Viva La Cola!

Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

x close
The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

PubliCola Comment of the Day Goes To…

News   August 21, 2009 at 5:03 pm Josh Feit

Today’s "Comment of the Day" comes to us from Newsjunky on Erica’s post about Joe Mallahan’s brief press conference.

13. Newsjunky says:

Mallahan cancelled an hour long interview/debate on KUOW with McGinn for this waste of time 9 minute “press conference”? Who is he – Sarah Palin?

08/21/2009 AT 3:07

Joe Mallahan’s spokeswoman Charla Neuman tells me: "We never canceled because we never committed to go on."

She tells us KUOW called late last Friday and again on Tuesday (before the results were in) saying they were trying to schedule the top two candidates to come on the radio later in the week, perhaps Thursday. She reports that she told them, "Hey, are you trying to jinx us [before the results are in]" and didn’t commit to going on.

She says she did not hear back from KUOW until this morning (when they invited Mallahan to come on today) which is when she turned them down because Mallahan was holding his own press conference.

We have a call into KUOW to hear their take on this.

Regarding Mallahan’s increasing reputation for being reluctant to talk to the press, Green populist Mike McGinn (the frontrunner as of a half  hour ago ) told PubliCola: "He says he wants to be different from Nickels, but right now, the way he’s operating, he’s acting just like Nickels."

McGinn, who says his staff told him last night he was scheduled to go on KUOW today for an hour with Mallahan,  ended up going on KUOW this afternoon for 20 minutes.

UPDATE: KUOW producer David Hyde confirms Neuman’s story, although he says he spoke with her for the third time on Thursday late afternoon (not Friday morning), and that’s when Neuman said she couldn’t do Friday because of Mallahan’s press conference. Hyde says Neuman agreed to get Mallahan on KUOW sometime next week.


  • Good Grief

    Funny — last night McGinn was chuckling about Mallahan “going negative”:

    From Publicola last night….
    “And even though he scoffed at Team Mallahan’s spin that he (McGinn) is a one-issue candidate (“That was the first thing out of their mouths? Mallahan is already going negative,” he laughed) he did, in fact end up talking about the tunnel.”

  • Good Grief

    Funny — last night McGinn was chuckling about Mallahan “going negative”:

    From Publicola last night….
    “And even though he scoffed at Team Mallahan’s spin that he (McGinn) is a one-issue candidate (“That was the first thing out of their mouths? Mallahan is already going negative,” he laughed) he did, in fact end up talking about the tunnel.”

  • joanna

    Are we ever going to hear from Mallahan and not a spokesperson or a consultant?

  • joanna

    Are we ever going to hear from Mallahan and not a spokesperson or a consultant?

  • McGinn non supporter

    Does McGinn represnt anything besides anti-tunnel? Specific policy positions please, no flim flam or rhetorical BS.

  • Christopher Stefan

    The fact that I had an opportunity to sit down and have a rather extensive conversation with Mike one-on-one earlier this month has much to do with why I’m comfortable voting for him.

    It isn’t something I’ve had a chance to do with either Nickels or Mallahan.

  • McGinn non supporter

    Does McGinn represnt anything besides anti-tunnel? Specific policy positions please, no flim flam or rhetorical BS.

  • Zelbinian

    @4

    He certainly does. The issues page doesn’t cover it all (yet!), but it’s a good place to start.

    Also, keep your eye on the We Like Mike events page. Prior to Primary Day, this was filled with events, including lots of opportunities to meet Mike in person. Now that it’s official that McGinn’s moving on to the general, I’m sure it’ll start filling up again soon. If you attend a couple of those events, chances are good that you’ll be able to have an in-person conversation with him.

  • Zelbinian

    @4

    He certainly does. The issues page doesn’t cover it all (yet!), but it’s a good place to start.

    Also, keep your eye on the We Like Mike events page. Prior to Primary Day, this was filled with events, including lots of opportunities to meet Mike in person. Now that it’s official that McGinn’s moving on to the general, I’m sure it’ll start filling up again soon. If you attend a couple of those events, chances are good that you’ll be able to have an in-person conversation with him.

  • Corrective Action

    The election is Nov 3. We will hear from both Mallahan & McGinn many times before then. Go outside, play a little before summer ends and the real contest begins.

    BTW. Classy ending act, Greg.

  • Corrective Action

    The election is Nov 3. We will hear from both Mallahan & McGinn many times before then. Go outside, play a little before summer ends and the real contest begins.

    BTW. Classy ending act, Greg.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    @5, people will ask because that is the box of his own making. It will take time and money to message your way out of that box.

