The FIGUREHEAD, HAMMERHEAD and FLIPPY

Sounds like a child's fairy tale, doesn't it. It isn't.
The Democrats are now in charge of Monmouth County. Bergen County with beaches. Cherry Hill Shores. Whatever. Let's take a look at the players here.
The Figurehead. That's Director Barbara McMorrow. A nice lady by anyone's opinion. That's why she's the director. It's good politics on their part. She's popular, likeable and puts a human face on their operation. She's their only real vote-getter and she's up for reelection this year. The Party needs to reelect her in order to stay in power. At this point she's really more window dressing than anything else, because it doesn't look like she's really calling the shots. We'll see if Republicans still ♥ Barbara McMorrow after a few months of her being the face of Union County South.
Flippy. We all know this guy. County Commissioner John D'Amico. We probably should start calling him "The Prime Minister", because it appears that he's really the director in everything but running the meetings. An old-time politician, he took care of his cronies while at the State Parole Board and is well known for chamaelaeonic changes on issues, hence his moniker, Flippy. He continues to flip-flop. From the Asbury Park Press editorial of January 3: Democratic Freeholder John D'Amico, about to start his second year on the board, campaigned in 2007 with a promise to oppose paying fees to lobbyists. He said, quite rightly, that it's the job of the freeholders and the county's federal representatives to lobby for federal funding. But he voted along with the majority last year to reappoint one of two transportation consulting firms.
Last month, he and fellow Democrat Barbara McMorrow approved spending $220,000 to reappoint both firms. The one D'Amico voted against last year, Gibbons P.C., will get an 11 percent pay boost this year.
And the Press actually endorsed this guy!
His latest proposal is to renovate the County Court House. It is telling that D'Amico was a Superior Court Judge and would want to take care of his former co-workers, like he did when he got Democratic Assignment Judge Lawrence M. Lawson's wife Valeria a job on the Parole Board. And back in '06 I wrote about all the contributions to the County Dems from construction trades unions. Guess this is their bonanza. Basically Flippy's lost in the 80's, out of touch from all those years in the ivory tower of the judiciary.
Hammerhead. That's Amy Mallet. Amy is like a shark and a shark is fishy and so is Amy. As shallow as a mud flat at low tide. An empty suit. We wrote here and here about her longtime connections to out-of-county operators like George E. Norcross III. She touted herself as a "businesswoman", but was very secretive about just what her business was. A look at what commentary she has made would reveal her as somewhat of a gaffer, kind of a "Biden with boobs". She's basically there to do what she's told.
Rasputin (Распутин). A new character. Democratic party mouthpiece, Michael Mangan. He seems to be well-involved in calling the shots, and may actually be the conduit between County Democratic Boss Victor Scudiery and Prime Minister Flippy. Or he may be a conduit between the out-of-county bosses and Flippy, in which case Scudiery becomes a second Figurehead.
This saga will continue. We don't know where or if The Curmudgeon will figure into this. Other characters will emerge as these people make their appointments. It could well become a veritable Jerry Springer Show of stars here.