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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.

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's Comment of the Day Goes To…

We’re hearing a lot of mumbling from folks today that this morning’s mayoral debate (the first one) was a jarring wake up call. Apparently, after angrily bouncing incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels in the primary three weeks ago,  a little buyers’ remorse set in today watching the arrivistes (the uninformed Joe Mallahan and the unkempt Mike McGinn) spar  at the Seattle chamber of commerce debate at the Cinerama in downtown Seattle.

To wit: Today’s “Comment of the Day” goes to pl

5. pl says:

I’ve never said this before, but I may not vote in this particular race. I was hoping the debate would change my mind. McGinn is well-informed, thoughtful, and well-spoken. I would vote for him if not for his stance on the tunnel, which isn’t acceptable to me. Mallahan is simply a dope. A terrible quandry. We need a candidate who is pro-tunnel and well-informed on the issues…oh wait…

09/10/2009 AT 3:40 PM

Reader Joh Alwood gets an honorable mention for this elaborate analysis. Alwood wrote:

Whenever I see Joe Mallahan speak, it reminds me of a young John McCain trapped in the music video for Bjork’s ‘It’s oh so quiet’

Search me, Dad. But “A” for effort.


  • Seamus O

    Is it too late to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Seattle residents against Peter Steinbrueck for not running?

  • Seamus O

    Is it too late to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Seattle residents against Peter Steinbrueck for not running?

  • Seamus O

    Is it too late to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Seattle residents against Peter Steinbrueck for not running?

  • Seamus O

    Is it too late to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Seattle residents against Peter Steinbrueck for not running?

  • Seamus O

    Is it too late to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Seattle residents against Peter Steinbrueck for not running?

  • Luigi Giovanni

    To wit? Where did you find that expression?

  • Luigi Giovanni

    To wit? Where did you find that expression?

  • Luigi Giovanni

    To wit? Where did you find that expression?

  • Luigi Giovanni

    To wit? Where did you find that expression?

  • better-future-now

    pl is right: “McGinn is well-informed, thoughtful, and well-spoken.”
    No buyer’s remorse here, since I’ve known that all along (and believe in a fiscally and environmentally sound approach to our waterfront).

  • better-future-now

    pl is right: “McGinn is well-informed, thoughtful, and well-spoken.”
    No buyer’s remorse here, since I’ve known that all along (and believe in a fiscally and environmentally sound approach to our waterfront).

  • better-future-now

    pl is right: “McGinn is well-informed, thoughtful, and well-spoken.”
    No buyer’s remorse here, since I’ve known that all along (and believe in a fiscally and environmentally sound approach to our waterfront).

  • better-future-now

    pl is right: “McGinn is well-informed, thoughtful, and well-spoken.”
    No buyer’s remorse here, since I’ve known that all along (and believe in a fiscally and environmentally sound approach to our waterfront).

  • better-future-now

    pl is right: “McGinn is well-informed, thoughtful, and well-spoken.”
    No buyer’s remorse here, since I’ve known that all along (and believe in a fiscally and environmentally sound approach to our waterfront).

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

    Peter Steinbrueck?

    It’s not you, it’s him. It’s tough, but you have to move on, he did, far away.

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

    Peter Steinbrueck?

    It’s not you, it’s him. It’s tough, but you have to move on, he did, far away.

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

    Peter Steinbrueck?

    It’s not you, it’s him. It’s tough, but you have to move on, he did, far away.

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

    Peter Steinbrueck?

    It’s not you, it’s him. It’s tough, but you have to move on, he did, far away.

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

    Peter Steinbrueck?

    It’s not you, it’s him. It’s tough, but you have to move on, he did, far away.

  • Yeah sure, Yeah betcha

    @1

    Peter is a petulant pecksniff, a sanctimonious hypocrite. “True environmentalist,” my ass. Peter lives in single-family home in the north end, just like a suburbanite. As a councilmember, he drove more miles than any other.

    Peter is not executive material. He loves Seattle process. He much prefers to dither and vacillate. In other words, nothing will get done. Imagine Peter attempting to manage the snowstorms, which were a challenge for Nickels.

  • Yeah sure, Yeah betcha

    @1

    Peter is a petulant pecksniff, a sanctimonious hypocrite. “True environmentalist,” my ass. Peter lives in single-family home in the north end, just like a suburbanite. As a councilmember, he drove more miles than any other.

