Mike McGinn and the E Word

Josh…and all other Press…when Mallahan (or the Gov for that matter) say things like this:

Team Mallahan argues will devastate freight capacity at the port and snarl downtown in traffic.

…and there is evidence to destroy that assertion, how come NOBODY calls them on it?

WSDOT did a study that SHOWS THAT THIS ASSERTION IS FALSE. In fact, the much discussed Stakeholders group recommended the I5/Surface/Transit option.

Also, I’m noticing a trend lately. Tunnel supporters are beginning to call their plan the Tunnel + Transit option. WHERE’S THE TRANSIT?

Josh…and all other Press…when Mallahan (or the Gov for that matter) say things like this:

Team Mallahan argues will devastate freight capacity at the port and snarl downtown in traffic.

…and there is evidence to destroy that assertion, how come NOBODY calls them on it?

WSDOT did a study that SHOWS THAT THIS ASSERTION IS FALSE. In fact, the much discussed Stakeholders group recommended the I5/Surface/Transit option.

Also, I’m noticing a trend lately. Tunnel supporters are beginning to call their plan the Tunnel + Transit option. WHERE’S THE TRANSIT?

What is all this freight that is going to be no longer mobile. Is there a high tech microchip industry in Magnolia that can’t get it’s product to the port?

Are there apples that find their way to China via I-90, then to the viaduct and then to Magnolia?

Perhaps there are some secret wheat and hops farms in West Seattle that would be put out of business if they couldn’t get their product to market, via the viaduct.

What on earth are you freight people talking about?

And hundreds of jobs. How many? 500? That is about 10 million dollars per job. We can just pay those people their current wages now and save a bunch of money.

People of Seattle, c’mon. Seriously, $5 billion for hundreds of jobs.

What is all this freight that is going to be no longer mobile. Is there a high tech microchip industry in Magnolia that can’t get it’s product to the port?

Are there apples that find their way to China via I-90, then to the viaduct and then to Magnolia?

Perhaps there are some secret wheat and hops farms in West Seattle that would be put out of business if they couldn’t get their product to market, via the viaduct.

What on earth are you freight people talking about?

And hundreds of jobs. How many? 500? That is about 10 million dollars per job. We can just pay those people their current wages now and save a bunch of money.

People of Seattle, c’mon. Seriously, $5 billion for hundreds of jobs.

I am voting for McGinn for that quote alone.

(And, I bet he thought it up himself and did not have to ask someone like Charla.)

I am voting for McGinn for that quote alone.

(And, I bet he thought it up himself and did not have to ask someone like Charla.)

@1,

This post is not (as the PI’s post is) about the micro issues in the viaduct debate.

It is about Mallahan’s larger accusation of elitism.

@1,

This post is not (as the PI’s post is) about the micro issues in the viaduct debate.

It is about Mallahan’s larger accusation of elitism.

It’s arug-U-la. Sweet Baby Wild-Sourced Vegan Electric-Assist Foraging Jesus, have you never been to Lark, sir!

It’s arug-U-la. Sweet Baby Wild-Sourced Vegan Electric-Assist Foraging Jesus, have you never been to Lark, sir!

@4, Got it Josh. Just giving you a bookmark for future reference.

@4, Got it Josh. Just giving you a bookmark for future reference.

With a page out of Sarah Palin’s playbook

Hyperbole of the week.

With a page out of Sarah Palin’s playbook

Hyperbole of the week.

@ 7 -

Understatement of the week.

@ 7 -

Understatement of the week.

Ever noticed how convenient the north portal of the tunnel would be for the Gates Foundation? It’s almost like it’s designed to whisk dignitaries from the airport to visit the world’s richest man (depending on stock prices).

Ever noticed how convenient the north portal of the tunnel would be for the Gates Foundation? It’s almost like it’s designed to whisk dignitaries from the airport to visit the world’s richest man (depending on stock prices).

To be fair to McGinn, he’s got a point in that tolls probably would not generate a ton of revenue. Outside estimates indicate Seattle could only expect about $50 million from tolls at best, a drop in the bucket compared to the price tag for the project and accumulated interest from bonds.

To be fair to McGinn, he’s got a point in that tolls probably would not generate a ton of revenue. Outside estimates indicate Seattle could only expect about $50 million from tolls at best, a drop in the bucket compared to the price tag for the project and accumulated interest from bonds.