    He has time, let’s see if money shows up.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    @5, people will ask because that is the box of his own making. It will take time and money to message your way out of that box.

    He has time, let’s see if money shows up.

  • watcher

    is Mallahan going to put in another $200K out of his own funds?

    How do we know he’ll have any money at all?

  • watcher

    is Mallahan going to put in another $200K out of his own funds?

    How do we know he’ll have any money at all?

  • Zander

    I am already tired of Mallhan’s “Family” excuse. If he is running he needs to run and face the media, his opponent and the public.
    Becoming Mayor no doubt stresses any family. This is something he should have considered before throwing his hat in the ring.

  • Zander

    I am already tired of Mallhan’s “Family” excuse. If he is running he needs to run and face the media, his opponent and the public.
    Becoming Mayor no doubt stresses any family. This is something he should have considered before throwing his hat in the ring.

  • Help

    @9 probably right, but you’re definitely an ass. Politicians that prioritize quality time with family usually end up to be good ones. If a pol is to err, they should lean towards family.

    And was Greg on kuow today? We have 8 weeks of general left…

  • Help

    @9 probably right, but you’re definitely an ass. Politicians that prioritize quality time with family usually end up to be good ones. If a pol is to err, they should lean towards family.

    And was Greg on kuow today? We have 8 weeks of general left…

  • jeralyn

    Do keep us updated as to the response from KUOW, ya hear?

  • jeralyn

    Do keep us updated as to the response from KUOW, ya hear?

  • Ian

    Josh, what are you talking about? Please define the word “cancelled” for me. Doesn’t it require something to be scheduled first? I hope you’ll make crap up about McGinn too–keep it fair and balanced.

    Is Mike McGinn seriously trying to position Joe Mallahan as a Nickels clone? I’m sorry, that dog just won’t hunt. And it’s a slippery slope. Nickels and McGinn are both broad-shouldered, round-faced, big guys; outwardly passive/calm but with a reputation for being a hothead; and they put the environment at the forefront of their platforms. Joe Mallahan definitely stands out from that pack as a fresh face.

  • Ian

    Josh, what are you talking about? Please define the word “cancelled” for me. Doesn’t it require something to be scheduled first? I hope you’ll make crap up about McGinn too–keep it fair and balanced.

    Is Mike McGinn seriously trying to position Joe Mallahan as a Nickels clone? I’m sorry, that dog just won’t hunt. And it’s a slippery slope. Nickels and McGinn are both broad-shouldered, round-faced, big guys; outwardly passive/calm but with a reputation for being a hothead; and they put the environment at the forefront of their platforms. Joe Mallahan definitely stands out from that pack as a fresh face.

  • Zelbinian

    @12

    Cancelled was KUOW’s word. I heard them say it.

    . . . wait, Mallahan puts the environment at the *back* of his platform? Say no more.

  • Zelbinian

    @12

    Cancelled was KUOW’s word. I heard them say it.

    . . . wait, Mallahan puts the environment at the *back* of his platform? Say no more.

  • OhMai

    lol @3. Do you think that every candidate owes you a one-on-one conversation? Give me a break.

  • OhMai

    lol @3. Do you think that every candidate owes you a one-on-one conversation? Give me a break.

  • Ian

    @13 Nice try at the gotcha game. Mallahan has a broader platform than only environmental issues. This of it as an actual platform instead of a single-issue spear.

  • Ian

    @13 Nice try at the gotcha game. Mallahan has a broader platform than only environmental issues. This of it as an actual platform instead of a single-issue spear.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Ian @ 12,

    I did not report that Mallahan “canceled.”

    Newsjunky asks if Mallahan canceled, and I checked it out. And as Mallahan’s spokeswoman Charla Neuman explains it in my report: “We never canceled because we never committed to go on.”

    So, there you have it.

    She then gives Mallahan’s entire side of the story.

    I don’t see how this post isn’t “fair and balanced.”

    (It’s a bit ironic that you’re rushing to Mallahan’s defense on this accessibility issue, though. You’ll notice that McGinn gets on the phone with me while Mallahan’s spokeswoman does the job for Joe’s campaign.)

    And I’ll be honest with you: When I interviewed Neuman, she had a hard time explaining the situation, and she had to go back and correct herself a bunch of times. At first, she told me KUOW never gave her a specific invite. If anything, I was helpful to her here in this report.

    I hope KUOW does call back to give their version of the story.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Ian @ 12,

    I did not report that Mallahan “canceled.”

    Newsjunky asks if Mallahan canceled, and I checked it out. And as Mallahan’s spokeswoman Charla Neuman explains it in my report: “We never canceled because we never committed to go on.”

