Lupe Todd from NYC Booker's Press Seceretary

[J. Sharpe James, J.D.]

Booker Staffs Up
Lupe Todd of Dan Klores Communications, a former City Council press staffer, is going to work as the press secretary for Newark's rock star mayor, Cory Booker.

"Only downside of her job (from my biased New York perspective): You have to live in ... Newark. The tough part of Booker's job being that he has to try to fix Newark."

[RACEMATTERS]

How can you have someone running your communications and not be from the city you represent? Especially Newark as Joan eloquently stated, Newarkers are very skeptical about outsiders and NYC is a complete opposite city than Newark.

Cory, you shouldve spent all your money on 660 and left the NYorkers alone-unlike NYC-everything is blown out of proportion here being a smaller city and if your communications people dont know Newark, stay the hell out of Newark (Naughty By Nature):D

[sowhat?]

Lupe does live in Newark, John this information is sooo old, an announcement from when she left her old job. She's been living and working in Newark for about seven months...

[Poet]

Seriously brotha John. You're attempts to distract and hang Booker in effigy is gettin a little too much to take. Especially since you really don't have a point on most of your postings.

Do us a favor. Ease up a bit. Please.

[Doofus1]

Do us a favor. Ease up a bit. Please.

With $3 a gallon gas, he can't ride the jet-ski as much now that Daddy's credit card is gone, so he spends more time posting drivel.

[LastCubanStanding]

Seriously brotha John. You're attempts to distract and hang Booker in effigy is gettin a little too much to take. Especially since you really don't have a point on most of your postings.

Do us a favor. Ease up a bit. Please.


Please, please...just let him implode before our eyes. I bet he's close to doing a Private Pyle.

From the urban dictionary (can you find the compliment I'm giving him):

To 'do' a 'Private Pyle' is an action; usually this action is performed by a person of average intelligence and involves becomming totally un-hinged and without rudimentary competance

[RealVest]

Please, please...just let him implode before our eyes. I bet he's close to doing a Private Pyle.

From the urban dictionary (can you find the compliment I'm giving him):

To 'do' a 'Private Pyle' is an action; usually this action is performed by a person of average intelligence and involves becomming totally un-hinged and without rudimentary competance

That movie was a work of art. What a great reference.

There is a little bit of obsessiveness, but we know where it comes from. John, let Booker let his actions speak for him, lets focus out attention on making Newark a better place for everyone. I agree with some things you say, and I also think some things you say are emotionally driven. Either way, I have my opinion on Booker and the last administration. Everyone has their own.

[the truth]

Booker Staffs Up
Lupe Todd of Dan Klores Communications, a former City Council press staffer, is going to work as the press secretary for Newark's rock star mayor, Cory Booker.

"Only downside of her job (from my biased New York perspective): You have to live in ... Newark. The tough part of Booker's job being that he has to try to fix Newark."

Ms. Todd does not lead Communications for the City. She works for the Director of Communications who brought her from NYC to be the Press Secretary. That was not a smart choice on her part. What I will say is that she is not the best person for the job. I have heard so many complaints about her attitude to newarkers, people and media and the way she treats people in general. Even the Dutch Press can't stand her. Mr. Booker that's called "bad PR".
This is embarassing for Cory and more so for Ms. Todd read below
IN SEARCH OF CORY BOOKER

In his everyday life, he is Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, but in the imagination of many Americans, Cory Booker is almost president of the USA. A meeting is excluded by his staff. “Het Parool is not a relevant medium for us.” This started the quest.

This is a city with a history and a mayor with a future. The location: Newark, New Jersey. The man: Cory Booker, age 37, perhaps the biggest promise in American politics.
Admittedly, the combination “Newark” and “promise” don’t seem likely. For many years, the city was subject to jokes on talk shows. Newark, the loser of American cities, the city in New York’s backyard, just across the Hudson river.

In case foreigners know the city, it is because of books by Philip Roth – who was born here – or because of the airport, which is closer to Manhattan than JFK. And possibly because of the environment: the industrial no-man’s-land that was part of the décor for the Sopranos with the New Jersey turnpike as center point.

But Newark itself? Not interesting. Past Glory.

But that is changing. Four years ago, a young black politician obtained national attention when he ran for Mayor. The documentary about his effort – streetfight – was nominated for an Oscar.

The hero of the movie, Cory Booker, lost the election with a small margin, but won the election in 2007 with a landslide. He is considered a leading figure among a new generation of democrats. A natural, for who no challenge is too large, passionate to the extreme.



When a Dutch journalist put in a request, he didn’t respond. So I tried it the official way. Unfortunately, says his press secretary Lupe Todd, the Mayor does not have time.
It is hard to argue this. I stated that you never know how a piece about Newark can benefit the city but count my losses: would Deputy Mayor Stefan Pryor perhaps be available? And if not him, perhaps someone else from City Hall? Apparently, I was asking for too much. Lupe Todd: “I politely deny your request, both for the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor, as well as any other City Hall employee for that matter.”

Any City Hall employee? What is going on here? A fatwa? Even more reason to come to Newark, to speak with as many key individuals as possible. First the City, then Booker’s entourage, then the man himself. Or not.


Whoever arrives at Newark Broad street station will directly notice a distinct environment. An abandoned factory of Westinghouse, open space with weeds growing, a street with dilapidated buildings and a Salvation Army office. You can see the tall Prudential headquarters in the distance, because its not all misery in Newark. But you have to make a real effort to notice that.

I thought the mayor was supposed to be more accesible.

.

At the institute they tell me I should speak with City Hall officials. “Should we make contacts for you?” Thank you, but that won’t be necessary I said. At night, I get a call from Phil Terwiel, a Dutch American who, after completing his studies at Seton Hall University, moved to Newark and currently works for the City. His attempt to bring me in touch with Booker was also vetoed by Lupe Todd. “He is not going to see the Mayor, nor any city official.”



Price pulls me to the front a bit and talks to a lady who is with mayor Booker, she looks stand-offish and is even offensive. She asks for my business card and gives me hers.

As soon as the Mayor has finished speaking, he moves to the side behind the podium. At least for ten minutes, I speak with Cory Booker, new Mayor of Newark. By this point I am happy that I am speaking with him if even for three minutes since I was cut off at the beginning.


After our conversation, I look at the business card of the stand offish lady of Booker’s, it read “Lupe Todd, press secretary.”