Mayor-elect Greg Ballard's choice to serve as his press secretary, Marcus Barlow, worked as a pastor before getting into politics according to a story in last year's The Hill newspaper. "A pastor, a caseworker at a homeless shelter and a press secretary — it’s not a typical career path for someone on Capitol Hill, but Marcus Barlow wouldn’t have it any other way," Karissa Marcum writes. "At 27, he serves as press secretary to Rep. Chris Chocola (R-Ind.). And he seems to live life with a go-with-the-flow, carefree attitude rare these days on Capitol Hill."
The Hill story traces Barlow's roots as the son of a preacher, who first became a pastor in an Assemblies of God church in Highland Park, Michigan before converting to Catholicism. Barlow worked as a caseworker at a homeless shelter in South Bend when he started volunteering for U.S. Rep. Chris Chocola's campaign and eventually became his press secretary. "It’s fortunate that Barlow agrees with most of Chocola’s stands on the issues, and he says he has never compromised his religious beliefs for his career," Marcum writes. He offers an example: “My boss is pro-life, so I don’t have to write releases that I don’t agree with.”
Interestingly, Rep. Chocola staked out decidedly anti-immigrant and anti-gay positions in Congress. Does Barlow agree with his former boss' position on those issues as as he did with his position on abortion? And will his current boss' position clash with those views? As a candidate, Mayor-elect Ballard stated he would not support efforts to repeal Indianapolis' human rights ordinance, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Ballard is also married to an immigrant and may face tough questions about his new appointee as Director of Latino Affairs. Barlow's job in the coming months will no doubt be very challenging and quite different from his experience as Chocola's press secretary and more recenlty as a spokesman for FSSA.
13 comments:
and it keeps getting worse and worse and worse......
A former pastor? My God,, the horror of it all.
Wow, AI is getting worse by the post.
This guy is a "job hopper." Since
graduating from college, he hasn't
held the same job for more than 2
years. Pastor. Caseworker at homeless Center. Caseworker in Chocola's DC Office. Staffer in
Chocola's South Bend office. Staffer for FSSA in Indpls.
He works at a job until he gets bored. Maybe selling used cars
will follow his stint with Ballard.
Greg Ballard is the one who should be selling used cars, This man does not appear to have a clue? Olgen Williams? Deputy Mayor, Scott(what day is it) Newman as Safety Director?, an illegal in charge of latino affairs?? Maybe he will be appointing Homer Simpson to his staff bext! What an absolute joke this man turned out to be! Bart Peterson was also a joke, can we recall Bill Hudnut?
Uh, Bill Hudnut is busy. Goldsmith saw to that.
And altho Bill was a decent mayor, he certainly had the Burton affliction (skirts...everywhere).
So...
I didn't vote for Ballard, but I wish him well. And if his new press secretary used to be a Christian pastor, I have no problem with that, so long as he keeps his faith under his hat and off the mayoral podium. I'd feel the same if he were a Muslim cleric, a rabbi, a Wiccan priest or a Sun worshipper.
Job-hopping, huh? Have you paid attention to the under-30 crowd lately? Gone are the days when someone leaves college and works for the same company for 35 years. It rarely happens any more.
And altho I think Rep. Chiccola was a firt-class goof, working for him shouldn't automatically disqualify someone from future public employment.
Let's give these appointments a decent chance. I think Ballard can spot ineptness pretty far away. If any of these folks doesn't work out, I'm betting the new mayor will usher them out as quickly as he brought them in.
He's a one-termer anyway. More power to him. He doesn't owe anybody anything. How refreshing.
Ballard has two basic qualifications to serve in his administration: (1) You did not support him during the election; and (2) you did not vote for him.
815, you are one bitter person! Wow! You gotta to let it go!!!!!!
The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was, mmm, yes he was
News flash.....Gary is being insulted over on the sucky "New" Indyunder Cover.
I am tired of hearing/reading about social issues (i.e. abortion, gay marriage). When will the American people wake up and realize there are more important issues to debate?
Re: Bill Hudnut
Hizzoner has his hands full as it is. After leaving Indy and the Hudson, he went on to be mayor of Chevy Chase MD. Now he lives near Baltimore (oh the irony of it all) and is working for the Urban Land Institute.
Re: Barlow
So he was an Assembly of God pastor and now a Catholic, big deal. The two are about as close to each other ideologically as Bin Laden and Ben Gurion. If he doesn't like his new boss's thinking then he will do what millions of young people today do, leave.
The 21st century work place is nothing like what existed after WWII. Loyalty lies with the dollar, not some sense of false hope (a big fat retirement check) or ideology to some company or organization.
Many people want to come down on Ballard for who he has selected to work in his administration. Like any good leader he picks and chooses those whom he feels he can trust and will have the most positive impact. If he (they) screw up, then release the hounds. Until then, give the horse his head and allow him to run.
anon 8:15 needs to get back on his meds...when the Ballard administration assembles, itis going to be like the circus coming to the city.
I see a lot of ill informed people are commenting of the Mayor's selection of his cabinet. If you know anything about politics than you would know some jobs last as long as your boss last, so getting bright intelligent youngmen like Barlow is a blessing, don't be ignorant or jealous, keep watching and you will be ashamed that you spoke to soon and don't have a clue about the longevity of being a press secrectary etc...
And by the way, he was not a pastor he worked on the staff assisting the pastor in inter city ministry. That gives him a lot of experience and a way to give back to the society, which speaks volumes for his character and it was a non paid job, check your facts!
Post a Comment