Slog
News & ArtsThursday, November 3, 2011
2012 Darcy Burner for Congress... Where Have I Heard That Before?
Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Nov 3, 2011 at 3:14 PM
- David Belisle
- Darcy Burner (again), ladies and gentlemen!
Darcy Burner is running for Congress, again. And Goldy is excited, again.
Not me.
Why? Well, for starters, if there's anyone in this office who's written a Goldy-sized number of words about Burner over the past six years, it's me—and I really don't say that to brag. I say it simply to own my own personal, and rather extreme case of Burner burnout.
I get paid to be interested in people who do what she does, but all her newly announced candidacy in Washington's 1st Congressional District did for me was generate a strong desire to sleep for the next year. I'm not alone, based on the comments here.
Obviously, my own personal fatigue with Burner isn't really an argument against her third Congressional run in six years. (Though it's worth noting that the same kind of fatigue was a pretty common argument against the candidacy of Republican Dino Rossi last year, and it easily morphed into widespread cynicism about his motivations and sincerity, helping to make Rossi the most famous three-time-loser in recent Washington State politics.) There are plenty of other arguments against Burner's third Congressional candidacy, though. As I see them, they are these:
1. She still hasn't done anything: I know, I know, Burner's been at the Progressive Congress in D.C. That's not a job you get elected to, though. And this fact will merely serve to remind people of a problem Burner has faced ever since her first run (of two) against Republican Dave Reichert in the 8th Congressional District. Her political experience consists of chairing a women's group at Microsoft, where she worked as a mid-level executive back in 2004, and being the president of her neighborhood's Community Association for one year way back when. So she will be attacked in this race, as she was in her last two races, for aspiring to high office without ever having proved herself at low office—and it will probably start in the Democratic primary, in which her major opponents all have five or six years of experience serving as elected public officials.
Consider the field: Democratic State Representative Marko Lias was elected to the Mulkilteo City Council and is now in his fourth year in the state house. Democratic Senator Steve Hobbes has been in the legislature for five years. Former Democratic state representative Laura Rudermann spent six years in the state house. Even the little-known Democratic candidate Andrew Hughes has served on the state’s Energy, Transportation, and Telecommunications Committee. Darshan Rauniyar, also a relatively unknown Democrat, is an elected Democratic Precinct Committee Officer, was an elected member of the Snohomish County Democratic Central Committee, and is now on the 1st District Democrats Executive Committee. All of them arguably trump Burner in actual public service—as opposed to what is certain to be described by Republicans as Burner's six years of self-service, should she make it to the general.
2. The Harvard problem still exists: No, it was not at all fair that voters in the 8th District were led to believe that Burner didn't have a degree from Harvard and lied about having one. She has one. But as I said in an examination of the 2008 Harvard debacle here, "politics is about what can be said in sound bites and simple language." And all of the Harvard debacle materials—the video clips, the cherry-picked Seattle Times quotes—are still out there, ready for use in mounting the same damaging attack all over again.
3. The entitlement problem still exists: This was always more important than the Harvard degree problem. The strength of the Harvard degree attack was never just about the old political game of catching a candidate in an embarrassing "lie" (even if that "lie" was not actually a lie). The strength of the attack came from the fact that the Harvard degree hit tied right into, and amplified, a sense that Burner is an obnoxious, entitled climber who thinks she's so smart she deserves a seat in Congress as her first elected job—and that making this so becomes an end in itself, truth-stretching means be damned. Now, the political world is full of people who are actually, deep down, exactly like this, and the good ones learn to successfully hide it. I'm not saying Burner is actually, deep down, like this. I personally don't think she is. She has deeply held political convictions, and wants to use them legislatively to help others. But that's not how she comes off to a lot of people. To this day. It's not fair, and it probably has a lot to do with sexism, but hey, life's not fair, and anyway there are ways to deal with this problem. What Hillary Clinton showed in her successful U.S. Senate run is that when people are bent on dismissing you as an obnoxious and entitled line-jumper, the best way to neutralize that is by proving that you are actually a hard-working, dues paying listener. Which Burner hasn't yet done here in Washington State.
4. What she's doing now is opportunism: Yes, any political run is almost by definition opportunistic. Yes, Burner's Democratic primary opponents are all opportunists, too. But losing twice in a row in one Congressional district and then, when that doesn't work, running in a neighboring Congressional district—that marks a different order of magnitude on the opportunism scale.
5. The shrill blogger problem still exists: Or, at least, it might. Burner was certainly helped in the past, in terms of fundraising and buzz, by an army of progressive bloggers all around the country who decided she was one of them and had to be elected. But the vengeful world view of a number of those bloggers ended up being a disservice to her candidacy.
