I say you need to learn how to read.

My comments were directed at the trite political cliches in Ms. Burner's campaign release, that sounded like rationalizations for something else going on--like perhaps the pressure got to her.

Throughout the entire spread of 31+ comments, I maintained that my complaint was about the style of her press release, not the substance of her, or her candidacy.

So there.

In case anyone wonders -- and anyone who has been to law scoll will agree -- those are very impressive grades.

now this really is way way way too much ado about nothing.

Eli, thanks for following up on this issue.

I think the obvious question is: why did she tell you the implausible story that she left Microsoft to "focus on a run for Congress" in 2004 (at a time when nobody even knew who would win the 2004 race to succeed Jennifer Dunn) when she obviously left Microsoft to attend law school?

The fact that she suddenly took a leave from law school to run for Congress is interesting. But even more interesting is the inept fibs that she's telling.

And frankly, given her record of prevarications, I'd ask to see the actual transcript instead of just posting her self-reported grades.

Nice try, Shark. The only one with a record of prevarications here is you. This story is even stupider than Matt Drudge's hat.

This is the question I want a straight and useful answer to: I think the obvious question is: why did she tell you the implausible story that she left Microsoft to "focus on a run for Congress" in 2004 (at a time when nobody even knew who would win the 2004 race to succeed Jennifer Dunn) when she obviously left Microsoft to attend law school?

Stefan:

You're building an elaborate conspiracy theory out of one turn of phrase in a 3,500 word story. When I wrote the sentence in question, it represented, at that time, my best understanding of Darcy Burner's trajectory post-Microsoft.

Now we know she also attended a year of law school during that time period, got great grades, and then announced her run for Congress. Which proves what, Stefan?

I wasn't hiding her law school experience from my readers because I didn't know about it when I wrote my story. I highly doubt the Burner campaign was hiding it from me, because I don't see how a year of law school is something to be ashamed of. The subject of law school just never came up.

There's no conspiracy here, Stefan. You're free to keep looking for one, but I doubt you'll find one, and I think you'll be wasting a lot of people's time (your time, your readers' time, my time) as you do.

Thanks for keeping this thread alive while I was out having a life.

Q: Who says you can't maintain a stellar GPA and burn out at the same time? I think burn out is more likely in this scenario than with someone who attends classes and slacks off. There is still a lot of pressure involved with any post-graduate program.

That said--the P.R. was "Unlike many of our elected leaders, she has a healthy intellectual curiousity. She attended a year of law school to better understand the law."

Who satisfies their intellectual curiosity by taking the LSAT, applying for, waiting to be accepted by, paying for and attending the most competitive law school in Washington to quit after their first year? What happened? Pressure? Intellectual "curiosity" sated? Figured one year was good enough for the political resume? Figured State Representative was a better gig?

The fact is, no one "samples" a year of post-graduate education to satisfy their "intellectual curiosity." It's bunk.

I don't know what the real story is, but the proferred one is bullshit, and only draws attention to its deficiency.

Isn't this the same Stefan who was mocking trans folks on his site a week ago?

The context was the simple language revision that added trans language to the long standing King County Anti Discrimination law. The revision passed and was signed by Sims this week.

Why does anyone care what this BIGOTED piece of shit thinks? You people are giving credit to a mental midget........who give a shit what this reactionary fuck head has to say?

Have you no shame? When are you going to shine up to the rest of the local phobes and far right wingers?

No me. Never, ever.
I love trans people and value their lives and difficult journey.....and will work to protect them from jackels like scum bag Stefan.

Stefan:

You're building an elaborate conspiracy theory out of one turn of phrase in a 3,500 word story.

Stefan building an elaborate conspiracy theory? How out of character.

Stefan... you've nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Darcy went to law school for the same reason she went to candidate training at Camp Wellstone... to prepare for running for office! Her statements are completely consistent! She left Microsoft to pursue a run for Congress, and going to law school was part of her preparation. How hard is that to understand?

This should give you hint as to why she's turned out to be such a good candidate... she's methodical, hard working, and damn smart.

Oh, and you know what the sad thing is Eli? I'm pretty sure Stefan actually believes his conspiracy theories.

Don't they all?