    Peter is not executive material. He loves Seattle process. He much prefers to dither and vacillate. In other words, nothing will get done. Imagine Peter attempting to manage the snowstorms, which were a challenge for Nickels.

  • Jen

    I am having total buyer’s remorse after I saw Nickels on a repeat of Ask the Mayor on the Seattle Channel, and compared it to McGinn & Mallahan during this debate.

    Mallahan is clearly uninformed, and McGinn seems to be a one-issue pony. Maybe Nickels, not Ed Murray, should think about a write-in campaign. There must be other people like me thinking twice about their primary vote …

  • Jen

    I am having total buyer’s remorse after I saw Nickels on a repeat of Ask the Mayor on the Seattle Channel, and compared it to McGinn & Mallahan during this debate.

    Mallahan is clearly uninformed, and McGinn seems to be a one-issue pony. Maybe Nickels, not Ed Murray, should think about a write-in campaign. There must be other people like me thinking twice about their primary vote …

  • Jen

    I am having total buyer’s remorse after I saw Nickels on a repeat of Ask the Mayor on the Seattle Channel, and compared it to McGinn & Mallahan during this debate.

    Mallahan is clearly uninformed, and McGinn seems to be a one-issue pony. Maybe Nickels, not Ed Murray, should think about a write-in campaign. There must be other people like me thinking twice about their primary vote …

  • Jen

    I am having total buyer’s remorse after I saw Nickels on a repeat of Ask the Mayor on the Seattle Channel, and compared it to McGinn & Mallahan during this debate.

    Mallahan is clearly uninformed, and McGinn seems to be a one-issue pony. Maybe Nickels, not Ed Murray, should think about a write-in campaign. There must be other people like me thinking twice about their primary vote …

  • Jen

    I am having total buyer’s remorse after I saw Nickels on a repeat of Ask the Mayor on the Seattle Channel, and compared it to McGinn & Mallahan during this debate.

    Mallahan is clearly uninformed, and McGinn seems to be a one-issue pony. Maybe Nickels, not Ed Murray, should think about a write-in campaign. There must be other people like me thinking twice about their primary vote …

  • Mickymse

    Why is that a “Comment of the Day”?

    So, pl likes McGinn, except for his stance on the tunnel, and thinks Mallahan would be terrible… so he’s going to risk Mallahan being elected Mayor by not voting?

    I’m not suggesting the tunnel is a minor issue, but how often are we lucky enough to agree 100% with the candidates we support?

    This is about as stupid as not voting in last year’s Presidential race because Obama wasn’t pro-marriage equality.

  • Mickymse

    Why is that a “Comment of the Day”?

    So, pl likes McGinn, except for his stance on the tunnel, and thinks Mallahan would be terrible… so he’s going to risk Mallahan being elected Mayor by not voting?

    I’m not suggesting the tunnel is a minor issue, but how often are we lucky enough to agree 100% with the candidates we support?

    This is about as stupid as not voting in last year’s Presidential race because Obama wasn’t pro-marriage equality.

  • Mickymse

    Why is that a “Comment of the Day”?

    So, pl likes McGinn, except for his stance on the tunnel, and thinks Mallahan would be terrible… so he’s going to risk Mallahan being elected Mayor by not voting?

    I’m not suggesting the tunnel is a minor issue, but how often are we lucky enough to agree 100% with the candidates we support?

    This is about as stupid as not voting in last year’s Presidential race because Obama wasn’t pro-marriage equality.

  • Clyde

    Neither candidate meets minimum quals by a long shot.

    The next four years will be a low point for Seattle’s governance – governing by a committee of 10.

    If either candidate had more than ego and hubris going for him, he’d be smart and be talking up who he plans on hiring as COO – (i.e., someone who knows what they hell they are doing.) A competent Deputy is about the only thing that might inspire some confidence.

  • Clyde

    Neither candidate meets minimum quals by a long shot.

    The next four years will be a low point for Seattle’s governance – governing by a committee of 10.

    If either candidate had more than ego and hubris going for him, he’d be smart and be talking up who he plans on hiring as COO – (i.e., someone who knows what they hell they are doing.) A competent Deputy is about the only thing that might inspire some confidence.

