When Graham Richard was mayor, his preference for the policy-wonk part of the job over the public-appearance part was an issue. Even I got into the act. This is from an editorial I wrote in 2003: "There is something about leadership that Mayor Graham Richard still doesn't get. In voluntarily seeking the public arena, he was entering into a contract with the electorate that requires him to be visibly engaged in the community's issues. But he clearly prefers to be a behind-the-scenes mayor, edging into the spotlight only when it suits his purpose."
May I take that all back now, please? Or at least let me express the hope that there exists a happy medium somewhere between Richard's virtual absence from the public scene and Mayor Tom Henry's, well, ubiquitousness. Is there anything he won't use as an excuse to make a few off-the-cuff remarks or mug it up for the cameras? Apparently not. The photo below is one of two on the Chamber of Commerce's blog and sent out to the press by e-mail. The mayor is posing with Ronald and Co. -- and even cutting the ribbon -- for a McDonald's opening.
This should be perfect material for all you Photoshoppers and caption writers out there, and if the photos don't show up in Republican mayoral campaign materials, they don't deserve the damn office.
UPDATE: Both gadfly and AWB point to an AWB post in which captions are, indeed, provided. I'm taking the link out of comments and putting it here because the code takes up a couple of lines and keeps "recent comments"
Comments
So the lesson here is "Be careful what you wish for," right? Meanwhile lay off the guy, all right? He just wanted a photograph to prove that the weirdos he was seeing after eating there were all real!