If you're not asleep already, I can explain, by quoting (quickly!) from my own post-mortem on Burner's 2008 race, in which I digested my own reaction to sometimes ending up on the wrong side of certain liberal bloggers' Manichean divide:
Sure, politics is about the exercise of raw power. But the Burner campaign's successes and failures prove that bloggers don't have it in sufficient quantities—not yet, anyway—to behave as if they can dictate the terms of the debate and to condescend, you-got-punk'd-style, to those they need to persuade. They misunderstand human nature if they think that people will be persuaded after a good talking-down to.To put it another way: In this race, it sometimes seemed as if the bloggers' deepest dream was to no longer have to deal with the stupid people in politics. If only that were possible.
Different year, different election, but: A lot of the same bloggers. And ever since I mentioned I might write something like this, Goldy has been promising to personally shred me on the blog—personally meaning in personal terms, though he promises it will be done "lovingly"—for going against his Burner orthodoxy. I actually think I might be doing Burner a favor here, airing criticisms that, if they can be easily knocked down, should be knocked down early and convincingly. I don't think it does Burner any favors for them to be knocked down in a way that gives political observers flashbacks to the ruthless manner in which Burner's backers tried to mow down obstacles to her previous races. But hey, maybe I'm wrong.
Goldy's promising to mow me down shortly after I post this, so, you know, enjoy.
1
Nobody cares.
I've interviewed four people for various PACs running as a D in the 8th, and it's always harder than they think.
Carpetbagger is what Incumbent Protection Society peeps call a smart person that decides to run in a new location, given that they know the redistricting makes such a move mandatory anyway.
All the current maps for the 10 CDs look just as silly as all the other, you wouldn't know a natural boundary if it hit you upside the head.
I've interviewed four people for various PACs running as a D in the 8th, and it's always harder than they think.
Carpetbagger is what Incumbent Protection Society peeps call a smart person that decides to run in a new location, given that they know the redistricting makes such a move mandatory anyway.
All the current maps for the 10 CDs look just as silly as all the other, you wouldn't know a natural boundary if it hit you upside the head.
2
I'll repeat what I said in response to Goldy's article:
1) You can't compare the 8th and the likely new 1st. The 8th had lots of rural, conservative-leaning voters. The 1st will be suburban and left-leaning, with more consistent ties to the tech industry Burner comes from. If she wins the primary, she'll almost certainly win it all.
2) She's not carpetbagging, because she's being redistricted into the 1st without moving. So no opportunism, or certainly no more than anyone else in the district clamoring for what will likely be an easy general election win once the primary is over.
That said, she has no experience winning elections or actually governing. I'll probably vote for Marko Liias, Roger Goodman, or Laura Ruderman in the primary for that reason. But I like Darcy Burner and would gladly campaign for her if she's the nominee.
1) You can't compare the 8th and the likely new 1st. The 8th had lots of rural, conservative-leaning voters. The 1st will be suburban and left-leaning, with more consistent ties to the tech industry Burner comes from. If she wins the primary, she'll almost certainly win it all.
2) She's not carpetbagging, because she's being redistricted into the 1st without moving. So no opportunism, or certainly no more than anyone else in the district clamoring for what will likely be an easy general election win once the primary is over.
That said, she has no experience winning elections or actually governing. I'll probably vote for Marko Liias, Roger Goodman, or Laura Ruderman in the primary for that reason. But I like Darcy Burner and would gladly campaign for her if she's the nominee.
3
Goddamn, reading you after reading Goldy's shit is utterly refreshing.
I wish you wrote all of the Stranger's political pieces. Goddamn, the difference is night and day.
I wish you wrote all of the Stranger's political pieces. Goddamn, the difference is night and day.
5
Excellent regurgitation of Dave Reichert's talking points. Eli's right, politics and all that issue bullshit are just so BO-RING they're not even worth talking about. Much more fun to put on an Expert cone hat and show us rubes how a real political insider rolls. Now why can't a real, experienced dyed-in-the-wool politician like Chris Gregoire run for this seat so Eli doesn't have to sleep through 2012?
6
It is very unfortunate that Burner is going for it again. All it shows is that she cares more about herself than anything else. Having been in D.C. for the last couple years, what the hell makes her think she can represent the interests of the people of Mukilteo, Edmonds, and Lynnwood?
If she really cared about progressive values and ideas, then she would spend her time helping raise money and getting elected candidates in swing districts, not creating yet one more money suck away from good progressives. Especially when good progressives are already in the race.
If she really cared about progressive values and ideas, then she would spend her time helping raise money and getting elected candidates in swing districts, not creating yet one more money suck away from good progressives. Especially when good progressives are already in the race.
