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News & ArtsThursday, August 6, 2009
City Nickels Losing Ground
Posted by Dominic Holden on Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 5:02 PM
KING TV has released a new mayoral poll conducted by SurveyUSA that shows Jan Drago being left in the dust while Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn advance. Mallahan is now clipping the heels of Mayor Greg Nickels, if you believe this poll, which looks very different from another poll released two days ago. Here are today's numbers:
Greg Nickels — 22 percentJoe Mallahan — 19 percent [up from eight percent three weeks ago]
Mike McGinn — 15 percent [also up from eight percent]
James Donaldson — 11 percent
Jan Drago — 7 percent
Elizabeth Campbell —- 3 percent
Kwame Garrett -— 3 percent
Norman Sigler -— 1 percent
Twenty percent of likely voters are still undecided
Mallahan's jump in the polls—again, if you believe it—coincides with an onslaught of his new television ads:
1
McGinn gets a boost in the polls from grass roots organizing and great ideas. Mallahan gets a boost in polls from... having a lot of cash to run TV ads. This poll represents both the best and worst in our democratic process. I'll let you guess which is which.
2
You know, whoever wins this, we're going to hate them by the end of their first year.
Mayor of Seattle has to be one of the top five shitty jobs in Washington State. Pretty much anyone who'd want it is someone you don't want to give it to.
Mayor of Seattle has to be one of the top five shitty jobs in Washington State. Pretty much anyone who'd want it is someone you don't want to give it to.
3
I hate to say, but lately I've been finding myself doing the same, excruciating political calculus with the mayor's race that I've been doing with viaduct replacement. And it comes down to the fact that we don't have a binary choice:
1. Mike McGinn is the surface/transit option, the best case.
2. Greg Nickels is the tunnel, not the best case but acceptable.
3. Joe Mallahan is a new viaduct, the totally unacceptable worst case.
Whatever criticisms you might have of Greg Nickels (and there are many), he's been, on the whole, a hard-ass, hard-core transit supporter. Maybe not as hard-ass and hard-core as Mike McGinn, but we have Greg Nickels more than any other politician to thank for ST and ST2.
Maybe Joe Mallahan wouldn't be such a disaster. Maybe all his drivel and platitudes really are just drivel and platitudes. But we don't know that. He hasn't demonstrated any real grasp or affinity for land use and transportation issues. And--here's where the worst-case scenario comes in--we don't really know that he isn't an anti-transit, anti-urban Manchurian candidate. In other words, Joe Mallahan's smiling face scares the crap out of me.
1. Mike McGinn is the surface/transit option, the best case.
2. Greg Nickels is the tunnel, not the best case but acceptable.
3. Joe Mallahan is a new viaduct, the totally unacceptable worst case.
Whatever criticisms you might have of Greg Nickels (and there are many), he's been, on the whole, a hard-ass, hard-core transit supporter. Maybe not as hard-ass and hard-core as Mike McGinn, but we have Greg Nickels more than any other politician to thank for ST and ST2.
Maybe Joe Mallahan wouldn't be such a disaster. Maybe all his drivel and platitudes really are just drivel and platitudes. But we don't know that. He hasn't demonstrated any real grasp or affinity for land use and transportation issues. And--here's where the worst-case scenario comes in--we don't really know that he isn't an anti-transit, anti-urban Manchurian candidate. In other words, Joe Mallahan's smiling face scares the crap out of me.
4
By the way, I must confess I'm agonizing over whether to vote for Nickels or McGinn. Just looking at my unopened primary ballot letter fills me with dread. And actually, as much credit as I give Greg Nickels for some good things, the only reason I'm even agonizing about this instead of going with McGinn is how underwhelmed I was by the platform he introduced at his campaign kickoff.
I'm afraid that part of my political calculus is going to be, who has a better chance of defeating Joe Mallahan should Nickels or McGinn be the odd man out?* In that respect too, I go back to the viaduct replacement analogy. I'll take a tunnel or surface/transit as long as it's not a new viaduct. I'll take Nickels or McGinn so long as it's not Mallahan.
