Slog - Comments on Lauren Briel's Kickoff http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff Last night I eschewed the Washington Bus Project's event at the Central Area Senior Center in favor of Jean Godden challenger Lauren Briel's kickoff party at the Baltic Room on Capitol Hill. For a first-time candidate with a shoestring budget and no name recognition, it was a respectable event—a small crowd of about 25, mostly in their 20s and 30s, gathered in the Baltic Room's compact upstairs lounge. Over a buffet table that included salami, a large wheel of brie, hummus, and some fattening-looking twisty pastries (would've tried them, but I don't like sweets), I talked with some of Briel's... Copyright 2008 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 17:22:36 -0800 Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:42:16 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by SeMe "King County Council member Bob Ferguson used a similar tactic in his successful campaign against incumbent Cynthia Sullivan"

It was also a district race and not city wide. City wide races require more dough. Also, Cynthia was perceived as a burn out and she took Ferguson for granted and ran a lousy campaign. Jean has tons of dough and tons of support from northend neighborhoods.

]]> SeMe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754447 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754447 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 17:25:16 -0800 Comment by ECB SeMe: Yeah, I know. I think Jean will probably win. But it's good to see young, energetic people like Briel in the running.

]]> ECB http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754464 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754464 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 17:45:11 -0800 Comment by good luck to her, though Not sure how much good playing the renter card will do in North Seattle neighborhoods like Wedgwood.

]]> good luck to her, though http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754477 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754477 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:05:46 -0800 Comment by fanny again, the day after treatment. sounds like a secret society to me.
and ESCHEWED?! what kind of media lingo state are we living in? oh yeah, it's The Stranger; we're scared of strangers coming to the in-crowd parties. did i miss the invite?

]]> fanny http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754478 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754478 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:06:02 -0800 Comment by Jamey lol
Why is it that the only thing that is really sinking in for me about this post is this: "some fattening-looking twisty pastries (would’ve tried them, but I don’t like sweets)"

Who doesn't LIKE sweets from time to time? Strange ECB.

]]> Jamey http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754480 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754480 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:09:10 -0800 Comment by unPC ummm, all power to this candidate and renter's rights but she seems naive.

You can't doorbell as citywide race.
Even doorbelling a district race, like FErguson did, you ahve to start like back in February. Not in freakin'late June for a primary in a few weeks! Do the math.

Most of all I would have been more interested if she actually had a specific proposal about what to do about rising rents. Renting is not a wualification any more than owning is. It's relevant to who you are of course but why aren't we judging here, and Godden, and Sjawa (sp???) on their actual stands on what to do about rising rents?

]]> unPC http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754503 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754503 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:50:44 -0800 Comment by Trevor Briel sounds nice and thoughtful. But if she can't get more than 25 people at her kickoff, weeks after the filing deadline, AND she has no money, that's pretty rough.

]]> Trevor http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754525 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754525 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:32:28 -0800 Comment by SeMe It is illegal for municipalities to pass any form of rent control. The Landlords were able to get that in Olympia. Our dems in Olympia have not done jack about it. Frank Chop has shown no leadership on this. Basically they buy that line that rent control is bad and that it will stop landlords from entering into the market. Bull crap. I agree that its good to see young energetic people, and I like that she wants to door bell even if thats not realistic for a city wide race, and i like that rent control is her issue, but cant do much about rents at a city level. Judy tried, didnt get anywhere because you have to change the law in Olympia. So aside from playing frisbee with his ex- why dont you like Joe ECB? Is he too lefty for you?

]]> SeMe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754527 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754527 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:36:07 -0800 Comment by Sean It's become axiomatic in the media that money wins elections. Is that really true?

While money can't hurt, and it's usually a reliable indicator that a candidate isn't nuts, I don't think it is necessarily the deciding factor in a city council race. It comes down to getting good press, and as far as I understand, column space in the local newspapers isn't for sale.

]]> Sean http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754543 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754543 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:37:09 -0800 Comment by xiu "Briel should play up the fact that she’s the only renter in the race"

Well, if she's a renter than that absolutely makes her qualified for the city council. I mean hell, what else could you possibly want out of a candidate?

Despite the fact that, as SeMe points out, the city of Seattle has no legal authority to limit condo conversions or impose rent ceilings.

Still, she's 28 and has no chance of winning so I suppose The Stranger will be endorsing her. Brilliant.

]]> xiu http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754545 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754545 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:45:05 -0800 Comment by COMTE True Sean. But having a sizeable campaign war chest is an indicator that voters take your candidacy seriously, and that in turn ensures the press will take the candidate seriously as well.

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754546 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754546 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:45:44 -0800 Comment by ECB SeMe: I have nothing against Joe, except the plate incident, which--as everyone including Joe has pointed out--was a long time ago. Every candidate has a shot at our endorsement in this race.

]]> ECB http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754571 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754571 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 23:09:05 -0800 Comment by age Can we all shut up about age now? It doesn't matter.


Heidi Wills was 30 when she won a seat on the City Council. Her age didn't hurt her chances in that race. She knew what she was doing, had an angle, and agressively sought support to the tune of $250,000 by the end. I don't seem to remember her getting the "she's young" treatment either.


There are dozens of politicians in their 30s in the legislature, for example. They all managed to win. Hell, Bill Finkbeiner RETIRED at age 37 after what, 14 years of service? Jean Godden got on the Council at age 70. It's all relative and based on attitude, insight and experience.


And in that last category, more experience isn't exactly better. Dick Cheney has taught us that.

]]> age http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754574 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754574 City Thu, 28 Jun 2007 23:11:47 -0800 Comment by roag Are Slog articles meant to fill our days or is there some reason your taste for sweets has anything to do with a story about a city council race? Put yourself in the piece when relevant, not to elevate yourself above your subject's cause. The starving hip writer thing has been done. Thanks.

]]> roag http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754594 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754594 City Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:06:30 -0800 Comment by laurie http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=12237

]]> laurie http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754639 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754639 City Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:35:42 -0800 Comment by maxsolomon "i would have tried them, but i don't like sweets".

well, la-di-da!

i had a friend who didn't like hot liquid - tea, coffee, soup. i thought he had a problem that needed psychological treatment.

]]> maxsolomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754651 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754651 City Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:53:27 -0800 Comment by jonah http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=12237

]]> jonah http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754655 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754655 City Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:59:04 -0800 Comment by N in Seattle Name recognition for the future. That's what Lauren Briel's campaign is.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, that's a very good thing. Maybe next year, or the year after that, or another year some time soon, she'll get into a political race with a more immediate purpose.

]]> N in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754665 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c754665 City Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:10:20 -0800 Comment by You rock Go Lauren!

]]> You rock http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c756195 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/lauren_briels_kickoff#c756195 City Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:42:16 -0800