"she's methodical"
So, Goldy, you're saying that it's methodical to go to law school in order to prepare to run for Congress, suddenly drop out after the first year (after making plans to be in school the second year) and then avoid telling people that you spent a year in law school?

I don't think you're so stupid that you
truly believe this. I think the sad thing
is that you keep saying such stupid
things because you believe that the
people who read you really are that
stupid.

You bastard, Stefan. You're so full of shit. I can't believe we're even arguing about this.

Face it. Burner is an impeccable candidate. You're not even grasping at straws, Stefan. You're grasping at NOTHING.

N-O-T-H-I-N-G.

You are a lousy writer, a horrible researcher, you can't reason properly and like Tim Eyman, you are a horse's ass. unsoundpolitics is a pile of stinking manure, filled with conspiracy theories, lies, and wild, silly conjecture. It's too bad some people still take it seriously.

I sense a little excess of law school worship here. If one doesn't want to be a practicing lawyer the prospect of two additional years of the same old crap from the same old professors could seem pretty bleak. I suspect that 90% of 3rd year law students are painfully bored with the whole schtick more than half the time.

First year of law school is interesting for learning a selection of legal foundations, but hardly a necessity for serving as a people's representative in government.

With Burner's objectively documented academic successes she wouldn't have had any problem in law school - if she thought there was a point to it.

Stefan, get over it. Law school is NOT the pinacle of achievement in our society. What dealings with law schools have you had personally that you base your assumptions on?

Stefan... I'm saying that I first met Darcy last year at Camp Wellstone, where she told me she was attending law school, and when I questioned why the hell she would want to become a lawyer, she said she had no intention of practicing law, but wanted the legal training to better prepare her for making law.

More work than I would have put into a run for office, but it makes sense to me.

"I don't think you're so stupid that you
truly believe this." says Sharkansky.

I can't believe anybody is stupid enough to even be making an issue of this. Seriously, don't you have a bathroom to clean somewhere or maybe some toe fungus to treat?

This is beyond grasping for straws. It makes you look like a flippin' dolt.

You know, I'm still waiting for someone to pick up on something Burner said the other day. She said she was too busy to do something or other because she was installing a PBX in her office. She got it off Ebay. She made it pretty clear that she installed it, not that she stood around and drank coffee while the techs did it.

Have any of you guys installed a PBX? Have you even SEEN a PBX? It's usually a gray plastic box with a bunch of connectors on one side and no manual.

Plus it's phones, so the tech support available is nil.

I think that's pretty cool.

Sharkansky, on the other hand, can't even install a clue.

The first year of law school is where students learn to "think like a lawyer." It really is the most important year of law school in many respects. (Good first year grades lead to law review or journal invitations and permanent job placement). Burner's grades are good. She received solid A grades in the courses that occur in the latter quarter of the year (Property, Crim. Law, Con. Law & Basic Legal Skills(covers the entire first year)). The increase in her grades over the first year indicates that she did learn to "think like a lawyer," and also cuts against the assumption she became increasingly burnt out as the year went on. Although it is possible Burner did not like the law school experience, her upward trending grades show that she was perfectly capable of handling law school.

After completing this first year, Burner probably has a better understanding of how to write in the proper legal form, and to research cases, statutes, and legislative history. She probably also increased her knowledge of the role of the legislative branch in relation to the executive and judiciary branches. Thus, it is not illogical to accept Burner's position that the first year would provide training for those who make laws.

For example, one of the problems with the initiative process is that people who are writing these laws may not be trained in drafting legislation, and don’t fully understand judicial review or the implications of tax cuts on the state’s programs. Although one year of law school would not transform anyone into an “expert� on these issues, even having some basic knowledge of areas where problems can arise could be helpful for a politician who is dedicated to drafting lasting laws that are helpful to his or her constituency.

Hands up who's been to law school in the last half-hour.

Not to beat a dead horse (we've already debated this issue WAY too much -- albeit to Darcy's benefit. Now, without doing anything, people are talking even more about her, in a good way), but I have to seriously disagree with an aspect of Napolean XIII's argument:

"The fact is, no one "samples" a year of post-graduate education to satisfy their "intellectual curiosity." It's bunk."

