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Jean Godden’s Kickoff

City council member Jean Godden, who is currently running unopposed for her second term, threw a kickoff party last night at Tom Douglas’s Palace Ballroom that, in the words of her fellow council member Tom Rasmussen, “raised the bar” for this year’s political events.*

I’ve been to dozens of campaign kickoffs. Here’s the standard format: Supporters arrive, mill around, eat cheese and olives off paper plates. Prominent supporter introduces candidate. Candidate says a few words about accomplishments, what an honor it is to serve the voters. Someone else comes out and does the “ask”—a request for money above and beyond the price of entry. Applause, more milling. Go home.

Godden’s event wasn’t like that. The first difference: the food was actually good. (I sampled it strictly for research purposes, obviously.) Curried chicken salad on wafer-thin crackers; piping-hot mini spring rolls; creamy polenta with ham; mushroom tapenade with goat cheese on crostini—yum!

The second: Instead of doing the standard speech, Godden and Douglas did a cornball skit—the script for which, according to a Douglas assistant, had just been plopped in his hands 15 minutes before.

OK, it was a bit like watching a weird, cheesy puppet show. (Tom: “I spice things up with chiles, salsas and cayenne pepper. How do you spice things up, Jean?” Jean: “When I spice things up, it’s usually because I’ve done something to upset the mayor.” Aaaand… cut!) But for some reason, perhaps because it was Jean Godden it worked. (I can’t really picture Nick Licata putting on an apron and clowning around with Tom Douglas, much less posing for pictures like the one below.)

464518699_66efdf16bc.jpg

Or Tom Rasmussen, for that matter. When I ran into Rasmussen outside the ballroom, the super-earnest council member seemed concerned that his own kickoff, to be held at the Swedish Center on Dexter, might not measure up. “We can have Swedish meatballs,” he mused, half-joking. He added: “I have a zydeco band. Does that help?” Then, muttering something about being “off to the food bank,” he hopped in his gray Acura and sped away.

*Note to Slog readers: This is not an endorsement of Jean Godden. I liked her event, and I’m writing a fluff piece about it. A “Jean Godden” piece, if you will.

Comments (6)

1


It's funny how important the food is at these events. Everyone, especially the media, mentions or even judges them by the food. Soon, candidates will be putting on five-course meals.

For some candidates, such a display would be gaudy. If Nick DIDN'T have paper plates, I would be disappointed.

Posted by food | April 26, 2007 3:18 PM
2

Maybe we could draft Susan Paynter to run against her.

Posted by demolator | April 26, 2007 3:35 PM
3

I am on my 100 day break from Microsoft. This means that I have less money than usual, and these campaign kickoffs would be a great way to stock up on free food. By any chance could you let us know in advance when these campaign kickoff parties are going to be?

Posted by Someone | April 26, 2007 3:52 PM
4

Why would any councilmember not want to have their picture taken with a Pike Place Pig? The money the pigs raises goes to help the Pike Place Foundation. Which in turn helps the poor and the elderly.

Posted by PikePlaceSupporter | April 26, 2007 4:34 PM
5

I'm confused by that picture...which one is Jean Godden?

Posted by michael strangeways | April 26, 2007 4:50 PM
6

let them eat cake...

Posted by gotsidewalks? | April 26, 2007 5:49 PM

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