And to be fair to Mallaspam, the DNA quote Josh cited is a dead on the money message that his campaign can run with until November. Your mileage amy vary as to whether or not you agree with it, but now he’s got a central message to hammer home with voters, which he had lacked up to this point… even if it’s focused on attacking his opponent instead of on what he brings to the table.

@4 Fair enough, but nowhere in the press has this assertion been scrutinized by anyone other than McGinn himself. When it becomes the basis for the “DNA” of Mallahan’s strategy, it is no longer a “micro issue”.

And to be fair to Mallaspam, the DNA quote Josh cited is a dead on the money message that his campaign can run with until November. Your mileage amy vary as to whether or not you agree with it, but now he’s got a central message to hammer home with voters, which he had lacked up to this point… even if it’s focused on attacking his opponent instead of on what he brings to the table.

@4 Fair enough, but nowhere in the press has this assertion been scrutinized by anyone other than McGinn himself. When it becomes the basis for the “DNA” of Mallahan’s strategy, it is no longer a “micro issue”.

It just seems to me McGinn is name calling and he’s elitist – he’s been a lawyer for big biz and won’t own the fact that no one is buying what he is selling.

It just seems to me McGinn is name calling and he’s elitist – he’s been a lawyer for big biz and won’t own the fact that no one is buying what he is selling.

@10 Not only will that toll not make up the massive gap in the state portion of tunnel funding, it will discourage trips on the tunnel, which, unlike other tolled roads, is very short, completely surrounded by alternate routes, and provides no access to the origin and destination of the majority of viaduct traffic.

Moreover, those routes are just as likely to be inundated with gridlock–please excuse my Mallahan-style prevarication there–as the larger boulevard in the I5/Surface/Tranist option. But it lacks the improvements to transit or the region’s larger North-South freight corridor, neither of which are “elitist” concerns.

@10 Not only will that toll not make up the massive gap in the state portion of tunnel funding, it will discourage trips on the tunnel, which, unlike other tolled roads, is very short, completely surrounded by alternate routes, and provides no access to the origin and destination of the majority of viaduct traffic.

Moreover, those routes are just as likely to be inundated with gridlock–please excuse my Mallahan-style prevarication there–as the larger boulevard in the I5/Surface/Tranist option. But it lacks the improvements to transit or the region’s larger North-South freight corridor, neither of which are “elitist” concerns.

and lets remember the *other* larger issue

Mallahan spent his primary going negative on Nickels. Now he’s going negative on McGinn. All the while, he’s been saying McGinn is confrontational.

Mike never went negative on Nickels – he just explained where he disagreed with him on the single largest tax increase in Seattle history.

When McGinn wins, he won’t owe the power structure anything. They are terrified.

and lets remember the *other* larger issue

Mallahan spent his primary going negative on Nickels. Now he’s going negative on McGinn. All the while, he’s been saying McGinn is confrontational.

Mike never went negative on Nickels – he just explained where he disagreed with him on the single largest tax increase in Seattle history.

When McGinn wins, he won’t owe the power structure anything. They are terrified.

So Mike’s bike is more “elitist” than Joe’s Prius?

So Mike’s bike is more “elitist” than Joe’s Prius?

Josh is right. So the tv spots begin. And he will lose because he overestimates the power of his own elite. Buh-bye Joe.

Josh is right. So the tv spots begin. And he will lose because he overestimates the power of his own elite. Buh-bye Joe.

Let Mallahan try to run with this line. It will get him nowhere. As McGinn’s response shows, it’s very easy to deflate that idea.

Let Mallahan try to run with this line. It will get him nowhere. As McGinn’s response shows, it’s very easy to deflate that idea.

Looks like to me that McGinn is already trying to move away from his “news conference” this morning by attacking Mallahan.

Mallahan calls it as he sees it. Joe comes from a working class, blue collar background and recognizes that those jobs are central to our economy; McGinn just doesn’t get it.

He doesn’t get we can’t all ride our bikes around town.
He doesn’t get that time equals dollars (which is odd since he was a billable hour attorney).
And he just doesn’t get that Seattle is ready for a Mayor who has realistic priorities for working class voters first.

Looks like to me that McGinn is already trying to move away from his “news conference” this morning by attacking Mallahan.

