In many homes and businesses on this city`s Hispanic West Side, a portrait of Mayor Henry Cisneros occupies a space not far from those of John F. Kennedy and Jesus Christ.
The juxtaposition reflects an abiding reverence for the mayor, the first Mexican-American mayor of a major city and arguably the country`s leading Hispanic politician.
”We put him on a pedestal,” said Linda Amaya, 21. ”Everybody looked up to him.”
Last week, however, that saintly image was sullied by the revelation that Cisneros, who is married and has three children, has had a ”close personal” relationship with a woman who served as a fundraiser in several of his campaigns.
The scandal not only curdled the mayor`s wholesome-as-milk image, but it clouded a political career that once seemed destined for the Texas
governorship-and perhaps beyond. Cisneros was interviewed by Walter Mondale in 1984 as a potential Democratic vice presidential candidate.
The story also raised anew the delicate question of how far the media should go in reporting about the private life of a public figure. That debate began with last year`s reporting on the philandering of presidential candidate Gary Hart and resumed in the media frenzy over vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle`s military and academic background.
Similarly, much of the anger in San Antonio was directed not at the boyish-looking 41-year-old mayor, but at the media.
”On Friday, we killed a hero,” said one letter to a local newspaper.
”We sacrificed him to the god of soap opera news. And I, for one, am ashamed.”
Although published reports asserted that Cisneros ”confesses he is deeply in love” with the woman, Linda Medlar, 39, the mayor would confirm only that he has a ”close personal friendship” with her.
Neither Cisneros nor Medlar, who is separated from her husband, a local jeweler, would elaborate on that relationship. There have been no charges of official impropriety against the mayor.
What made the episode particularly painful in this city of nearly 1 million people was Cisneros` frequent paeans to family values and his family`s position as a role model for Hispanics.
”This is a tragedy,” said Cruz Chavira, regional director of the League of United Latin American Citizens. ”He was a model for our kids, and God knows we have few like Henry to point to.”
Rumors about the mayor`s personal life have been making their way around the city for some time, and they crescendoed last month when he announced he would not run for re-election.
At the time, he blamed ”family concerns,” most prominently the poor health of his 16-month-old son, John Paul, who was born with serious heart defects which will require several operations.
But the dapper, Harvard-educated mayor had apparently confided another reason for his decision to many friends and journalists: marital troubles. That confession was always ”off the record,” he insisted, but as the rumors grew more and more outrageous, Cisneros confronted-and denied-them publicly. In doing so, he set the stage for last weekend`s denouement.
”It was the worst-kept secret in town,” said San Antonio Light columnist Rick Casey, who wrote that the mayor was ”involved very seriously with another woman,” but did not identify her.
A day later, San Antonio Express-News columnist Paul Thompson, accusing the Light of an approach that ”trafficked in the cheapest of sleaze,”
identified Medlar and elaborated on the relationship.
”The mayor said the rumors were untrue, when, in fact, we knew they were true,” said Express-News managing editor Jim Moss, defending the decision to print the story. ”When you reach a number of people having the same information, I don`t see how it could be confidential anymore. We finally decided to tell the truth.”
In the media maelstrom that followed, Cisneros was asked if he and Medlar were intimately involved. He told reporters: ”That is nobody`s business.”
Both Cisneros and his wife have denied reports they will seek a divorce.
Meanwhile, San Antonians reacted with disbelief, disappointment and sympathy.
”I almost wanted to cry,” said one woman. ”I didn`t believe he would do something like that.”
Most elected Hispanic officials seemed to be closing ranks around Cisneros.
”We elected him to the mayor`s office,” said State Sen. Frank Tejeda.
”We didn`t elect him to sainthood.”
Ironically, the scandal erupted in what Cisneros had declared was the Alamo City`s ”year of emergence”-in which this once-sleepy backwater unveiled a shimmering new shopping plaza on the famed River Walk and a popular new aquatic theme park called Sea World of Texas. There are also ambitious plans to build a new domed stadium.
The fate of the latter project remains uncertain, as does Cisneros`
future. Few, however, believe he will remain out of public office.
”It`s far too early to write Henry`s public obituary,” said State Rep. Dan Morales. ”In politics, the passage of time is a valuable asset.”
