Sen. Bob Menendez: A Great Orator, But A Controversial Figure

Photo by Jim Purcell

U.S. Senator. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) on the 
Campaign Trail for U.S. Senate in 2006. 

By JIM PURCELL

I first heard the name Bob Menendez when I was a correspondent for The Jersey Journal, working for the late and very great editor Peter Weiss there. Even in bringing up his name in passing, I will always say it was one of the great honors of my life to work for a journalist of his stature. 

Peter told me stories about the famed Hudson County Demcoratic bosses, the good and the bad of them. Of course, a lot of those stories were relegated to myth and legend and there was no actual proof about half of what he said, and he was sure to tell me that. In that fabled company of North Jersey decision-makers, Bob Menendez figured prominently by the time my byline was showing up in the Journal. 

For those who have no idea what I am talking about, United States Senator Robert "Bob" Menendez was born in New York City, the son of Cuban immigrants on January 1, 1954. His family moved to Union City, New Jersey, which is in Hudson County. He is a graduate of St. Peter's College, in Jersey City, and went on to graduate from the Rutgers University School of Law (in Newark). He was then elected to the New Jersey Legislature, then the United States Congress. In 2006, then New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine appointed Mr. Menendez to fill his own unexpired term for the U.S. Senate as he took over the post of governor from outgoing former Gov. Jim McGreevey. 

In the years since he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Mr. Menendez has been indicted on federal corruption charges in the Untied States District Court. This has yet to play out entirely, but those who supported him sure took a shot in the eye from that. I have no idea if Mr. Menendez is guilty of those charges, and he still has to get his day in court, so I will refrain from further comment in this area. 

In 2006, I was the publisher of The Courier in Middletown, New Jersey, which was owned by New Jersey Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina in those day. I was very involved in politics back then locally. At the time, I was working (away from the newspaper) with Middletown Democratic Chairman Joseph Caliendo to get Democrats elected to the Middeltown Committee. Those were hard-fought campaigns, which were dramas in an of themselves, but those are for other stories. 

For this story, Joe Caliendo and I decided we could insert some flash into the campaign cycle for the election by trying to get a big name -- Sen. Menendez -- to come down to the Bayshore area (the general area that Middeltown was in within Northern Monmouth County) and give a speech. We would make an event of it, if Joe could pull it off with the senator's people, of course. Meanwhile, I spoke with the owner of the Shore Casino and booked that, and got the Color Guard from the North Jersey Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, my home chapter, to attend. 

It all worked out. I think this was one of the first times that Mike Morris from Middletown Mike covered an event. I liked him very much and, before he started writing his very good blog, encouraged him to do something like that online. I think he has done well for himself with it, and for his readers, ever since. He is a hard-working, family man and very grounded.

Anyway, the event came and it went off well. The word circulated through the Bayshore area Democrats and the Shore Casino was bright and the lovely hall was filled. It was typical of political events in most ways, but I enjoyed it very much -- having been a part of bringing it off. What I did not expect, though, was that Mr. Menendez would have such a command of oratory. He is a great speaker, and I do not mean that in some passing way. His command of the spoken word is absolutely mesmerizing. I cannot say that I have heard anyone offer a speech better. 

In fact, if I had to come up with my top 3 all-tome greatest speakers I have ever heard, it would not be hard for me to figure it out: 1. LTC Leonard Scott, former commander of the United States Army Airborne School during my tenure there; 2. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ); and then-BG Bernard Loefke, assistant XVIII Airborne Corps commander during my tenure there at G-2. This is my short list. 

I have heard people recount great orators before, in writings and in person. Well, Bob Menendez had that rare quality that can charge the air with electricity. For the life of me, I cannot recall the exact subjects he discussed that night. What I do remember is the way he did it. He was and is a great orator.