Mallahan calls it as he sees it. Joe comes from a working class, blue collar background and recognizes that those jobs are central to our economy; McGinn just doesn’t get it.

He doesn’t get we can’t all ride our bikes around town.
He doesn’t get that time equals dollars (which is odd since he was a billable hour attorney).
And he just doesn’t get that Seattle is ready for a Mayor who has realistic priorities for working class voters first.

@15 Brings up an important point in light of Mallahan’s recent message honing, particularly the salvo regarding McGinn’s predilection to oppose things.

Mallahan has spent his entire political career running negative campaigns against his opponents, and has steered clear of reasoned discussion of issues. His politics is name-calling. Hence this “elitist” business.

Any news today relevant to this charge of elitism? Maybe a major union endorsement?

@19. Nice post Charla

@15 Brings up an important point in light of Mallahan’s recent message honing, particularly the salvo regarding McGinn’s predilection to oppose things.

Mallahan has spent his entire political career running negative campaigns against his opponents, and has steered clear of reasoned discussion of issues. His politics is name-calling. Hence this “elitist” business.

Any news today relevant to this charge of elitism? Maybe a major union endorsement?

@19. Nice post Charla

@20 Should read “ALLEGED predilection to oppose things”.

@20 Should read “ALLEGED predilection to oppose things”.

How mavericky! He’s really pulling for those Joe Sixpacks. Next he’ll ask for McGinn’s birth certificate.

I think we should just call him Mallaverick.

How mavericky! He’s really pulling for those Joe Sixpacks. Next he’ll ask for McGinn’s birth certificate.

I think we should just call him Mallaverick.

@21
I promise. I am not Charla, just a real voter.

@21
I promise. I am not Charla, just a real voter.

I think the E word is a little weird coming from the man who says that the most important tourists are the ones from Issaquah, Bellevue and Redmond.

I think the E word is a little weird coming from the man who says that the most important tourists are the ones from Issaquah, Bellevue and Redmond.

@24 I’m pretty sure regular people don’t toss around stuff like “realistic priorities for working class voters.”

@24 I’m pretty sure regular people don’t toss around stuff like “realistic priorities for working class voters.”

Gidge, you may have hit on something. Mallahan may be trying to appeal to Seattle voters who’ve never thought to turn up their noses at suburbanites. He may also have concluded that the votes of those who do are ungettable at this point, so why not quit dicking around.

Gidge, you may have hit on something. Mallahan may be trying to appeal to Seattle voters who’ve never thought to turn up their noses at suburbanites. He may also have concluded that the votes of those who do are ungettable at this point, so why not quit dicking around.

@ 19 Charla or whichever Mallahan flack you are

Mallahan calls it as he sees it. Joe comes from a working class, blue collar background and recognizes that those jobs are central to our economy

Joe contributed $230,000 to his own campaign. His daughters went to private school before he started the campaign for mayor. Joe went to elite private college and university (University of Chicago – come on). Joe is an executive.

Funny how he changes who he is based on the audience and desired voter demographic.

@ 19 Charla or whichever Mallahan flack you are

Mallahan calls it as he sees it. Joe comes from a working class, blue collar background and recognizes that those jobs are central to our economy

Joe contributed $230,000 to his own campaign. His daughters went to private school before he started the campaign for mayor. Joe went to elite private college and university (University of Chicago – come on). Joe is an executive.

Funny how he changes who he is based on the audience and desired voter demographic.

@5:

Nominated for comment of the year. Hilarious.

@5:

Nominated for comment of the year. Hilarious.

This has been coming for a week, you McGinn supporters get ready completely freek out.
It is effective messeging, and McGinn does not have effective responses.

Mallahan points to McGinn’s own statements when calling him an obstructionist. McGinn almost always agrees in some foot shuffling way. Delays cost money, Mallahan says, so he makes McGinn’s surface “option” exposed as being delayed for a few years while McGinn fights everybody.
It is a loser topic to rip on the tunnel, stupid messinging, he needs to promote not a surface “option” (option does not have a timeline), he needs to promote a plan. A plan is not a plan without a schedule. Having a news conference to rip the tunnel re-enforces negatives.

