Anybody who has followed my coverage of the Seattle mayor’s race may be surprised to learn that I’m voting for Mike McGinn.
I haven’t been particularly kind to McGinn over the past six months or so, and apart from what I admit to be a surprisingly successful grassroots campaign, he hasn’t done much to change my opinion of him as a politician. But then, neither has Joe Mallahan, and given the choice between grassroots and no roots, I’m going with the former.
While it is far from a perfect test, how one runs a political campaign is somewhat of an indicator of how one might run the office being sought. It’s not supposed to be easy, and how one gets through the daily grind of fundraising and organizing and debates and interviews and all that, both says a lot about the candidate, and helps prepare him or her for the daily grind of office.
In that sense, the quarter of a million dollars or so that Mallahan has pumped into his own campaign has proven to be both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because without it, he never would have been taken a seriously as a candidate. A curse, because his lazy reliance on his own money appears to have short-circuited his development as a politician.
There are few politicians who truly enjoy “call time” or relish the thought of knocking on thousands upon thousands of doors, but nearly all will tell you that these activities make you a better candidate, because when you spend hours a day talking to voters and/or (gasp) asking for money, you also spend hours a day listening to voters’ concerns. Read all the position papers you want, hire the best consultants to draft your talking points, but nobody can educate you better about the issues than the voters themselves.
But with his own money to backstop his campaign, Mallahan never had to do the kind of call time typical of a citywide race, and it shows. He didn’t appear well-informed about city issues back when he declared, and he doesn’t appear much better informed now. He simply hasn’t grown as a candidate, and that doesn’t bode well for a novice politician seeking the mayor’s office.
As for McGinn, well, I don’t take back anything I haven’t already taken back about what I’ve previously written, and I still sincerely question his ability to work and play well with others. But as impolitic as he’s sometimes been (I still think his unwavering opposition to the tunnel loses him more votes than it wins him), he’s also proven to be thoughtful and at times even flexible. But mostly, like I said, you’ve just got to give him credit for running such a successful, largely grassroots campaign.
That shows political skill, and an enormous amount of hard work, something Mallahan has failed to demonstrate. And while McGinn remains a risky choice, he shows a much greater degree of political upside. No, he hasn’t come anywhere close to throwing a knockout punch, but if this race were a boxing match, McGinn would clearly be winning on points.
So for what it’s worth I’m voting for Mike McGinn, which considering my level of skepticism entering the race, says as much about his opponent as it does of him.
Actually, it doesn’t surprise me at all that you’re voting for Mike.
Given the state of politics in Seattle for the last decade or so, that McGinn isn’t afraid to piss a few folks off probably isn’t a bad thing.
On a side note. Can I con you into doing a public service and publishing places where people can get free flu shots around the state? Info for Spokane can be found here:
http://www.srhd.org/topics/h1n1vu.asp
I for McGinn…reluctantly because I am for the tunnel.
Carr has to go though.
I’m also for Mike for the many of the same reasons as Goldy. On the local level my key issues come down to transit and land use, Mike is way better on these than Joe. Also Mike bikes!
I like when assholes demand their politicians (and everyone else for that matter) to play nice. If Mike takes the gloves of as mayor, I’ll be even happier I voted for him.
Poignant lame cliche: you can’t make an omelet…
I also am voting for Mike. I like that he is saying he will put a measure on the ballot within two years of taking office that extends light rail into West Seattle and Ballard.
Under current plans, such a vote would happen years down the road, if ever.
Plus I like his ideas on nightlife and about working with the state to allow certain bars to remain open past 2AM
Having volunteered with Mike McGinn on a variety of committees/campaigns for over 10 years I agree wholeheartedly with Goldy that Mike is a thoughtful and flexible leader. I would add too that he is a really great listener and synthesizer of ideas.
The success of McGinn’s grassroots mayoral campaign is a testament to his ability to bring people together, empower and inspire people to work hard for a better future.
[Deleted — see HA Comment Policy]
I plan to vote for Mike McGinn because the big issues facing our city in the next several years will be land use, transportation, environment, and growth management planning. Mr. Mallahan lacks knowledge in all of these areas and is woefully unprepared to deal with them.
Mike McGinn has been focused on these issues for years and is very prepared to move our city forward in a way that prepares us for the challenges of the future.
McGinn is the best candidate because his vision and ideas for achieving a vibrant city that is walkable and bikeable, with clean air and water, fewer cars and more transit, is sustainable over the long-term, and protects the economy and small businesses over the long term. These are the elements of a great city, and McGinn knows what it takes to make it happen.
I am also very impressed by his all volunteer campaign. How many political campaigns can say that they are people driven? Most campaigns struggle for quality volunteers, but not this one.
This is a hard one.
All the objective data points me to Mallahan, BUT I listened to his performance at Seattle University and .. well a politician he ain’t.
McGinn came across as a lot more reasonable than I expected. He does seem to be a Panda Bear on a lot of issues .. lotsa silly promises.
So, I have an idea ….
GM now allows you to buy a car, try it for 60 days and then return it if you don’t like it.
Maybe I will vote for McGinn if he will promise to step down if I do not like how he does the job?
Ok, Goldy, now that we know who you’re going to vote for, why don’t you handicap the race for us?
I say Mallahan wins 55% to 40% with 5% writing in Nickels (those ballots have tears on them).
As he get’s Goldy’s endorsement, he completely CAVES on the tunnel.
of course, Goldy-the-closeted-teabagger must like the Seattle candidate closest to them in tactics and politics.
Lying robocalls just make you like’em all the more.
& the fact he treats anyone who works for him, or with him, or around him, like shit… well, that;s just gravy to you, too, I’m sure
Maybe we need someone “impolitic” and committed to ideas and policies. I like McGinn’s policy ideas, at least. Who knows if they can be implemented? But, heavens, do we really want Susan Hutchison’s policy ideas?
I’m a little less enthusiastic about McGinn since he came out so strongly endorsing Nickels’ gun ban. This will just wind up costing the city a LOT of money if he decides to defend against the lawsuits that are sure to come. (The city stands little chance of actually winning, since the way they wrote the thing it goes against state law by imposing stronger restrictions than the state.)
So, I’ll go ahead and vote McGinn, and hope that he realizes at some point that it is a futile – and expensive – effort to try to fight for what is, on its face, a clearly wrong law.
Mallahan for me. McGinn has been leading people down a path with claims he could stop the tunnel.
Jan Drago has been pretty clear, this was going through before she leaves office.
I think Mallahan correctly assessed the situation, McGinn is unable to do that.
Nickels gun ban in the parks. I thought they were closing the parks? Why have a gun ban for closed parks?
I will not be voting for McGinn. I can’t take the demagogue that has become central to his campaign.
I don’t really dig the choice. But there no way I could put up with Mike aversion to the truth and his ability to freely throw around slime. Plus, most everyone I know that has had to work with him considers him obdurately difficult – he has problems listening and lacks follow-through on promises.
Looks like there’s more proof of some pretty fatal flaws with his enormous belly flop on the tunnel today. After campaigning against what he called the biggest tax increase in the city’s history (his words) now he won’t stand in the way of it. Huh?
Bozo.
this family will not be voting for McGinn
fairly or unfairly he gives us the creeps