Tue 8 Dec 2009
Lately, Jason Rose’s name has been popping up everywhere.
He’s deeply involved with gubernatorial candidate and Mayor of Paradise Valley, Vernon Parker. Simultaneously, he’s handled various aspects of Sheriff Joe’s political campaigns.
Most recently, he hosted a fundraising event at his posh Paradise Valley home to benefit conservative radio host and former congressman, J.D. Hayworth.
Suddenly, he pops up as the public relations guru to handle controversial Mayor of Phoenix, Phil Gordon, who is now under the microscope of government watchdogs and the press over his relationship and potential conflict of interest girlfriend, Elissa Mullany.
Gordon, who began dating Mullany March, 2008, two months after separating from his wife of 15 years, appointed Mullany to three city commissions over the period of 2004-2007. Now the Mayor has hired Jason Rose to help him get out of hot water over the relationship and potential conflicts of interest.
All this brings into question why would a public relations guru like Rose go to work for a Democrat like Gordon? Given Rose’s longstanding relationship with Sheriff Joe Arpaio and JD Hayworth, how does he manage to juggle his professional relationships between two diametrically opposed camps? One thing is clear, he is a master of political maneuverings and machinations and only he knows how to maneuver through them without becoming the target.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:29 am
why? I’m sure that answer is simple. Cash.
how? That is the hard question. Talent, I would guess.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:54 am
The short answer is people find value in his services. The tricky part is by helping Gordon clean-up his image, you in fact help him get re-elected or aid him in his quest for higher office. Which brings more expense to conservatives who run against him during the election cycle.
As mud get flung around the room, he is there with a fresh bucket of water and a towel for hire.
Nice work if you can get it. Remember he is not a political consultant, he is a public relations man. Loyalty is to the client, much like a lawyer.
It is what it is, I don’t have an issue with it as long as everything is transparent. His clients will vote with their wallets.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Jason is a businessman and he needs clients. If Dennis DeConcini decided to return to public life and needed a PR guy, Jason would probably do it for the right money. Being idealogically pure is nice in theory, but it won’t pay for the manse on the slopes of Camelback Mountain.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Problem is, if Jason does nothing but work for any client who pays him, he’ll work for scummy clients. The more scummy clients he works for, the dirtier Jason gets. Then as soon as he picks up a new squeaky clean client, the new client is scummy by association. Also, with the possibility of Jason having two clients running for governor, you know full well Jason would knife Parker in the back to work for “Nickel Bag” Joe. That will paint him even more the mercenary who is only loyal to the larger purse. Everyone should do themselves a favor and turn their backs on him.
December 9th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Rose has absolutely no loyalty, and he’ll absolutely sell out a Republican if a Democrat payed him a penny more.
Why anyone would let Jason Rose run anything though is beyond me. He’s great at collecting fees, terrible at actually winning.
He’s the biggest reason why Napolitano got a foothold in this state after losing in a landslide against her when he ran McGovern’s campaign for attorney general.
Whether it’s theme restaurants like Nixons, development projects like Los Arcos, or hapless campaigns like Parker’s, Rose is great at pretending to be some guru, but there’s not much behind all the smoke and mirrors.
December 9th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Jason’s a hired gun. Don’t forget, he’s also worked for Andy Thomas and Mitt Romney and Pink Taco. Jason’s political ideology is based on what is best for Jason Rose. That’s it. Don’t read in too much about where his own political leanings are. He has NONE.
He seems to like to dabble in politics – but he should stay in PR. Otherwise, he can’t be trusted when he chooses to work for whomever will pay him.
December 10th, 2009 at 9:28 am
What everyone is overlooking is the political aspirations of his wife, Jordan. While Jason could potentially work for anyone, Jordan’s (potential) career as a Republican power-broker would be compromised by Jason becoming too buddy-buddy with prominent Dems, hence why I do find his work for Gordon somewhat surprising.
December 10th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Is their a list of winners Jason Rose has backed? I’m not talking about those who would win with or without Rose (i.e. Arpaio). I’m talking about A Vernon Parker- type: a relative unknown that Rose has “packaged” and ends up winning against large (or small) odds. I don’t know of any, but there may be some (one?). From what I have observed, he’s a very good salesman–of himself.
December 10th, 2009 at 9:58 am
[...] The folks over at Sonoran Alliance, who have been skeptical of Rose in the past, are asking why Rose would be working with a Democrat. The response from many Democrats is, Gordon is a [...]