Mallahan points to people wanting to get products to market via the port as McGinn killing the economy. McGinn says he want fewer vehicles but is unable to split the hair between SOV shifting to mass transit and trucks delivering products to market.
He has to show how product gets to market after lanes are reduced, and his opposition to the underpass. Problem here is that he really can’t without telling people that were unable to find useful mass transit solution when gas spiked to nearly 4 bucks that they will have to try again. He has to show that there is not just more of what does not work for enough people, and show how it would be improved and when.

If there isn’t a commercial on tv in about two weeks with McGinn on his electric assist bike looking goofy in some way, then Mallahan raked in all that money for nothing.

Maybe McGinn should hire somebody that isn’t him, or his like-minded people that will likely tell him what they both want to hear: let them ride bikes.

This has been coming for a week, you McGinn supporters get ready completely freek out.
It is effective messeging, and McGinn does not have effective responses.

Mallahan points to McGinn’s own statements when calling him an obstructionist. McGinn almost always agrees in some foot shuffling way. Delays cost money, Mallahan says, so he makes McGinn’s surface “option” exposed as being delayed for a few years while McGinn fights everybody.
It is a loser topic to rip on the tunnel, stupid messinging, he needs to promote not a surface “option” (option does not have a timeline), he needs to promote a plan. A plan is not a plan without a schedule. Having a news conference to rip the tunnel re-enforces negatives.

Mallahan points to people wanting to get products to market via the port as McGinn killing the economy. McGinn says he want fewer vehicles but is unable to split the hair between SOV shifting to mass transit and trucks delivering products to market.
He has to show how product gets to market after lanes are reduced, and his opposition to the underpass. Problem here is that he really can’t without telling people that were unable to find useful mass transit solution when gas spiked to nearly 4 bucks that they will have to try again. He has to show that there is not just more of what does not work for enough people, and show how it would be improved and when.

If there isn’t a commercial on tv in about two weeks with McGinn on his electric assist bike looking goofy in some way, then Mallahan raked in all that money for nothing.

Maybe McGinn should hire somebody that isn’t him, or his like-minded people that will likely tell him what they both want to hear: let them ride bikes.

@30 Here is WSDOT’s analysis of the I5/Surface/Tranist option. It will accommodate freight. McGinn didn’t make it up. Professional, expert traffic engineers did.

@30 Here is WSDOT’s analysis of the I5/Surface/Tranist option. It will accommodate freight. McGinn didn’t make it up. Professional, expert traffic engineers did.

That stupid elitist thing is sticking to Mike. After 8 years of George Bush, you’d think Seattlites would wise up to the rich and powerful calling community organizers who help their neighbors “elitist”.

Pretty soon, Thomas Frank will have to write “What’s the Matter with Seattle?”

That stupid elitist thing is sticking to Mike. After 8 years of George Bush, you’d think Seattlites would wise up to the rich and powerful calling community organizers who help their neighbors “elitist”.

Pretty soon, Thomas Frank will have to write “What’s the Matter with Seattle?”

When Joe Mallahan entered the Mayoral race 6 months ago it bothered me; what did this guy think he was doing? He’d never been involved in his community, knew nothing about the issues, and was only relevant because he donated $200,000 of his own money to his own campaign – without that money, he would have been dead on arrival. I decided to give him a chance.

Then Joe ran a completely negative primary campaign, spending all of his time slamming Nickels and offering no vision, plans or ideas of his own. Seemed like a smart strategy so I let it slide, though I didn’t think it was classy in any way.

Then Joe emerged from the Primary and became the puppet candidate of the political and business elite; who have spent every waking hour since the primary shaping him into the candidate they would like him to be. He changes positions daily to satisfy whomever he’s speaking with (see Mercer St, the Burke-Gilman, and incentive zoning as some of the many examples) and says whatever he needs to say in order to garner money and votes. He hides from voters, uses a cadre of high-priced consultants to run his campaign (he even had to ship in a “grassroots organizer” to help with his field campaign!) and is running one of the most negative and idea-less campaigns I have ever seen.

Things got worse after the first debate. The political and business establishment had an “oh fuck” moment, thinking, “this, this is our guy?” and stepped into his campaign big time to make sure that McGinn didn’t overturn their decades long reign of political dominance; Tayloe and the Chamber stepped up their attacks and misinformation campaigns and (some of, not all as we saw today) the unions grudgingly jumped on board to save their precious tunnel.

