European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cisneros is still backed politically by wife Mary Alice he is Good at what he  a local paper broke the Story about cisneros1 affair with Linda Medlar u political fund Raiser in october. App Oioi adulterer or no san Anion Ana want Henry Cysneros to stay in office a local broadcaster got so ooh signatures on a Hun Henry run petition. San Antonio wants its mayor despite scandal by Jenny Abdo. New Day i n a world of imaginary politics it might happen his Way. The mayor of a major City a Man considered nearly a Demigod by Many of its citizens confesses thai he has been the Lover of a woman other than his wife. He decides not to seek  term. More than that to decides not to run for governor of the slate a Job Many assure observers predicted could have been his " than people begin to try to keep him in Public life. A broadcaster from a local radio station Parks a Mobile Home outside City Hall and conducts an eight Day Marathon an the air. To collects 50,000 signatures on a petition that says run Henry  volunteers go. Toor to door gelling More people to sign stores put up signs in their windows with the same message ii is no laity tale. They want Henry Cisheros in san Antonio. Despite tawdry headlines in october about the 41-year-old mayor s affair with Linda Medlar a. Political fund Raiser his popularity has barely been dented in the progressive Texas River City. In a recent statewide Texas poll in which republicans .oulnymbeied.domocrats43 percent of 35 percent Cisneros a of moral. Received a 45 percent favourable rating Only 1 percentage Point below what. He had received last Spring. I another statewide poll conducted by a Dallas Lel Eviston. Station Wafaa and the Forl Ivor Leslar Telegram gave Isneros a 54 percent fax orate rating when to was compared Wilt other democratic of Licals in the state. .-.-.  i Sisneros an admitted adulterer backed by his predominance roman Catholic followers Bui to has the support of his wife Mary Aiice 1 would Tell him to run she said. He knows his family does support him because he is Good at what he does whoever is encouraging him Noi to run is wrong.  it was b scandal and Sill is by i think the Christian Community understands and knows hat marriages can. We k  Chase  from the beginning As the second mexican. American mayor of this mostly hispanic City Cisneros Appeal look an several dimensions. He was viewed As a Man of dual character while he grew up in an area of town considered nearly a Barrio he was born into a. Prominent family and earned graduate degrees from Harvard and George Washington University. While he vowed that his destiny in life was to be mayor he received National prominence almost without trying Al 23. He was selected As a White House fellow under Richard Nixon at 36 he was chosen As a member of the Henry Kisser Ger panel on Central America at 37, he was courted by Walter mor Date As a possible running male. And one Day no other week Cysneros who has not ruled1 out the possibility of running for office in future yearn said that he had received two offers just that morning to run for a higher office. A the has brought a Hope ii image to the City said the Rev David Garcia a Catholic priest who has been Pothiti Naify Active in the City for several years. To see a hispanic face in the mayor s office people can now say i can do it he has Given hispanics a sense of ,1for now Hough Cisneros says Hal Hewan lout of " politics. Though he is fial Jered by the continued. Support the Lime has come for him to get Oul he said during a recent interview. Cisneros noted that his announcement not to run was made in september a month before newspaper stories were published about his affair with Medlar. " he said Ihal the primary reason lot leaving Public life. Was the health of his son John Paul Anthony who was born Yeai and a Hall ago with a deformed heart no spleen and a twisted stomach. Cisneros said Ihal the child who was named after the Pope is Likely to undergo major surgery nent year. I made a decision that revolved around the Core Lruth of what i confront today Cisneros said what i. Confront is 14 years of non Slop Public like a that 1 confront is a personal circumstance that is not resolved in a Way that produces a peace of mind. What 1. Conf nil is a son who will require  whether John Paul Cisneros health should be a. Factor in the mayor s plans is a Point of Contention Between cat Nero and his wife surgery or my son has not been set,1 Mary Alice Cisneros said our. Family has Gol to Slop hiding behind the excuse of our son. We must move  a year after allegations of infidelity drove presidential contender Gary Hart out of the race the reasons that Cisneros popularity has withstood his personal. Difficulties Are unclear. Bui there Ere a few theories. One la that his eight years As mayor have been so. Beneficial for san Antonio s hispanic Community that his performance Lar outweighs his personal problems. Since he came into office major. Improvements from drainage projects to Road repairs have been made on the hispanic West Side. Most recently literacy and education programs were Impler enied. Another possible reason Lor what appears to be the Community s forgiving attitude toward Cysneros is the personal nature of his relationship with Tho City and the press since to first became a City councilman in 1975. Whan John Paul was born Lor example Cisneros distributed a diagram of the child s deformed heart which was published in local newspapers. When Apo fit of the Mayo appeared last year in Texas monthly a void fit circulated Magazine in Ines ale tic striking cover photo showed a White Clad Cisneros lying in a sea of while sheets As he cradled his infant son and when a local paper broke the Story of his relationship with a Edlar Cisneros that morning held a Pross conference Al which he asked Lor. Understanding and said i guess human beings just Aren t made of plastic and wiring and Metal they re made of Llesh and blood and leelings."1 in an interview Cisneros said this City knows me very Well and in one sense my life has been so open it s As if a family member is going through some difficulties. And you Don t judge the totality of a person s ability to contribute on one aspect of their me if you Fonow them Well. Maybe i Lei myself be too open. " wednesday december 14, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 13