    So, there you have it.

    She then gives Mallahan’s entire side of the story.

    I don’t see how this post isn’t “fair and balanced.”

    (It’s a bit ironic that you’re rushing to Mallahan’s defense on this accessibility issue, though. You’ll notice that McGinn gets on the phone with me while Mallahan’s spokeswoman does the job for Joe’s campaign.)

    And I’ll be honest with you: When I interviewed Neuman, she had a hard time explaining the situation, and she had to go back and correct herself a bunch of times. At first, she told me KUOW never gave her a specific invite. If anything, I was helpful to her here in this report.

    I hope KUOW does call back to give their version of the story.

  • Mikos

    Although Mallahan has a tremendous financial advantage, he is not nearly as charming or verbal as McGinn. I think Mallahan’s campaign lacks confidence in the candidate. Remember, Neuman worked for Cantwell, and Cantwell used paid media not free media to control campaigns and her image. I suspect free-for-all, candidate-on-candidate debates will be kept to a minimum. Those are places McGinn will shine — not Mallahan.

  • Mikos

    Although Mallahan has a tremendous financial advantage, he is not nearly as charming or verbal as McGinn. I think Mallahan’s campaign lacks confidence in the candidate. Remember, Neuman worked for Cantwell, and Cantwell used paid media not free media to control campaigns and her image. I suspect free-for-all, candidate-on-candidate debates will be kept to a minimum. Those are places McGinn will shine — not Mallahan.

  • chicagoexpat

    i expect to hear the latest McGinn robo-call, “Don’t fuck this up, I’m the only anti-anti left in the race!”

    that’ll work

  • chicagoexpat

    i expect to hear the latest McGinn robo-call, “Don’t fuck this up, I’m the only anti-anti left in the race!”

    that’ll work

  • Sarah

    I’ve been reading all this crap for months and I still don’t understand what Mallahan’s running on. If it’s his business experience, he’s got to stop claiming (or his flack has got to stop claiming) that he “didn’t work on that project” at T-Mobile. What did/does he do there? Why’s he running? Who is he, besides someone who has $200K to throw into a hat? There may be good answers to those questions but I as a somewhat alert member of the public haven’t heard them yet. McGinn, on the other hand, has done verifiable stuff in the community and has somewhat of a record. Whether you like it or not, that’s at least a start.

    It’s a little disconcerting that it’s almost impossible to be angry with Nickels anymore. Two days ago I was for the whole city of Seattle storming his office. Now I admire him for his courtesy in not stonewalling and demanding a recount.

  • Sarah

    I’ve been reading all this crap for months and I still don’t understand what Mallahan’s running on. If it’s his business experience, he’s got to stop claiming (or his flack has got to stop claiming) that he “didn’t work on that project” at T-Mobile. What did/does he do there? Why’s he running? Who is he, besides someone who has $200K to throw into a hat? There may be good answers to those questions but I as a somewhat alert member of the public haven’t heard them yet. McGinn, on the other hand, has done verifiable stuff in the community and has somewhat of a record. Whether you like it or not, that’s at least a start.

    It’s a little disconcerting that it’s almost impossible to be angry with Nickels anymore. Two days ago I was for the whole city of Seattle storming his office. Now I admire him for his courtesy in not stonewalling and demanding a recount.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    @19,

    Nickels was, in fact, the opposite of “stonewalling and demanding a recount.”

    He was a class act at yesterday’s press conference.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    @19,

    Nickels was, in fact, the opposite of “stonewalling and demanding a recount.”

    He was a class act at yesterday’s press conference.

  • Chris Stefan

    @14
    No, but I do appreciate the time of the candidates who have been willing to talk to me one-on-one. I understand it isn’t possible to give personal time to every voter, but I do expect candidates in a local election to spend at least some time out meeting the public and maybe getting a question without a flack to answer for them.

    Mallahan has been all but invisible except for some big-name candidate forums and places where there were TV cameras present.

  • Chris Stefan

    @14
    No, but I do appreciate the time of the candidates who have been willing to talk to me one-on-one. I understand it isn’t possible to give personal time to every voter, but I do expect candidates in a local election to spend at least some time out meeting the public and maybe getting a question without a flack to answer for them.

    Mallahan has been all but invisible except for some big-name candidate forums and places where there were TV cameras present.

  • Christopher Stefan

    The fact that I had an opportunity to sit down and have a rather extensive conversation with Mike one-on-one earlier this month has much to do with why I'm comfortable voting for him.

    It isn't something I've had a chance to do with either Nickels or Mallahan.