Now this. Seriously? McGinn’s quote nailed it. As a born and raised Seattleite who has followed politics closely all my life, I am disgusted. Joe Mallahan has never shown any interest in making our City a better place, hell, he hasn’t even cared enough to vote. He just repeats platitudes and management-jargon over and over and thinks that we’ll take the bait, what a joke. I used to give Joe Mallahan the benefit of the doubt, no more; now I will spend every waking over making sure that this clown becomes a political asterisk after November 3rd, and I hope the rest of you see the light and join the fight against one of the worst candidates our city has ever seen.

When Joe Mallahan entered the Mayoral race 6 months ago it bothered me; what did this guy think he was doing? He’d never been involved in his community, knew nothing about the issues, and was only relevant because he donated $200,000 of his own money to his own campaign – without that money, he would have been dead on arrival. I decided to give him a chance.

Then Joe ran a completely negative primary campaign, spending all of his time slamming Nickels and offering no vision, plans or ideas of his own. Seemed like a smart strategy so I let it slide, though I didn’t think it was classy in any way.

Then Joe emerged from the Primary and became the puppet candidate of the political and business elite; who have spent every waking hour since the primary shaping him into the candidate they would like him to be. He changes positions daily to satisfy whomever he’s speaking with (see Mercer St, the Burke-Gilman, and incentive zoning as some of the many examples) and says whatever he needs to say in order to garner money and votes. He hides from voters, uses a cadre of high-priced consultants to run his campaign (he even had to ship in a “grassroots organizer” to help with his field campaign!) and is running one of the most negative and idea-less campaigns I have ever seen.

Things got worse after the first debate. The political and business establishment had an “oh fuck” moment, thinking, “this, this is our guy?” and stepped into his campaign big time to make sure that McGinn didn’t overturn their decades long reign of political dominance; Tayloe and the Chamber stepped up their attacks and misinformation campaigns and (some of, not all as we saw today) the unions grudgingly jumped on board to save their precious tunnel.

Now this. Seriously? McGinn’s quote nailed it. As a born and raised Seattleite who has followed politics closely all my life, I am disgusted. Joe Mallahan has never shown any interest in making our City a better place, hell, he hasn’t even cared enough to vote. He just repeats platitudes and management-jargon over and over and thinks that we’ll take the bait, what a joke. I used to give Joe Mallahan the benefit of the doubt, no more; now I will spend every waking over making sure that this clown becomes a political asterisk after November 3rd, and I hope the rest of you see the light and join the fight against one of the worst candidates our city has ever seen.

Careful with confusing “anti-tax” messages with “working class politics.” They are not the same thing.

My guess is that McGinn appealed to Republicans with his anti-tunnel stand more than he appealed to working class folks. I would also guess that a majority of the people who voted in the primary were not working class, especially when you eliminate retired seniors on a fixed income.

Careful with confusing “anti-tax” messages with “working class politics.” They are not the same thing.

My guess is that McGinn appealed to Republicans with his anti-tunnel stand more than he appealed to working class folks. I would also guess that a majority of the people who voted in the primary were not working class, especially when you eliminate retired seniors on a fixed income.

* Bike: $300
* Prius: $23,000

Which is “elitist”?

* $230,000 self-funded campaign, supplemented by big business and big unions.
* Grassroots campaign funded by small donors.

Which is “elitist”?

* Supporting a risky, underfunded public works project to please downtown business + union interests.

* Trying to protect Seattle from massive cost overruns and probably illegal financing plan.

Which is “elitist”?

I’m sorry, this isn’t going to fly.

It’s sad to see that Mallahan and his consultants have finally sunk to the lowest, most Palinesque level of political discourse: when the facts aren’t on your side, just make random stuff up and hope it presses enough emotional buttons to get by.

* Bike: $300
* Prius: $23,000

Which is “elitist”?

* $230,000 self-funded campaign, supplemented by big business and big unions.
* Grassroots campaign funded by small donors.

Which is “elitist”?

* Supporting a risky, underfunded public works project to please downtown business + union interests.

* Trying to protect Seattle from massive cost overruns and probably illegal financing plan.

Which is “elitist”?

I’m sorry, this isn’t going to fly.

It’s sad to see that Mallahan and his consultants have finally sunk to the lowest, most Palinesque level of political discourse: when the facts aren’t on your side, just make random stuff up and hope it presses enough emotional buttons to get by.