* You could also do the calculus, which vote (Nickels or McGinn) gives a better chance of leaving Mallahan the odd man out?
I'm afraid that part of my political calculus is going to be, who has a better chance of defeating Joe Mallahan should Nickels or McGinn be the odd man out?* In that respect too, I go back to the viaduct replacement analogy. I'll take a tunnel or surface/transit as long as it's not a new viaduct. I'll take Nickels or McGinn so long as it's not Mallahan.
* You could also do the calculus, which vote (Nickels or McGinn) gives a better chance of leaving Mallahan the odd man out?
6
Seattle is a defunct political entity.
It must be broken up into smaller units to restore control by the People.
It must be broken up into smaller units to restore control by the People.
7
#4: It will be a ridiculously huge upset if Nickels doesn't make it past the primary. The primary is basically a vote for who runs against Nickels in the fall. Then again, weirder things have happened...
When in doubt, why not vote for the best candidate?
When in doubt, why not vote for the best candidate?
8
dominic, by my math, i see mallahan went up 11. doesnt mean i am voting for him but just saying. i will vote for anyone but nickels in the general. i think joe is fine and a great alternative to nickels, but prefer mcginn. i'll rally behind whomever wins the primary.
9
Cressona -
Mayor Nickels will make it through the primary. Lots of voters in the undecided column will break toward stability. Ergo, it makes sense to vote McGinn. Then, at least, we have some sort of debate for the next couple months. Come November, wouldn't you rather face a choice between Nickels and McGinn instead of Nickels and Mallahan?
Vote for McGinn.
Mayor Nickels will make it through the primary. Lots of voters in the undecided column will break toward stability. Ergo, it makes sense to vote McGinn. Then, at least, we have some sort of debate for the next couple months. Come November, wouldn't you rather face a choice between Nickels and McGinn instead of Nickels and Mallahan?
Vote for McGinn.
10
Right now Mallahan is the Susan Hutchinson of the Mayor's race. A stealth candidate backed by seniors and republicans, coupled with t-mobile's anti union activities to boot. And like Hutchinson can not even speak to local issues at even the most basic levels.
Remember Mallahan couldn't name one African American or Latino organization in the city....
We don't have the luxury of voting for McGinn. Its like voting for Nader over Gore... What did you get.. Bush.
Greg has been a good progressive. Time to close ranks and stop Mallahan's stealth candidacy now.
Remember Mallahan couldn't name one African American or Latino organization in the city....
We don't have the luxury of voting for McGinn. Its like voting for Nader over Gore... What did you get.. Bush.
Greg has been a good progressive. Time to close ranks and stop Mallahan's stealth candidacy now.
11
McGinn? I don't think so...he wants the city to take over the schools. The city can't even keep the streets clear of snow but McGinn thinks the city should run the schools too. Scary.
12
Independent polling shows that whoever makes it thru lthe primary with Nickels has a huge advantage moving towards the general. You are crazy if you let the TV money buy Mallahan that position vote for McGinn!
Let's then have a real debate about the future instead of months more of Mallahan commercials using words, but saying nothing.
Let's then have a real debate about the future instead of months more of Mallahan commercials using words, but saying nothing.
13
@3, @4 - Mallahan is NOT for a new viaduct, he's supporting the tunnel option - as you said, maybe not the best option in the world, but it's what was agreed upon years ago. To try and re-raise the surface/transit option now would mean years of fighting Olympia and the Council on an issue they've ALREADY resolved. I just want the viaduct out of here, and honestly I think Mallahan's the best bet to get it done right.
14
@8: 19-11=9, not 11.
@10: Nickels is getting through the primary. To stop Mallahan's stealth candidacy, vote for McGinn, not Nickels. Then it's Nickels vs McGinn. If you vote for Nickels, you help Mallahan continue... perhaps you are tricking us into helping you support Mallahan?!
End @10's stealth comment-acy!
