By Rosalie Tirella

We hope Mayor Konstantina Lukes blows “Joe-Blow” O’Brien right outa the freakin’ water!

Amazing! Every election cycle the old Murray/Rushton/Donahue/Eddy brigade farts out yet another political wannabe. This time around the farted (oops! we mean annointed!) is Joe O’Brien, a guy with nothing to offer but his connections – and searing political ambitions.

Yes, yes, I know he has done some work on behalf of the schools, and he lives in Main South, etc, etc. But it seems to me O’Brien’s political work has always been in service to HIS POLITICAL CAREER – as if the ambitious O’Brien were just biding time until … the President came calling!

But President Obama hasn’t given O’Brien a ring-a-ding-ding. So O’Brien decides he wants to be mayor of Worcester -an idea that apparently popped into his head after spending a few years as Congressman Jim McGovern’s regional director. O’Brien’s job as McGovern’s top banana was a political plum thrown to him after helping run (so they say) L.G.’s Tim Murray campaign. (Talk about connections! Can’t the rest of us be connected too so we can get high-paying jobs for giving half-assed speeches on behalf of our pals?)

But I digress. While working for Congressman McGovern, O’Brien probably got bored …  or maybe his political ambitions got stoked again. So the logical step for him was to throw himself at the Worcester voter – yet again.

Why is Joe o’Brien running for mayor when he damn near loses every election he’s in (remember when he was creamed by Vinny Pedone)? Maybe, after all these years, O’Brien should realize that his political fate is to be a behind-the-scenes guy/worker bee. That is not so bad. You can still help people and change the world (if you try) from a congressman’s office. You can still be effective.

But once Joe gets a job, he apparently gets bored, believing he deserves so much more (like the love of the people!).  When he ran for Worcester School Committee for the last time, he finished LAST. Once in office he seemed, according to some political observers, apathetic – as if he were too brilliant to be serving a stint on the Wormtown school committee.

Now Joe is running for mayor – and dumping the same pablum onto voters’ plates that city councilor/mayoral-loser Frederick “Ric” Rushton burped up last election cycle. These guys must share the same notes or something! It’s all very depressing. But we must all be prepared for the dance: Joe, along with the usual suspects, will go knocking on our doors, claiming they can change our world. They will tell us they know Tim Murray. They will tell us they’re pals with the big guys in Boston! They will tell us they have important and meaningful connections! They will tell us this will get us loads of dough from Boston! Loads of dough that we can use for all kinds of programs for our wonderful city!

It’s funny, but when it comes to Mayor Konnie Lukes, well then the boys –  the reporters from Blow Mag and the Telegram and Gazette (Nick K., especially) – label the mayoral job “ceremonial.” Yup! Being mayor of Worcester is just ceremonial when Konnie Lukes holds the job – just check our charter! the boys say. This despite the fact that Lukes has worked hard for Worcester, represents us with grace and intelligence (something Rushton could never do) and runs a tight/smooth flowing Worcester City Council meeting (something that former Mayor Murray was lauded for time and time again when HE had the job!). It’s funny how being mayor of Worcester is a real JOB when a guy holds the job (Murray) or is running for the office (Rushton and now O’Brien), but it’s just window dressing when a woman runs for/holds the office. 

But don’t ever estimate the intelligence of the voter. We’re smarter than you think!