Not only is this untrue, but you can do this without going through the entrance requirements. That's what the UW extension program is all about:

http://www.extension.washington.edu/ext/

I don't know if it applies to law school (is someone going to pursue that issue, too?), but I'm currently using it every now and then to expand my skills now that I'm out of school and in the working world. It's designed for people just like Darcy, who might want to take a class or two for whatever reason, without formally enrolling into a program.

I wasn't addressing extension courses in my comment--if one wants to sample, they can audit classes as well, without taking the seat of someone who would go the whole three years.

Another interesting observation--if her grades are correct--she dropped out after two years. She's got 2L courses mixed in there.

But my only point in this whole two-day, two thread, 50 some plus post is that if her press was handled better, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I agree with Napoleon's argument, but he's wrong about curricula. Those are all 1L courses.

I'm not a lawyer, but I read a lot of John Grisham novels. :p

So day two of the debate ends and the only leg the Burner critics have to stand on is speculation.

Not too mention, none of these people arguing even live in her district.

Darcy is a frickin' smarty pants!

Hey, Persistent Little Asterisk:

Day one began with a mild, (yet sniping) critique of her campaign manager's style, which was then jumped upon and blown all out of proportion by hypersensitive partisans.

I wish Ms. Burner the best, but hope she's a little more upfront in future communications with the press and public.

I wish Ms. Burner the best, but hope she's a little more upfront in future communications with the press and public.

Uh, can we not remove Ms. Burner's name from the above quote and insert any other office-holder/hopeful? If that's what this argument boils down to, well boy, what a sham this Comments thread has bene.

Okay--here it is, amended:

I wish Ms. Burner the best, but hope that next time she communicates with the press and public its not in mawkish language redolent of high school student body election sloganeering.

And yes--yes, these comment's have been a sham.

So she got A's for one year of law school. I know how challenging going to college can be, as I earned my BA in Mechanical Engineering while working full-time. Yes, she is a good student.

But all this is still evading the basic questions about Darcy being upfront and truthful. In the political arena, many people are going to carefully evaluate what you write and say - especially if you are relatively unknown.

It appears that Darcy has been rather successful in various life pursuits so far. If she desires to successfully run for office, it would help to give full, detailed answers to the questions that are being asked about her right now. Otherwise, someone else will answer those questions and it will appear that Darcy is afraid to face public scrutiny.

This is frickin' stupid people. A campaign manager gives the 'message' in his reply to a small time local weekly paper about why she left law school after a year. Who gives a rats ass?

So fucking what if she went to Law School for a year and then dropped out to run for office. Why don't you focus on more important things like that fact that George Bush just got caught in another big fat lie.... Get all bent out of shape that the lies keep piling up. He lied about leaking, he lied about his reasons for going to war, he lied about big important things that effect millions of people. I could care less about why Darcy Burner left law school. She is obviously capable of succeeding and I'm sure she got better grades than the President.

Get a fucking life people! I am sending her a $100 check right now just because you idiots piss me off!

I think these righties are frightened of Smart Women. Like Rush Limbaugh they believe smart women are "uppity" when they let their abilities shine instead of being the competent secretary behind the moron on the throne.

Realizing that their attack on her law school success is now making them look like idiots, they are trying to turn it into an honesty issue. "We didn't say WMD - we said democracy." The party of BS.

She's going to lose the election because of stuff like this, changing her story and then her campaign having to backtrack on statements about her history.

It DOES matter, because she was dishonest about her rationale for leaving Microsoft. If we can't trust her to be honest and up-front about her history (or leaves the duty to middlemen instead of doing it herself), how can voters trust her with WA's 8th Congressional seat?

And here are her defenders bickering over how unimportant it is. If it's so unimportant, why do you have so much to vehemiantly say in response to it?

My problem, Gomez, is that I still have no idea what you are talking about.

Gomez, I just upped my check to $200 because of your STUPID post! Get a fucking life!

Keep blindly defending her and refusing to find fault with anything she does. You're helping her seal her own fate with your see-no-evil cheerleading. I've made my point very clear time and again, so if you can't see it, it's because you've decided you don't want to.