Seriously though, McGinn is the only candidate who offers a real alternative to Nickels. He's against the tunnel. That's an actual position. He has real positions on education, transit, information infrastructure. Some people like his positions; some people dislike them. That's how democracy works. But the point is, he HAS positions. You know what he stands for. I still don't know anything about Mallahan except that he likes attacking Nickels and says he will do it all better because he has corporate experience. That's not enough.
McGinn is the only chance for a real mayoral race. (No stealth here...)
@10: Nickels is getting through the primary. To stop Mallahan's stealth candidacy, vote for McGinn, not Nickels. Then it's Nickels vs McGinn. If you vote for Nickels, you help Mallahan continue... perhaps you are tricking us into helping you support Mallahan?!
End @10's stealth comment-acy!
Seriously though, McGinn is the only candidate who offers a real alternative to Nickels. He's against the tunnel. That's an actual position. He has real positions on education, transit, information infrastructure. Some people like his positions; some people dislike them. That's how democracy works. But the point is, he HAS positions. You know what he stands for. I still don't know anything about Mallahan except that he likes attacking Nickels and says he will do it all better because he has corporate experience. That's not enough.
McGinn is the only chance for a real mayoral race. (No stealth here...)
16
viaduct to nowhere @13:
Viaduct to nowhere, no kidding Mallahan is not for a new viaduct. I don't know if you've ever heard of such a thing, but I was using something called an analogy.
Thanks for your post though. You've given some small indication of what the Mallahan supporters out there are like. Apparently, he appeals analogy-impervious intellects.
@3, @4 - Mallahan is NOT for a new viaduct, he's supporting the tunnel option - as you said, maybe not the best option in the world, but it's what was agreed upon years ago. To try and re-raise the surface/transit option now would mean years of fighting Olympia and the Council on an issue they've ALREADY resolved. I just want the viaduct out of here, and honestly I think Mallahan's the best bet to get it done right.
Viaduct to nowhere, no kidding Mallahan is not for a new viaduct. I don't know if you've ever heard of such a thing, but I was using something called an analogy.
Thanks for your post though. You've given some small indication of what the Mallahan supporters out there are like. Apparently, he appeals analogy-impervious intellects.
18
I know Joe Mallahan. Joe is NOT anyone you want to vote into any office.
He is known as an underhanded, arrogant, and deceitful person. He has belittled people in front of others and has threaten the jobs of others for simply disagreeing with him. He was so impossible with several people T Mobile had to remove him from his position and place him into another.
His arrogance is so large he cannot educate himself on the simple basics of city government (someone ask Joe about specifics; he couldn't answer). The way he runs a negative campaign speaks to his lack of positive traits.
On another blog there is a comment regarding how Mallahan was seen at the Wurst Fest in Wallingford yelling at a parent running a game for letting little kids win. THAT is what type of person he is. That is how he operates.
He claims to be a high level manager at T Mobile, yet he claims to know nothing about their questionable policies. He has not come clean about where his donations have come from (very little from those that actually live in the city). He claims to be a community organizer but his civil record and community volunteer record is next to nothing.
This man is in this mayor's race for one person: Joe Mallahan.
He is known as an underhanded, arrogant, and deceitful person. He has belittled people in front of others and has threaten the jobs of others for simply disagreeing with him. He was so impossible with several people T Mobile had to remove him from his position and place him into another.
His arrogance is so large he cannot educate himself on the simple basics of city government (someone ask Joe about specifics; he couldn't answer). The way he runs a negative campaign speaks to his lack of positive traits.
On another blog there is a comment regarding how Mallahan was seen at the Wurst Fest in Wallingford yelling at a parent running a game for letting little kids win. THAT is what type of person he is. That is how he operates.
He claims to be a high level manager at T Mobile, yet he claims to know nothing about their questionable policies. He has not come clean about where his donations have come from (very little from those that actually live in the city). He claims to be a community organizer but his civil record and community volunteer record is next to nothing.
This man is in this mayor's race for one person: Joe Mallahan.
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