Slog
News & ArtsSaturday, October 24, 2009
Politics McGinn vs. Mallahan, Debate #600
Posted by Dominic Holden on Sat, Oct 24, 2009 at 9:15 PM
I'm tuning in late to the Mike McGinn vs. Joe Mallahan debate on KOMO TV (channel 4). But is anyone watching local television at 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday night? Hello, world?
Mallahan acknowledges that his voting record is miserable, but he notes that he's been involved with Treehouse, the nonprofit to serve foster kids, because his wife was involved in it.
McGinn says that Mallahan hasn't participated in every forum. But Mallahan points out that he once gave McGinn a ride to a forum that McGinn had forgotten about in their busy schedule. Roast. Mallahan says, "Mike, I'm not going to be there every time." But McGinn says he brought up the forums because Mallahan accused him of not being serious enough on public safety, so McGinn notes his public safety platform and his support for tightening gun regulations. Mallahan says that the police guild—one of Seattle's most conservative institutions—loves him.
A question about racial disparities in the city. They turn to schools. Mallahan vows to renew the Families and Education levy, because the failing schools are in South Seattle and the Central District. McGinn says schools have been a priority for him since the beginning of his campaign. A boring set of responses to a potentially incendiary question.
A woman standing on the street asks about public transit. Mallahan says that bus service is the core of public transit. Which is a bit of confirmation bias because we haven't built much light rail—yet—so, of course, buses make up the core of transit. McGinn says we need to vote on more light rail in Seattle, extending to Ballard and West Seattle, and we should build on existing rights of way (roads) to save money.
Overall, this is a milquetoast debate. They're sticking with the talking points that have become hackneyed in the past few months, rarely digging at each other like the Wednesday debate on KING. Still, McGinn paints Mallahan as a shill for the companies that will make money from a tunnel contract and an uncritical yes-man to the establishment. Meanwhile, Mallahan—inarticulately—paints McGinn as an obstructionist who wants to have a "re-do" on transportation issues.
Who are the most influential people in your life? They both love their parents. Mallahan segues to his work as an Obama delegate; McGinn talks about his mom's work in public schools.
What do they like about each other? "He has a lovely family and I like his beard," says Mallahan. McGinn says he totally appreciates how Mallahan gave him a ride to that forum and that Mallahan took on the "rigors of campaigning."
Closing statements: McGinn will still be a tunnel watchdog, he's held 12,867 town halls, and he's enchanted by the spirit of the community. Yawn. Mallahan wants to "move Seattle forward." He says, "business and government aren't the same thing," but that business-style management is exactly the sort of management he plans to bring to the city! Mallahan's also had his feelings hurt because McGinn told the truth about who's got a hand in Mallahan's campaign and his willingness to allow guns in city parks. Mallahan notes that two Republicans like him, and hey, Seattle, a mayor with Republicans behind him is the guy you want running your city.
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How badly is "Dallas" Mallahan losing to "Seattle" McGinn?
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It's like Greg Nickels, who thought Seattle was in his pocket.
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Sad. We were supposed to crown him and give him a royal salute, and we're being uppity ...
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Don't be sorry. I wish you had been at the game, or stayed out longer. It's bad enough that The Stranger is in love with McGinn; your comments have really become tedious during this campaign. It reminds me daily of the NObama PUMA person that used to spam the comments.
This bloc-of-3 household will probably vote for Mallahan mostly because of SLOG. As for the rest of the ballot, we'll probably follow the SECB/electionland endorsements as always.
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"Hi." (pause)
So you're voting for Mallahan becase a slog commenter annoys you? What a fucking cop out. Grow a spine and stop externalizing your decision making - if you're gonna vote for Mallahan, do it because *you actually like him*. Don't blame it on people you've never even met.
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This won't be evidence of me growing a spine, but I would omit the "mostly because of SLOG" from my post if I were rewriting it. BTW, I have met more SLOGgers than I have candidates. Here are some thoughts on my thinking
The Stranger, whose political philosophy and attitudes I respect and relate to, failed to convince me to vote for McGinn, possibly because its childish writing and absurd cheerleading distracted me from any message they might have wished to convey.
I don't live and breathe local elections, but I do skim the STimes/PI/Weekly, Publicola, Crosscut, HorsesAss, and TV/KUOW news. I feel that I know the issues, and that my bullshit detector is pretty well fine-tuned. Yet I read the Stranger/SLOG more than any of those other news outlets. As shallow as I might seem, I often let The Stranger inform me about lesser races and sometimes convince me in the more important ones. Just not this time.
So, yes, I externalize my decision making if that means I am influenced by others. I feel we have two decent candidates for mayor this time. I don't *actually like* either, yet I am leaning toward Mallahan. For some reason.
"sidewalks"-- DRINK!
"I quit my job as a [well paid corporate shill] lawyer to found a nonprofit..."-- DRINK!
putting a weird "that" as a modifier before any transportation project-- DRINK!
"I held 18 town halls all around this city..."--DRINK!
numbers! dollar amounts! scary statistics!-- DRINK!
"deep bore tunnel"-- Put the bottle down because alcohol poisoning is not funny
So glad these debates are over. My bullshit meter screams red with McGinn. Mallahan is far from being an impressive or even articulate debater but I think he's genuine and I'll take that over the prospect of four years of listening and sitting on our (substantial) asses.
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Where were you guys, shaking the Viaduct?
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Sadly, McGinn is a shill for the light rail industry and the developers. Billions of dollars to a train line that reinforces regional sprawl, and will requier thousands of new resdidents to come to seattle to ride it so that the beast can be justified. And McGinn is also shilling for the developers that build those wonderful 5 over 1 condo monstrosities that will surround that lonely light rail line.
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That's why Boston is so spread out. Stupid Green Line. Oh, and why San Francisco is terribly suburban-- fucking Muni Metro. And oh god, don't get me started on Vancouver.
Are you that fat, old guy in Fremont that keeps on hanging around the Red Door, annoying people with your witty tales on how much money you made from the stock market and your 100 shares in x,y,z stock? If so, I was told that you were slightly mental, but harmless.
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