  • Clyde

    Neither candidate meets minimum quals by a long shot.

    The next four years will be a low point for Seattle’s governance – governing by a committee of 10.

    If either candidate had more than ego and hubris going for him, he’d be smart and be talking up who he plans on hiring as COO – (i.e., someone who knows what they hell they are doing.) A competent Deputy is about the only thing that might inspire some confidence.

  • Clyde

    Neither candidate meets minimum quals by a long shot.

    The next four years will be a low point for Seattle’s governance – governing by a committee of 10.

    If either candidate had more than ego and hubris going for him, he’d be smart and be talking up who he plans on hiring as COO – (i.e., someone who knows what they hell they are doing.) A competent Deputy is about the only thing that might inspire some confidence.

  • Clyde

    Neither candidate meets minimum quals by a long shot.

    The next four years will be a low point for Seattle’s governance – governing by a committee of 10.

    If either candidate had more than ego and hubris going for him, he’d be smart and be talking up who he plans on hiring as COO – (i.e., someone who knows what they hell they are doing.) A competent Deputy is about the only thing that might inspire some confidence.

  • ivan

    If people were down on Nickels because of his bad relationships with the Governor and the Legislature, just what the hell do they think they’ll get with McGinn?

    I’ll tell you what they’ll get. They’ll get a retrofitted viaduct.

    The Legislature will not permit this state highway to become Cary Moon’s wet dream, and McGinn and the zealots who back him are just plain batshit insane if they think they’re going to get it. Tunnel or retrofit, the traffic through Seattle is going to roll. This is a war they can’t win, but they’re too full of themselves to see it for now.

    This is not an argument for electing Mallahan, who is no more qualified to be Mayor of Seattle than Susan Hutchison is to be King County Executive.

    I am thankful that I live out in the country. The next four years should give me a strong incentive to stay there more and more. If this is your “new urbanism,” I piss on it.

  • ivan

    If people were down on Nickels because of his bad relationships with the Governor and the Legislature, just what the hell do they think they’ll get with McGinn?

    I’ll tell you what they’ll get. They’ll get a retrofitted viaduct.

    The Legislature will not permit this state highway to become Cary Moon’s wet dream, and McGinn and the zealots who back him are just plain batshit insane if they think they’re going to get it. Tunnel or retrofit, the traffic through Seattle is going to roll. This is a war they can’t win, but they’re too full of themselves to see it for now.

    This is not an argument for electing Mallahan, who is no more qualified to be Mayor of Seattle than Susan Hutchison is to be King County Executive.

    I am thankful that I live out in the country. The next four years should give me a strong incentive to stay there more and more. If this is your “new urbanism,” I piss on it.

  • ivan

    If people were down on Nickels because of his bad relationships with the Governor and the Legislature, just what the hell do they think they’ll get with McGinn?

    I’ll tell you what they’ll get. They’ll get a retrofitted viaduct.

    The Legislature will not permit this state highway to become Cary Moon’s wet dream, and McGinn and the zealots who back him are just plain batshit insane if they think they’re going to get it. Tunnel or retrofit, the traffic through Seattle is going to roll. This is a war they can’t win, but they’re too full of themselves to see it for now.

    This is not an argument for electing Mallahan, who is no more qualified to be Mayor of Seattle than Susan Hutchison is to be King County Executive.

    I am thankful that I live out in the country. The next four years should give me a strong incentive to stay there more and more. If this is your “new urbanism,” I piss on it.

  • ivan

    If people were down on Nickels because of his bad relationships with the Governor and the Legislature, just what the hell do they think they’ll get with McGinn?

    I’ll tell you what they’ll get. They’ll get a retrofitted viaduct.

    The Legislature will not permit this state highway to become Cary Moon’s wet dream, and McGinn and the zealots who back him are just plain batshit insane if they think they’re going to get it. Tunnel or retrofit, the traffic through Seattle is going to roll. This is a war they can’t win, but they’re too full of themselves to see it for now.

    This is not an argument for electing Mallahan, who is no more qualified to be Mayor of Seattle than Susan Hutchison is to be King County Executive.

    I am thankful that I live out in the country. The next four years should give me a strong incentive to stay there more and more. If this is your “new urbanism,” I piss on it.