This seals it, Mallahan is the candidate for the low information voter. He probably is sending spies to check McGinn’s garden for arugula.

Joe is the kind of guy that pulls his kids out of private school, away from their friends and puts them in public shcool for the first time in their lives so he can run for mayor and look like a man of the people.

This seals it, Mallahan is the candidate for the low information voter. He probably is sending spies to check McGinn’s garden for arugula.

Joe is the kind of guy that pulls his kids out of private school, away from their friends and puts them in public shcool for the first time in their lives so he can run for mayor and look like a man of the people.

33 nailed it. It is utterly preposterous for Mallahan’s consultants to come out with this line of argument. Hopefully Mallahan doesn’t dupe the public with his big bucks like GW Bush did. Time to get to work folks.

33 nailed it. It is utterly preposterous for Mallahan’s consultants to come out with this line of argument. Hopefully Mallahan doesn’t dupe the public with his big bucks like GW Bush did. Time to get to work folks.

@31, it does not matter what WSDOT says, it matters what Mallahan says and what McGinn says in response.

McGinn says the surface option is bad because (insert whatever you want), McGinn counters with the tunnel is worse. That is a negative response to a negative attack. Two wrongs do not make the public right, or vote FOR you.
McGinn has to reply with the better alterative. Flate refute the charges, “not only is Mallahan wrong, but here is the better plan for Seattle.

And you people put off by McGinn being called an elitist. You are talking to yourselves, and you already are voting for McGinn. Making comparisons between an exec driving a prius and a lawyer telling everybody to ride a bike too is pretty funny. Oh, and that’s the last stray bs, followed by NcGinn boilerplate on a blog that endorsed McGinn is pure comedy.

Mallahan applied a true label, sure it applies to Mallahan, the effect happened.
Then there is the growing case in Mallahan’s rhetoric, the McGinn’s obstruction and plan will keep working people from jobs because many people need a vehicle for their job. Why? Because McGinn has elitist ideals.
It is an effective narritive for people that fit the frame.
McGinn’s ideas have to reach those people, and right now they are counter-punching.
It not a ideals competition, but a political contest. Mallahan is honest when he says that he will rely on subject matter experts to help him where he needs help, that includes this race.

@31, it does not matter what WSDOT says, it matters what Mallahan says and what McGinn says in response.

McGinn says the surface option is bad because (insert whatever you want), McGinn counters with the tunnel is worse. That is a negative response to a negative attack. Two wrongs do not make the public right, or vote FOR you.
McGinn has to reply with the better alterative. Flate refute the charges, “not only is Mallahan wrong, but here is the better plan for Seattle.

And you people put off by McGinn being called an elitist. You are talking to yourselves, and you already are voting for McGinn. Making comparisons between an exec driving a prius and a lawyer telling everybody to ride a bike too is pretty funny. Oh, and that’s the last stray bs, followed by NcGinn boilerplate on a blog that endorsed McGinn is pure comedy.

Mallahan applied a true label, sure it applies to Mallahan, the effect happened.
Then there is the growing case in Mallahan’s rhetoric, the McGinn’s obstruction and plan will keep working people from jobs because many people need a vehicle for their job. Why? Because McGinn has elitist ideals.
It is an effective narritive for people that fit the frame.
McGinn’s ideas have to reach those people, and right now they are counter-punching.
It not a ideals competition, but a political contest. Mallahan is honest when he says that he will rely on subject matter experts to help him where he needs help, that includes this race.

37, you believers are all a twitter, are on the defensive, and are being beaten to reaching the middle of the road.
Good luck nailing each other!

37, you believers are all a twitter, are on the defensive, and are being beaten to reaching the middle of the road.
Good luck nailing each other!

McGinn’s is the pithiest, most acerbic and and most accurate response I’ve ever heard a politician make to a silly charge by an opponent. Just beautiful. Mallahan is a jerk to be allowing himself to follow the lead of his staff in charging elitism. He must have been led into it since he can’t seem to come up with anything by himself. I’ve watched him at forums about 5 times now and each time it’s worse blahblah than the last time. It won’t get any better when he’s Mayor, even with all those dozens of “advisors” helping him. I’m working class and I don’t give a shit what corporations McGinn defended. He’s got a brain and he apparently uses it; that alone makes him stand out against Mallahan.