And go ahead and up it to $500, Wowza. It won't make any difference.

gomez...I'm not defending Burner; what I'm having trouble with is figuring out how anyone can even see this as an issue.

You say: "I've made my point very clear time and again, so if you can't see it, it's because you've decided you don't want to."

Well no, maybe it's because you've convinced yourself that there's a point and rational folks aren't buying it.

I think it's fine that Ms. Burner completed one year of Law School, and apparently with good grades. And I probably agree with her on many issues. But I think that it is worth noting and entirely appropriate to ponder why she left law school to run for Congress. It seems strange that one would go to all of the trouble and cost of getting in to UW and taking a full year of law school merely to learn about the underpinnings of law for the sake of a political career. So, if we give Ms. Burner the benefit of the doubt on that route of learning, albeit an expensive one, there are still a few interesting questions left in my mind.

1) Why quit after only a year. Even if the opportunity of running for Congress is much greater, it leaves one with the impression that Ms. Burner does not follow through. Not a good impression to leave politically. And if one year of law school leaves one with a good knowledge of creating laws, wouldn't three be even better? A complete law degree is the most prevalent credential amongst legislators.

2) Why the sudden change? Politics is all about appearances. Is Ms. Burner a career opportunist always looking for the next best thing? How do I know she will be a solid representative? How do I know I can count on her to be stable on issues that matter to me? Will she suddenly flip on an issue like she did from Law School to Candidancy? Or worse yet, switch to another party like other legislators have done?

3) Inexperience. These kinds of sudden changes usually happen when we are younger and more inexperienced. I think it's clear that Ms. Burner is finding her place, which is great, but is she really ready for the US Congress?

In my opinion, from what I have seen Ms. Buriner is far too eager and impetuous. She's got all of the qualities that one would expect in someone who is up and coming and ripe for the externship which she was awarded. But she needs to spend more time developing name recognition and trust before she is ready for a run at the House.

Okay, Gnossos. Why would she withhold the fact that she went to law school, if it was perfectly in line with her pursuit of Congress? I'm not buying Eli's "she doesn't want to brag" defense. It's not bragging: it's simply a statement of fact. It might actually gain her votes as people see she's actively trying to learn more about the law and our government. Bragging would be harping over getting straight A's. Something doesn't quite add up.

...sorry gang, but all I can do here is sigh a big loud, whatevah. I repeat a comment I made much earlier that I think ya'll are really, seriously grasping at straws here.

Get yer panties knotted all you want over this issue. My guess is it's gonna be non-starter for most folks.

Lemme know when you've caught her getting oral sex from an intern and I'll check back in.

::throws hands up at not having a good answer:: works for me. It's not my district to win or lose. I'm just saying this campaign, which needed work before this came about, isn't doing too well out of the gate, no matter how much money she's raised.

Another Angle submitted a well-written level-headed post. Those are definitely some questions you may want to consider before automatically backing a Democratic candidate.

I lived on the Eastside for years when Jennifer Dunn was my representative. Does anybody posting here actually live in that district now?

In my haste, Gary, I hadn't given a good read to Another Angle's questions, which are very good questions to ask.

I think the fact that the Stranger's in such a rush to back Burner indicates something fishy, beyond the simple desire to openly stump for a color change in a Congressional seat. Notice how, upon discovering the seat was theoretically up for grabs, that they didn't take the traditional route of neutrally laying out the possible candidates on the D side, and instead instantly backed a relative unknown and have unwaveringly refused to say a negative thing about her campaign, even though her obvious shortcomings and causes for concern stick out like a sore thumb.

Excellent points, Another Angle. I'm going to take it a step farther: I'm led to wonder if the Stranger's support has been bought. I mean, they don't grow money on trees: they probably take funding wherever they can get it.

Eli's open defiance of any dissenting opinion on Burner's credentials is rather uncanny even for him. You can support a candidate even when pointing out her faults and causes for concern. That he and Dan and others adjectly refuse to do so under any circumstances makes it look more and more like a sponsored hard sell with each day.

OK, I really don't think law school -- 1 year, 3 years, no years -- Darcy's grades, intellectual curiosity or extracuricular activites are worth discussing.

