Social media back and forth begins between Coogan, Viveiros

We may not get a debate, but we are beginning to get a back and forth on social media between Paul Coogan and Cathy Ann Viveiros.

Early Tuesday, Fall River School Committee member and current mayoral candidate Paul Coogan issued a statement concerning the climate of the campaign and criticism he has received.

Late Tuesday night, Fall River City Administrator and write-in mayoral candidate Cathy Ann Viveiros issued a response to Coogan’s statement.

The response is as follows:

“I just finished reading my opponent’s rant about his perceived criticism and persecution. I could have written the exact same rant from my own personal perspective. It’s a campaign AND it’s social media-“Man Up!,” Mr. Coogan. In my position as City Administrator, I routinely face adversaries and I have learned to be professional and restrained, even when I believed the criticism had been unfair. My ability to respond calmly and with knowledge and conviction has been essential to neutralizing my opponents. I have learned that criticism is often a form of frustration that needs to be released. It’s not personal-most of the time.”

“A Mayor needs to be a good communicator-even under pressure. My opponent’s decision not to debate is a sign of weakness-a vulnerability that any strong adversary will seize. A Mayor cannot run from a challenge. A Mayor must be a leader, capable of showing strength but also compassion when appropriate. My communication skills and temperament are personal strengths that my opponent does not possess.”

If this is the beginning, or the end, of the responses between the two candidates remains to be seen.