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Monday, February 23, 2009

City City Council Member Tim Burgess

Posted by Erica C. Barnett on Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 5:20 PM

Has created an exploratory committee for a likely run against incumbent Greg Nickels.

In a brief phone conversation, Burgess (who didn't want to divulge much) said he'll make a final decision this weekend.

Comments (22) RSS

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I'll vote for anyone who runs against Nichols.

What is Burgess' position on Somali pirates?

Posted by worf on February 23, 2009 at 5:25 PM

WOW!

Posted by Chris M on February 23, 2009 at 5:26 PM

quick, to the Offenedmobile, Offended Minority Boy! tim burgess has offended Us! we must teach this offensedoer a lesson in doing something that might offend some minority somewhere!

Posted by Go away! 'Batin'! on February 23, 2009 at 5:26 PM

Go Tim! I wonder which other council member has promised Tim he won't run.

Posted by six shooter on February 23, 2009 at 5:27 PM

I will write him a check.

Posted by Dan Savage on February 23, 2009 at 5:29 PM

Burgess can go fuck himself. Nickels has my vote unless someone who is not a useless jesus freak with a rightwing track record comes along.

Posted by sgiffy on February 23, 2009 at 5:30 PM

Burgess... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Posted by Why is Council full of boring/lame people? on February 23, 2009 at 5:42 PM

Actually...

Burgess... lame enough to make me write a check for Nickels!

Posted by Why is Council full of boring/lame people? on February 23, 2009 at 5:43 PM

Thanks Dan @5 - He'll make a good mayor. I know you had reservations about him during the Della campaign. Hopefully he's convinced you he's not a religious nut job.

Posted by six shooter on February 23, 2009 at 5:51 PM

Dan, you think he can win? Really? I think Nickels would run over him without really trying. I know it's a third term thing and he did "screw up" the snow response, but he also embraced Obama early and has done a lot for enviros and business folks--which is a power combination in this town.

Posted by AF on February 23, 2009 at 8:08 PM

Nickels has very strong ties to money and business in this town. While I would be supportive of Burgess for Mayor he (and anyone else) doesn't stand a chance jumping in this late in the game.

Anyone with a good read on the politics here will tell you that at this point the only thing going to keep Nickels from another term is an Ezell's Fried Chicken induced coronary.... maybe Burgess would have a chance after all!

Posted by Chicken Fried Mayor on February 23, 2009 at 8:25 PM

Sending Burgess a check would be a complete waste of money. Burgess has zero chance of unseating Nickels. He has done absolutely nothing of note on the city council. There are lots of reasons to dislike Nickels, but he nevertheless remains a relatively popular mayor. I'd love to see someone push Nickels out, but it will take someone with a lot better reputation and better name recognition than Burgess.

Or maybe this is just a dry run to try to buy a bit of publicity and set himself up for a more serious run next time.

Posted by Reverse Polarity on February 23, 2009 at 8:27 PM

Nickels popularity is at an historic low for any Seattle mayor. @12, have you not read the polls?

I am a business owner, and ever small business owner I know would welcome Burgess with open arms. Nickels has done nothing for small business in Seattle.

And as a human, I care about the environment, and Nickels' sound-bite environmental policy needs to be replaced with some thoughtful long term environmental strategy. Burgess could be the guy.

Posted by hope on February 23, 2009 at 10:00 PM

I think Burgess has a much better shot than many of the people posting here think he does.

I'm not sure exactly what I think of that, though.

After all, I did endorse Greg Nickels on his first run because he wasn't Mark Sidran, and we can all see how THAT worked out...

Posted by Mr. X on February 23, 2009 at 10:36 PM

An exploratory committee??? Sounds like Larry Phillips begging people to tell him to run for KC Exec. Why can't these guys just do it if they want to be elected?

This is what we want for leadership...wind sniffing pols?

Posted by profiles in courage on February 23, 2009 at 11:15 PM

That's not a lot of time for any committee to explore anything.

Posted by Explore? on February 23, 2009 at 11:32 PM

Burgess will run - he has the original good cop messaih thing going

And the truth is he is very conservative, but, talks a good talk.

He makes me support Nickels, it is a time for true and tried leadership not a smiling training fest.

Posted by Larry on February 24, 2009 at 7:25 AM

18 Comment Pulled

Nickels is a "relatively popular mayor"? SurveyUSA tracked his approval/disapproval at 33/55 earlier this month, and that was a slight uptick from his 28/61 numbers for the same poll in January. Nickels is swimming upstream against any credible candidate, and that applies to Burgess. He stomped an unpopular joke of a city councilman and with any luck will do the same to Seattle's unpopular joke of a mayor.

I also find it sad that Burgess is still made out to be some arch right-winger when he's denounced his ties to Concerned Women for America et al and has said every time he's asked that he supports choice and marriage equality. He's a moderate for Seattle but has a solid track record on green issues and even sided with that not-so-conservative bag tax, so I really question anybody still trotting out that old bogus line about Burgess' faux-liberalism.

Posted by TMW on February 24, 2009 at 9:39 AM

I would vote for anyone before giving lard-ass another term.

And why hasn't he been held accountable for the several billion he lost on Sound Transit back in the 1990's when he was supervising it?

Posted by Outlaw Fat People on February 24, 2009 at 10:18 AM

#20

Lard ass is bearable - lard brain is your problem. Most stupid post of the day.

Posted by Martin on February 24, 2009 at 11:01 AM

#19 - please explain in his short term on the council, explain his sills and programs?

He votes yes on EVERYTHING so as not to make enemies - so where is the brilliant leader?

And, Greg Nickels is not brown, poorly educated or lisp impaired. White guy, old white guys vs old white guys - might get bloody.

Posted by Martin on February 24, 2009 at 11:05 AM