8
Exactly...why doesn't she run for a city council or even staff an advisory committee (something I do here in Kent) to show public service.
I just see a cry baby who demands this thing without justification.
9
@6, and north Seattle, Shoreline, (stop me when I get to an east side town that makes her candidacy representative).
This more blue collar, union, trade, and tech (tech degree not MBA degree) heavy population. The wealthier folks that her self service might appeal to might best be described by the Republican precinct in NW Seattle, and those people idiologically will have nothing to do with her.
She will have to buy her way into the top 2, and then buy her way to the finish line.
She could have inserted any political office into that announcement. She speaks to the camera, but not to me.
Her video is missing kind of message to the 1st CD.
This more blue collar, union, trade, and tech (tech degree not MBA degree) heavy population. The wealthier folks that her self service might appeal to might best be described by the Republican precinct in NW Seattle, and those people idiologically will have nothing to do with her.
She will have to buy her way into the top 2, and then buy her way to the finish line.
She could have inserted any political office into that announcement. She speaks to the camera, but not to me.
Her video is missing kind of message to the 1st CD.
12
Hey Eli, I'm not a big fan of Senator Hobbes but he is, in fact, a state senator and not a representative. I've noticed the Slog make this mistake a few times now.
14
"Proving themselves in lower office" is code for learning how to tow the party line, and the WA Dems party line is cowardice.
15
At this point, Burner reminds me a lot of Paul Hackett in Ohio, who felt entitled to the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate because he was an Iraq war vet and who went on The Daily Show to whine that the Democratic establishment only picks "losers".
Meanwhile, the man who was supported by the establishment and got the nomination is an excellent liberal Senator.
Meanwhile, the man who was supported by the establishment and got the nomination is an excellent liberal Senator.
16
I never got the excitement around her. I mean sure she seems smart and she is not without some charisma, but there is nothing all that wowing about her. Your right that her experience is a bit lacking when it comes to elected office and she has not shown great political ability.
I'm not saying I would not vote for her if I lived in the 1st, and I sure as hell would have in the 8th, but I can't say I am all that enthused with her.
I'm not saying I would not vote for her if I lived in the 1st, and I sure as hell would have in the 8th, but I can't say I am all that enthused with her.
19
Thanks, Eli: It's good to get perspective from a reporter who rooted around the Eastside during Darcy's two House races, rather than waiting in Seattle for news leaks from the candidate.
Thanks, Eli: It's good to get perspective from a reporter who rooted around the Eastside during Darcy's two House races, rather than waiting in Seattle for news leaks from the candidate.
20
Thanks, Eli. Your 2008 article was one of the better explanations of Burner's loss. I would add that the "Harvard degree thing" was exacerbated tremendously by Burner herself, when she was given opportunity to clarify what she said but proceeded to stick to her "I have an economics degree" position.
As I said, she's not a great candidate.
As I said, she's not a great candidate.
22
My wife is a life long mainstream Democrat. Her family has been involved in Shoreline politics for over 60 years and are as Democratic as they come. The first thing she said when she heard that Burner was running in our district is she cannot wait to vote against her. I am a Republican in a family full of Democrats and the only person I know of who supports Burner is my Mom who is a hard core progressive who also used to be friends with Burner at Microsoft. I hope that Burner gets the Democratic nomination because I would love to have a Republican represent me in congress.
23
I agree more with Goldy than Eli. Democrats complained when Darcy ran in the past without elected experience, but there were no challengers to her, either. Now their are challengers with elected office experience. Why should anyone be pissed off about Darcy being in the race? They've got experienced candidates to choose from. If Darcy wins the primary, she will have earned it, and proved that she can win. The Democratic candidate that emerges will win the general. Unfortunately, this is going to be about money as much as anything else, which gives the edge to Darcy, Ruderman, and DelBene, if she gets in. I've heard Goodman and Ruderman are doing well on the fundraising front, and that Liias and the others are struggling. Goodman, Liias, and Hobbs are all great candidates, but in the end, I think we'll get one of the Microsoft girls, because of money. And of the three, Darcy is the most solidly progressive.
24
You forgot to mention Rep. Roger Goodman, who has served several terms as a state legislator, was executive director of the Washington State Sentencing Commission, and is an environmental attorney. Experience counts, both in successfully getting elected and building a track record as an elected representative. Congress should not your first job in elected office.
25
Love these responses. I'm sure glad to learn that readers think a candidate's policy positions are irrelevant compared to, say, their diploma from a fancy-pants pointy-headed egghead university that'll certainly cause RESENTMENT among salt-of-the-earth working people or the fact that someone's politically engaged spouse can't stand the candidate. The fact that these are the "issues" that most concern readers explains a lot about the quality of government our state elects for itself in Olympia and DC.
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