McGinn’s is the pithiest, most acerbic and and most accurate response I’ve ever heard a politician make to a silly charge by an opponent. Just beautiful. Mallahan is a jerk to be allowing himself to follow the lead of his staff in charging elitism. He must have been led into it since he can’t seem to come up with anything by himself. I’ve watched him at forums about 5 times now and each time it’s worse blahblah than the last time. It won’t get any better when he’s Mayor, even with all those dozens of “advisors” helping him. I’m working class and I don’t give a shit what corporations McGinn defended. He’s got a brain and he apparently uses it; that alone makes him stand out against Mallahan.

For the poster child of Seattle elitism, see Mike O’Brien.

For the poster child of Seattle elitism, see Mike O’Brien.

It’s amazing to me how many McGinn volunteers comment on this blog!

It’s amazing to me how many McGinn volunteers comment on this blog!

They’re both elitists if you define that as being of the upper middle class microbrew/Whole Foods/Prius crowd vs. the working class PBR/Safeway/F-150 folks – but at least McGinn usually speaks for himself instead of through a paid mouthpiece.

Advantage – McGinn

They’re both elitists if you define that as being of the upper middle class microbrew/Whole Foods/Prius crowd vs. the working class PBR/Safeway/F-150 folks – but at least McGinn usually speaks for himself instead of through a paid mouthpiece.

Advantage – McGinn

..both of them seem kind of elitist.

..both of them seem kind of elitist.

@35 -

Mike has an electric bike – which run 1,000-3,000…probably the most elitist bike you can buy.

@35 -

Mike has an electric bike – which run 1,000-3,000…probably the most elitist bike you can buy.

Mr. X, that’s a good point about Mallahan employing a mouthpiece so much. It was interesting to see Tina Podlodowski take over from Charla on the John Fox thing. He had a volunteer mouthpiece for once at least!

And since you mention it, it’s fair to suppose McGinn uses no paid mouthpiece at least to some degree because he worked so hard to become a corporate litigation partner.

There’s no getting around it, he spent a lot of his life working toward the point where he could get employed as the costliest sort of paid mouthpiece there is. What would he need a Charla for?

Mr. X, that’s a good point about Mallahan employing a mouthpiece so much. It was interesting to see Tina Podlodowski take over from Charla on the John Fox thing. He had a volunteer mouthpiece for once at least!

And since you mention it, it’s fair to suppose McGinn uses no paid mouthpiece at least to some degree because he worked so hard to become a corporate litigation partner.

There’s no getting around it, he spent a lot of his life working toward the point where he could get employed as the costliest sort of paid mouthpiece there is. What would he need a Charla for?

I love it. McGinn voters/volunteers comment on this blog on a regular basis, but post one pro-Mallahan comment and suddenly you’re a plant.

I’ve never been up close to McGinn, but he looks like he smells like BO.

I love it. McGinn voters/volunteers comment on this blog on a regular basis, but post one pro-Mallahan comment and suddenly you’re a plant.

I’ve never been up close to McGinn, but he looks like he smells like BO.

Why was Mallahan late for the OneAmerica forum? Why did he orginally decline the OneAmerica forum? Because it conflicted with a fundraiser at the Washington Athletic Club. Totally working class, man of the people.

Why was Mallahan late for the OneAmerica forum? Why did he orginally decline the OneAmerica forum? Because it conflicted with a fundraiser at the Washington Athletic Club. Totally working class, man of the people.

@46: Do you mean that because McGinn was a lawyer, he obviously can say what he means by himself without having to use a mouthpiece? Well, yes, that’s true. It is an advantage to be intelligent and verbal.

It also saves money, because unlike all the self-proclaimed working man Mallahan, McGinn doesn’t have large (self)contributions to his campaign.

@46: Do you mean that because McGinn was a lawyer, he obviously can say what he means by himself without having to use a mouthpiece? Well, yes, that’s true. It is an advantage to be intelligent and verbal.

It also saves money, because unlike all the self-proclaimed working man Mallahan, McGinn doesn’t have large (self)contributions to his campaign.

31. Indicating freight routes and ensuring they’d be clear of gridlocked traffic are different things. Notice the WSDOT surface plan doesn’t indicate expected traffic flow compared to current traffic flow along any of those routes. It’s simply a map of what would be done under the plan.

