Tom Ryan, the editor of the local journal, The Undertoad, has taken out papers to run for Mayor of Newburyport, MA.

Good grief I must be getting a journalistic streak, because, boy, did I ever want to break this story.

And a big story it is too.

Mr. Ryan and I actually had a “chat,” because, holy crackers, yes, I had a few questions (and by the way, so did George).

Apparently there were two “tipping points” towards Mr. Ryan’s decision.

The first was a communication, or I gather a whole lot of communications, with former Planning Director, Nick Cracknell, who on Wednesday night, June 6, 2007 urged Mr. Ryan one more time to run for mayor of Newburyport, MA. How about them apples.

The second was (and I knew, knew, knew this was going to be weirder than fiction) in reaction to the “Committee Towards a Better Newburyport” the political platform initiated by Jim Roy, and endorsed by many a far-thinking progressive (see previous post).

The few people that I’ve talked to have asked me if this is a joke.

This is what I know. Mr. Ryan and I chatted about exactly how he would run his campaign. The answer is low key and going door to door. Little in the way of a campaign committee (and definitely not the “Committee Towards a Better Newburyport” from either side’s point of view).

There was conversation about what would happen if he actually got elected mayor of Newburyport, MA. He would be a progressive’s, liberal’s dream.

He would put Nick Cracknell back as Planning Director of Newburyport, MA. Put Doug Locy back on the Newburyport, Planning Board. “What do I know about finances? Nothing,” says Mr. Ryan. The answer to that, a group of top rate financial advisors. (Works for me, and would be a good suggestion for any mayor of Newbuyport, MA.)

Also, a group represented by every constituency in the city of Newburyport, MA, from a stay at home mom to a senior, to give Mr. Ryan a true picture of what people are thinking in our small seaside city. The group would, as I understand it, rotate every 3 months, to keep it fresh.

And working with the Newburyport City Council? No problem. Mr. Ryan says he would look forward to working with the Newburyport City Council.

Ok, this was a “chat,” this was not an interview. Apparently the editor of the Newburyport Current, Ulrika Gerth, will be sitting down to interview Mr. Ryan this week. That will be quite an edition of the Newburyport Current to get your hands on next Friday morning, June 15, 2007.

So get ready to rock n’ roll. Mr. Ryan has made a whole lot of enemies in Newburyport, MA, during his 10 year plus tenure as the editor of the Undertoad. Including, ironically enough, a number of people endorsing the “Committee Towards a Better Newburyport.”

However, Tom Ryan apparently also has a whole lot of friends, if former Newburyport Planning Director Nick Cracknell is any gauge.

Weirder than fiction folks. Possibly this election could be a blogger’s feast. Or a blogger’s nightmare. I have no clue, but we all surely will find out.

Good grief.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport