I know you’ve heard it all before, but, seriously, Rocky takes a bad rap from the Utah Press.
I’ve been here almost a year as the Mayor’s Assistant on Policy and Special Projects and let me tell you, Rocky Anderson is easy to work for. Very easy.
He’s demanding, exact and anal. He’s a perfectionist and, public opinion aside, he works his ass off. The problem comes, I now believe, in people falling short of his expectations. Rocky expects that people who get paid with tax payer money should work hard, work well, and, more than anything, work in a way that shows that they respect the people who provide the funds for their paychecks.
Once you’ve got that down, if you don’t mind long hours, working for Rocky is the hardest, most challenging cakewalk of all time. You just really have to want the cake.
I just want to share a couple of things before it all ends in an hour and a half, and I hope they mean something to you:
1. When I started here, I was told that there was just one rule I had to live (aside from law, ordinance, etc.) if I was going to work for Mayor Anderson – Never Lie. Not even to the UPS guy. If you get caught lying, you’re done that very minute. You can be wrong, and, if you are wrong, you can expect to get a load of grief for it; fine. But NEVER LIE. Rocky doesn’t like “spin” either, and that was probably hardest for me, looking back.
2. Rocky should never, ever have given me this job. In the two years I spent with the State Democratic Party, I was directed, mostly by Matheson’s staff, but to a lesser extent by candidates in rural counties and by from a few elected officials and officers, to politely yet firmly, make sure that there was distance between the DINO’s and the Mayor. Sometimes I agreed with the reasons, and sometimes I didn’t, but my name was, for a couple of years, tacked onto a multitude of statements about how Democrats in Utah are different. I would never have blamed Rocky for laughing in my face when I showed up for my interview, but, he didn’t. He gave me the job, told me never to lie, and then worked my ass off.
Thank you, Mayor Anderson.
It was an honor and a privilege to work for you. I deeply appreciate the opportunity you gave me, not only to serve the people of Salt Lake City as a member of your staff, but to pay a little penance and help balance out the karma of my political, and moral, belief.
I’ve held the opinion for this year that Rocky couldn’t have picked a better person to join his support staff than you. It’s a shame he doesn’t have a place for you in his new corporation, you’d do well there.
I agree. And it’s interesting to see this side of politics. The more human side of it, if you will.
I saw the spot about his 8 years on the 10 o’clock news last night, and his Human Kind project. It reinforces my impression (one that he often confirms for me when I hear him speak, as well) that he is not just another “official.” He seems to have some vision to ‘im. I’d bet that’s why he gave you the job.
<p>Mr. Bell, </p>
<p>I don’t ever remember you being a big proponent of Rocky Anderson, that is until he paid you. In fact, I remember you telling someone to stay “as far away” from Rocky as possible. That was your advice, not anyone else’s. </p>
<p>I also seem to remember that us “Dino’s” tried to work with the Mayor, but his decade long grudge with the party was too much to overcome. </p>
<p>I think it’s great that Rocky had a “don’t lie” policy. Too bad he didn’t follow his own direction, but then again, whose perfect?</p>
Well, lets talk about being chickenshit. You post using a fake name? Sort of a misdirected Anonymous post, I guess?
Yeah, I gave that advice to a lot of people, and I certainly wont deny it. It happens to be good advice when the majority of other Democrats are trying as hard as they can to match the Republican Platform and still keep the base from open revolt. It’s also good advice to a candidate running in an area where the R’s out number the D’s by a 4 to 1 margin.
There were times when that distance was needed and times when it wasn’t. I feel bad about the times that it wasn’t.
So, what did he lie about? You make the accusation, back it up, toots.