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.

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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.

Extra Fizz: PubliCola Teams Up with KING 5 for Election Night Coverage

News   November 3, 2009 at 8:21 am Josh Feit

I’ll be working as an election pundit tonight with KING 5 news anchor and reporter Carolyn Douglas. We’ll be tracking the results live starting at 8pm on www.King5.com.

Erica will be on KUOW on Wednesday morning to discuss Tuesday’s night’s results.

And I’ll be back on KING 5 over the weekend—on Up Front—for an election wrap up.

And of course, Erica (along with Chris Kissel, Jonah Spangenthal-Lee, Jake Blumgart and others from Team Cola) will be live blogging from tonight’s parties, right here.

List of tonight’s parties (and map): Here.




  • Michael M.

    YAY! for parties! (let’s face it, the real reason why I care about elections).

    (Purr at 7pm=awesome)

  • Michael M.

    YAY! for parties! (let’s face it, the real reason why I care about elections).

    (Purr at 7pm=awesome)

  • http://peacetreefarm.org N in Seattle

    Some of the party groupings are interesting.

    Others have noted that the dynamic duo of Tim and Suzie will be sharing the Bellevue Hyatt (have fun together, guys). It seems a bit odd that the Democratic establishment (Constantine, Mallahan, and No on I-1033) are at the Edgewater instead of the unionized Westin. In fact, the only ones at the Westin are the Port duo of Holland and Vekich.

    Holmes is sharing Seattle Glassblowing with Bloom and Licata, while Bagshaw and Israel are a block away at Spitfire. Oh, and Albro joins the Muni League at Twist.

    All the rest are soloing, if partying at all.

  • http://peacetreefarm.org N in Seattle

    Some of the party groupings are interesting.

    Others have noted that the dynamic duo of Tim and Suzie will be sharing the Bellevue Hyatt (have fun together, guys). It seems a bit odd that the Democratic establishment (Constantine, Mallahan, and No on I-1033) are at the Edgewater instead of the unionized Westin. In fact, the only ones at the Westin are the Port duo of Holland and Vekich.

    Holmes is sharing Seattle Glassblowing with Bloom and Licata, while Bagshaw and Israel are a block away at Spitfire. Oh, and Albro joins the Muni League at Twist.

    All the rest are soloing, if partying at all.

  • 40-year Voter

    You really think a high enough percentage of the vote will be tallied tonight and tomorrow morning, to have anything really to talk about? (except how indeterminative the numbers are?)

    I worked on my first election campaign in Seattle in 1970 for a friend who was running for the Legislature. We knew the results by 8:40 p.m. on election night because we voted on voting machines. Each precinct posted a printout of their votes in the window right after the 8:00 p.m. closing, and I was the monitor who drove around tallying up the numbers.

    Count me as someone who prefers those good old days.

  • 40-year Voter

    You really think a high enough percentage of the vote will be tallied tonight and tomorrow morning, to have anything really to talk about? (except how indeterminative the numbers are?)

    I worked on my first election campaign in Seattle in 1970 for a friend who was running for the Legislature. We knew the results by 8:40 p.m. on election night because we voted on voting machines. Each precinct posted a printout of their votes in the window right after the 8:00 p.m. closing, and I was the monitor who drove around tallying up the numbers.

    Count me as someone who prefers those good old days.

  • Michael M.

    Dammit…Vekich was originally at the Alexis Hotel. Now I have to remake the party maps for the 43rd/Official (un)Official R-71 at Purr!!! (more shameless self promotion!!!)

    I thought it was funny having Dow at the Edgewater, what with that being where Hutchison was for the primary.

    And Reject 71 is all the way up in Everett. Sad.

  • Michael M.

    Dammit…Vekich was originally at the Alexis Hotel. Now I have to remake the party maps for the 43rd/Official (un)Official R-71 at Purr!!! (more shameless self promotion!!!)

    I thought it was funny having Dow at the Edgewater, what with that being where Hutchison was for the primary.

    And Reject 71 is all the way up in Everett. Sad.

  • geology 101

    damn you, MSM. congrats on the success.

  • geology 101

    damn you, MSM. congrats on the success.

  • Michael M.

    Seriously, though, did Vekich move his campaign party? We’re going to have maps at our party of the rest, and if I need to change them before I print them, that’d be good to know (Ours being the 43rd Dems/Official (un)Official R-71 Party at Purr, which is the first to close up shop, so all of ya’ll can get to the rest of the parties that you want to go to).

  • Michael M.

    Seriously, though, did Vekich move his campaign party? We’re going to have maps at our party of the rest, and if I need to change them before I print them, that’d be good to know (Ours being the 43rd Dems/Official (un)Official R-71 Party at Purr, which is the first to close up shop, so all of ya’ll can get to the rest of the parties that you want to go to).

  • Michael G

    I’ll be spending most of the night with Team Israel and Bagshaw. I would have liked to stop by and say hi to Pete Holmes, but that will be a bit awkward with him at the same place as Nick Licata. Licata and Bloom don’t seem like the kind of people who will stay up too late, though.

  • Michael G

    I’ll be spending most of the night with Team Israel and Bagshaw. I would have liked to stop by and say hi to Pete Holmes, but that will be a bit awkward with him at the same place as Nick Licata. Licata and Bloom don’t seem like the kind of people who will stay up too late, though.

  • Dan

    Get your best licks in Josh. Make ‘em love you. Let ‘em know that when the Seattle Times goes out of business Publicola stands ready to carry the establishment’s water.

  • Dan

    Get your best licks in Josh. Make ‘em love you. Let ‘em know that when the Seattle Times goes out of business Publicola stands ready to carry the establishment’s water.

  • bluecella

    Seriously, Max Vekich party is at the Westin. BTW, isn’t the Edgewater also union. I think it is.

  • bluecella

    Seriously, Max Vekich party is at the Westin. BTW, isn’t the Edgewater also union. I think it is.

  • Michael M.

    @bluecella:

    Thanks! I hear it was a recent changeover (the fb event is still saying the Alexis…at least it was about an hour and a half ago).

    Maps are made and ready for the PURR party with the 43rd. Boo Ya, mofo.

  • Michael M.

    @bluecella:

    Thanks! I hear it was a recent changeover (the fb event is still saying the Alexis…at least it was about an hour and a half ago).

    Maps are made and ready for the PURR party with the 43rd. Boo Ya, mofo.