I think Stefan's initial point, however, had more to do with life experience and record of public service, which is absolutely worth discussing. The Burner campaign is obviously very sensitive to the fact that Reichert has been a public servant -- 30+ years in law enforcement plus 18 months in Congress -- for as long as Darcy has been alive. I'm guessing that they did not wat to talk about 1 year of law school because it only reminds people how unprepared she is to represent 600,000 people in Congress. She didn't vote regularly, has no record of community or public service and admitted that her rationale for going to law school was to learn how laws are made for a future political run. Wow, very impressive.

I don't doubt that Darcy is a talented and well-meaning young woman with a bright future, but why doesn't she finish law school and think about running for the legislatre or another local office. If memory serves, the last time the Dems ran an inexperienced but smart and looks-good-on-paper candidate against Reichert he got smoked. The name Dave Ross ring a bell?

OK, Gomez is a complete moron with his Stranger is bought type rhetoric, but...

JB has put the nail on the head of the best first line attack against her. Here's the line that the Burner campaign has to counter: "Darcy is a talented and well-meaning young woman with a bright future, but why doesn't she finish law school and think about running for the legislatre or another local office." It makes the person look weak without making the person saying it look mean, just the kind of thing that will sound good coming out of Reicherts substance free smooth talking mouth. I dont think she can make it with coming down hard at some point and putting him on the defensive, something Ross was too "gentlemanly" to do.

Funny how when the Republicans like somebody they say business experience is more important and relevant than entrenched public servants, but quickly change their line when the shoe is on the other foot.

Face it, the Sherrif's office inherited by Sue Rahr had a lot of worm eaten wood in it. 15 years of coddling bad cops finally came home to roost. Rahr didn't create a management culture that allowed this to happen. Its all on Reichert.

As a congressman, he's just been doing what he's been told. His handlers are trying to manufacture some opportunities for him to look independent of the Bush GOP, but may be running out of time. Maybe the Iranian war can save him too.

CORRECTION:I meant to say "I dont think she can make it WITHOUT coming down hard at some point and putting him on the defensive, something Ross was too "gentlemanly" to do."

Gee, thanks. Do you have any constructive criticism for Darcy Burner, or are you anotehr one of the sheep?

I mean, seriously, no one for this paper has had even a single criticism of her campaign since this hard-sell began. That's not journalism.

Gomez:
I did have some constructive criticism for Burner: You, or someone for you like Pelz, is going to have to bitch slap that GOP whore Reichert till he starts mubling and stuttering, or he's going to do it to you and tell the world you like it!

IMHO

"Bitchslap that GOP whore"... that's what voters want to hear! (?!)

So why is Darcy Burner the best person to figuratively bitchslap that so-called GOP whore?

Why Burner? Because she's the only person willing to work her ass off to do this. A willingness to do hard work counts -- both for practical reasons and as an indication of character.

But if you don't like her, by all means find and support a better candidate. Get them to run and make them viable (quickly), because right now the only choices are Burner or Reichert. There's nobody else in the game, and every attack on Burner helps Reichert, not some theoretical better-than-Burner Democratic candidate who might someday run.

Uh.. Gomez.... gomez... dude...wake up, dude, you sweet little GOP troll, you. You said "constructive advice." Now you are asking about "what voters want to hear."

From where I stand, Burner has a variety of skills, perspectives, and experience that complemented by decent values, honesty, and ethics, make her a more than respectable Dem candidate to serve her constituency in Washington and be as good a candidate as Ross.

Reichert has done nothing to distinguish himself since being elected to the House but do what he is told as expected by those who wined and dined him on the Delay gravy train when he went to Washington DC while he was campaigning. I have heard him in extended radio interviews three times in the last 4 months. He is a smooth talking PR guy who appears to have nothing of substance to say about anything, and half the time appears to have no knowledge at all when he answers questions about pressing issues affecting WA and the nation. Despite this I find his tone and demeaner pleasant to listen too, which I believe makes him a tough candidate if he can convince enough voters that he is not lock-step with the current GOP leadership in WA when of course he is in as deep as any other of the hundreds of Hammer-heads.

Instead of calling me names like a child, Chetbob, how about answering my question with some specifics?

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