I can draw up a football play in a playbook but that doesn’t mean it’s going to work once the ball’s snapped.

31. Indicating freight routes and ensuring they’d be clear of gridlocked traffic are different things. Notice the WSDOT surface plan doesn’t indicate expected traffic flow compared to current traffic flow along any of those routes. It’s simply a map of what would be done under the plan.

I can draw up a football play in a playbook but that doesn’t mean it’s going to work once the ball’s snapped.

@50 Gomez…

As I linked for you yesterday, WSDOT has done modeling to estimate traffic flows, and found that the I5/Surface/Transit option did not differ dramatically from the other options.

1. A description of the plan: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/FAF9612A-D0D4-4D0C-824D-8C879E457D0B/0/AWV_I5SurfaceTransitHybrid_FactSheet_Dec08.pdf

2. A comparision of the metrics of all 8 plans considered by the Stakeholders Group: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/FAF9612A-D0D4-4D0C-824D-8C879E457D0B/0/AWV_I5SurfaceTransitHybrid_FactSheet_Dec08.pdf

@50 Gomez…

As I linked for you yesterday, WSDOT has done modeling to estimate traffic flows, and found that the I5/Surface/Transit option did not differ dramatically from the other options.

1. A description of the plan: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/FAF9612A-D0D4-4D0C-824D-8C879E457D0B/0/AWV_I5SurfaceTransitHybrid_FactSheet_Dec08.pdf

2. A comparision of the metrics of all 8 plans considered by the Stakeholders Group: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/FAF9612A-D0D4-4D0C-824D-8C879E457D0B/0/AWV_I5SurfaceTransitHybrid_FactSheet_Dec08.pdf

Ah yes, the official WSDOT ‘hybrid’ plan. (BTW, Timothy, you linked the same page twice instead of two separate pages)

- How does the City expect to fund ‘transit improvements’ when Metro’s already facing service cuts and fare increases due to a big budget shortfall? Are they going to take over KC Metro? Can they?

- The plan only vaguely references getting enough people out of their cars to make the plan work, but does not itemize how many people they believe they can get to convert, how many they need to convert, and any projections for how successful they believe every method use will be, let alone how they developed those projections. And we have no public input (from non-urbanists, because of course they’re going to say they’d play along) about how feasible such approaches would actually be.

These plans have specific ideas, but its main idea for success is based entirely on unproven generalities.

Ah yes, the official WSDOT ‘hybrid’ plan. (BTW, Timothy, you linked the same page twice instead of two separate pages)

- How does the City expect to fund ‘transit improvements’ when Metro’s already facing service cuts and fare increases due to a big budget shortfall? Are they going to take over KC Metro? Can they?

- The plan only vaguely references getting enough people out of their cars to make the plan work, but does not itemize how many people they believe they can get to convert, how many they need to convert, and any projections for how successful they believe every method use will be, let alone how they developed those projections. And we have no public input (from non-urbanists, because of course they’re going to say they’d play along) about how feasible such approaches would actually be.

These plans have specific ideas, but its main idea for success is based entirely on unproven generalities.

Mallahan and his handlers are using the classic Karl Rove strategy of attacking your opponents strong points. while deflecting attention away from his own weak points. Remember – John Kerry multiple purple heart winner had a questionable military background, over George Bush arguably a National Guard deserter.

I think Seattle voters are smart enough not to buy the B.S. The strategy tells you a lot about Mallahan and how low he will sink to realize his ambition for power.

Mallahan and his handlers are using the classic Karl Rove strategy of attacking your opponents strong points. while deflecting attention away from his own weak points. Remember – John Kerry multiple purple heart winner had a questionable military background, over George Bush arguably a National Guard deserter.

I think Seattle voters are smart enough not to buy the B.S. The strategy tells you a lot about Mallahan and how low he will sink to realize his ambition for power.

Gomez…oops. Sorry about that. Here’s the 2nd link (with a lot more detail):

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/8DE75ACA-24B0-4871-B689-7C112CF032E5/0/AWV_SAC_Nov13_Model_Analysis_Handout_lowres.pdf

Gomez…oops. Sorry about that. Here’s the 2nd link (with a lot more detail):

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/8DE75ACA-24B0-4871-B689-7C112CF032E5/0/AWV_SAC_Nov13_Model_Analysis_Handout_lowres.pdf