it interesting that the announcement that Bill Marra is running came via CKLW and not the Windsor Star? Clearly Bill deliberately chose not to make a pilgrimmage to the most powerful media outlet in town to let them in on the news.

Foolish? Not really. Bill knows the Windsor Star's Editorial Board and its distinguished Columnist will favour Eddie if Bill chooses to run for Mayor. They have given Eddie virtually a free pass for almost 3 years but for the odd negative editorial over matters such as in camera secrecy or the Police Board. Nothing will change.

Will the Star embrace Bill as a strong member of Council if Bill chooses to run in Ward 4 to help the Mayor? You might think so given the vicious attack by the Star on David Cassivi! But everyone concedes that David is unbeatable and Eddie still needs the CAW so we can expect Ken Lewenza Jr. to get great coverage. Kennie (and Bill) better worry too. Ed Sleiman is running again and he only lost out to Ken Jr by about 200 votes. And what about John Fairley. He's around as well with a lot more visibility given the publicity on the Bingo problems that he has to confront. He will become a personal symbol of Eddie's lack of action

Anyway, Eddie does not want someone around whom the other Councillors can rally. He does not need Bill as a potential Leader of the Opposition the way Eddie, Fulvio and Bill were with Mike Hurst in his last term as Mayor.

Oh the Star will be nice to Bill for awhile. After all, a good race promotes sales of newspapers but when push comes to shove, Bill knows what the Star will do.

So why did Bill act as he did? Simple, he just challenged the Star to let them know he is not afraid!

The message is that he's not the nice guy any longer. Running a large organization changed him! Three years away from City Hall taught him that there is a life after politics. He is telling the Star that they smear him at their peril! If the rumours are true about the Star being up for sale, Canwest cannot afford to have the Star become an election issue!

Is Bill being "cute" in not saying what postion he wants. Partially he is...It's payback time for the shots the E-machine has taken against him over the past year or so. Let them worry for awhile about what HE is going to do. Let them react to him. Let them be off-balance as to what he is going to do next and when. How do they like walking on egg-shells, afraid to make a mistake for fear of what may happen.

It is obvious from the radio interview that Bill in his heart wants to run for Mayor but I am told that many of his friends and political "pros" are telling him to take the safe route and run for Council. What Bill is doing is getting a good feel for what people really think about him after he has been out of the public limelight for 3 years. After all, he has not even been on Cogeco for the last year since Council Close-up was cancelled!

It must be that that a number of very influential people have been talking to Bill very seriously to make Bill effectively give up what he has achieved over the last few years and decide to run again.

If I ever get a call from Bill, I would tell him one thing. Run for Mayor. 47% of Windsorites voted against Eddie Francis last time around when he had no record to defend and supposedly, was very popular. Those 47% will not vote for Eddie this time around either.

I will be blunt with Bill. I will tell him straight out that this is an election to get 4% of Eddie's supporters to change their mind and vote for him and that it should be easy to do because he is a credible alternative. I will say that if he cannot convince these people to change their vote because he cannot communicate how Eddie has failed this City then he does not deserve to be Mayor of Windsor.

You know what....I think in the end, Bill's heart will win out. For Windsor's sake, I hope so!