In an interview recorded shortly after he lost reelection, Mike McGinn says the city's politicians are too focused on the illusion of agreement.
  • Kelly O
  • In an interview recorded shortly after he lost reelection, Mike McGinn says the city's politicians are too focused on the "illusion of agreement."

In a video interview featuring Mike McGinn and former Stranger news editor Dominic Holden, recorded shortly after McGinn lost to Ed Murray but just published today, the former Seattle mayor discusses what's wrong with the city's political culture.

"We have a political system, even in very liberal Seattle, in which the illusion of agreement on these important issues becomes more important than the progress on those important issues," he says. "I think that's what we see. People just have to be a little more willing to take a hard look at what is holding us back and deal with it."

His sentiments—especially those regarding politicians' fear of disagreement—are particularly timely in light of Mayor Murray's statement that he should "use fewer words" when answering questions about Bertha. We can only guess McGinn is staring into the Bertha rescue pit thinking, "I told you so."

Check it out:

An Interview with Mike McGinn from David Albright on Vimeo.