Acting As Mayor: Mark Ciarrocca's Performance, Drama or Farce?

     All great actors are able to slip into a role and become the person they play.  Robert DeNiro, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, and Sean Penn are just a few of some recent Oscar Award winning actors capable of taking on a role and making a performance believable.  The line between truth and fiction becomes a blur in their performances.  Outside of acting, these men are good people.  So is Westfield Third Ward Councilman Mark Ciarrocca, when he's not acting. 

Councilman Mark Ciarrocca

     Westfield third ward Councilman Mark Ciarrocca filled in as “Acting Mayor” on January 18^th.  It wasn’t the first time, and probably won’t be the last time that Ciarrocca “acts” as Westfield’s Mayor before Mayor Andrew Skibitsky’s term runs out in 2013. 

     Due to Mayor Skibitsky’s frequent travel, Councilman Ciarrocca has assumed the duties of Mayor in Skibitsky’s absence.  He has been quite the understudy. 

     As seen in photos in the local newspaper, and on previous campaign trails, Mark Ciarrocca is not far behind, if not right next to Mayor Skibitsky.  Obama has Biden, Bush had Cheney, and Bogart had Bacall.  Who can forget that Abbott had Costello.  Fictionally, Fred had Barney, but let us stick to some facts for now.

     When Mark Ciarrocca was first elected to the Westfield Town Council in 2003, his political ambitions were apparent.  A lifelong resident of Westfield, Mark aspires to be Mayor one day.  Acting as mayor, in Skibitsky’s absence, has provided him with a taste of the lead role. 

     No longer does he want to be nominated by the Republican Party and voted in as “Best Supporting Actor,” as third ward councilman.  Lets be honest here, he wants top billing.

     He will get his chance two years from this November when Westfield holds it’s next Mayoral election, that is if Republican Mayor Andy Skibitsky chooses not to run again and Ciarrocca gets the nod from the Republican Party to be their candidate. 

     But before that, first things first.  Ciarrocca must run again in an election this November to retain his third ward council seat.  He has to; it maximizes his “face time” on the council dais and in the press.  

     He must run again for third ward councilman unless, of course, Mayor Skibitsky steps down before November 2011.  If this were to happen, the Westfield Town Council members would undoubtedly elect Ciarrocca as Mayor to complete Skibitsky’s term reminiscent of Skibitsky being appointed Mayor by his town council peers when Gregory McDermott prematurely vacated the office in 2005. 

     If Skibitsky stays on as Mayor at least through November 2011, will Ciarrocca run for town council again, in this year’s election?  The Fact of The Matter says absolutely.  If so, and if he is victorious as an incumbent, he will unlikely finish out his four-year council term due to aspirations of becoming Westfield’s next Mayor in 2013.  Ciarrocca's third ward council seat election and the next election for Mayor is like the timetable of the Winter and Summer Olympics.  Every two years, its one or the other.   

     Ciarrocca must run for his third ward council seat this November because his absence as a councilman and “acting mayor” on the dais, for the two years between November 2011 and November 2013's Mayoral election would hamper any Mayoral bid in 2013.  

     Besides, if Ciarrocca is re-elected to his third ward council seat in November, then vacates that seat to run for Mayor in November 2013, it would allow the Republican Party to nominate his replacement to fill his third ward council seat granting that person the ability to run as an incumbent in 2015.

     History has a habit of repeating itself, possibly a scenario no different than how Andy Skibitsky first became Mayor.  Politics in Westfield is like a chess match, not only are you thinking of your own next move and beyond, but also the moves of your opponent. 

     Call it a sequel to the original screenplay, a Part II if you will.  Perhaps the movie screenplay could be titled “The Chosen.”  On second thought, that title has been taken.   Maybe one of the following political movies is deserving of a sequel.     

All The Kings Men
(1949) Starring: Broderick Crawford

The Candidate
(1972) Starring: Robert Redford, Peter Boyle

All The President's Men 

(1976) Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman

The Seduction of Joe Tynan
(1979) Starring: Meryl Streep, Alan Alda 

Dave
(1993) Starring: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver

Wag the Dog
(1998) Starring: Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman

Fictional movie role or not, has any actor ever earned an Oscar in any sequel?