Time for Another WSAR Editorial by Bernie Sullivan

Hello again friends, it's time for a serious discussion.

You see, we here in the world's greatest city, Fall River, have had it easy over the years. We have been blessed with things only the great Kubla Khan or Queen Cleopatra could have envisioned. No, I'm not talking about gun powder, Marc Antony, Julius Ceasar or even poisonous little green snakes called Asps. I am talking about the greatest political mind the modern world has ever seen since the birth of Christ. That's right, my friends, I'm talking about Fall River's heart and soul for the last 30 years, one Robert Correia.

Yes, he's my friend. In fact, if this were an episode of the Chris Rock show, I'd probably be known as Bob Correia's "Main SH@T Stain", and be mighty proud of it! But he'd never BE on the Chris Rock show, for very obvious reasons known to Bob and all of his friends. So most people would simply call me Bob's "A**HOLE BUDDY". And they'd probably be right. What's an "A**HOLE BUDDY" you ask? Well, that's a person who'll nod his head in approval, like a bobble head doll in the back of a New York City taxicab going thru the Holland Tunnel at 3 A.M., at every ill conceived, criminal bit of anti-social human, noxious, personally destructive and overtly sociopathic behavior their friend can muster, or even contemplate. Well, I'm proud to say that, in terms of Bob Correia, that's me!

The citizens of Fall River should repent their votes against this Fall River patriot! He did the things that needed being done for him to continue in office, for as long as Fall River took care of Bob Correia, he could continue to take care of Fall River, and how, in the ways only Bob Correia could, or would, do. We, as the leading light of civilization in the Western Hemisphere, with our fantastic education system, well paved and always passable roads, our clean water and rock solid sewerage waste facilities, and help for the poor and needy through our world class Housing Authority and exhaustive, non-stop efforts to leverage private investment through public housing projects have delivered a quality of life to the citizens of Fall River that could NEVER be called second to none. In fact, it's a fair statement that my great personal friend, Bob Correia, and the people who have worked with him and for him for the same 30 years he has been in public life, have delivered a particular brand of service to Fall River that only a judge's learned eyes could fully see. Yes, we have been fortunate.

Some detractors will tell you that Bob Correia had too hard a personal style, that he ruffled to many feathers, but they would be wrong, That was just Bob's way. Often criticised for being closed minded, a dullard, a bully and a thug who liked to physically intimidate little old men with his popping blood vessels and veins in his reddened face and neck, only saw the side of him Bob would show when he himself felt threatened by questions in the face of decisive action on his part. His favorite quote was Spiro Agnew's "Nattering Nabobs of Negatavism" to describe the citizens of Fall River who failed to see the error of their ways in questioning his self righteous leadership and iron fisted approach to governing Fall River. What eles could you expect from an ex Marine? He made a plan and kept to that plan regardless or warnings or pleas from those who claimed to have a better way. Bob always knew HIS way would always, not only be the better way, but the only way. It was this kind of driven tunnel vision that has brought the City to where it is today, and we should praise him for it!

Once the voters rejected this humble man, he did what he thought he should do, as always. He was not likely to change a single thing in the way he had always approached public service. He took the time in his remaining days to be as active as he could in directing the signing of numerous construction projects that would benefit those who such projects in Fall River had always benefitted. He wanted to leave himself a lasting legacy of personal success, which is precisely what he did. In fact, he takes great personal pride in the many newcomers on the Fall River scene he was instrumental in bringing into greater public service that will no doubt add to Fall River's illustrious government history, such as Meg-Mayo Brown, and Kevin Augiar. The future in Fall River will remain bright once Bob Correia passes into his well deserved retirement in Florida.

Yes, he is gone now, my close personal friend Bob Correia. But he will not soon ever be forgotten. The man I know as my friend "No Matter What" is in the history books now. This City shall never see the like of him ever again. He certainly was one of a kind. A special kind of leadership was put into that man, one whose tresure he felt the need to share with Fall River, just as Bob wanted Fall River to share in it's treasures with him. And share they did.

WSAR and I, Bernie Sullivan, want to let you know you will be missed, and that you will always have a home on the Southcoast here , with me, when the need arises. The sun rises in Dartmouth just like it does in Florida.

( The REAL Bernie Sullivan...on the left)