Blogs Nov 15, 2013 at 9:48 pm

Comments

1
Good one. Women so appreciate it when some guy tells them to smile.
2
@1 Geez. It has nothing to do with her being a woman, and everything to do with making a good impression on TV. Gimme a break.
3
I can't tell if comment #1 is a joke or not?
4
If Goldy was a misogynist, I'm pretty sure Lindy West would have ousted him by now ;)
5
I thought she gave a great interview and communicated her message effectively.

Here's another interview she gave on yesterday's The Big Picture:

http://youtu.be/5E76Nofs4vM?t=15m8s

(Aside: I really enjoy the sound of Kshama's voice. I almost ASMRed)
6
I really think this a great thing for the country, though I don't follow politics much.

Anyone have suggestions on how I can live a Socialist lifestyle?
7
She needs to relax and stop blinking so much. It makes me not trust her. And start talking about things she can actually do in Seattle - most of her platform is about things that she can't influence, because they are state issues. She didn't run for state office.

Also... she didn't win the "vast majority". She needs to take a bit of a chill pill.
8
When is The Stranger collectivizing?
9
How many politicians talk about what they can actually do? Have you ever heard one say, "I'd like to do xxx, but I know that I really can't."

I know that Goldy didn't mean that women should smile, but really, if it were a guy, would anyone -- anyone -- say the guy should have smiled more? No one really notices when men are serious. (Although Murray's stare was noticed...)
10
Those blinks? They are Morse code. And I wonder how many people are going to freak out and send dog whistles about her accent...I am interested to see what she will do in office.
11
@7: Chill out, it was probably her first time on national TV. She'll get a crash course in a couple of weeks. I think she communicated her points well, but I do understand Goldy's point of being too serious. I think she is going to need a more professional media team if she wants to go further (national office). She is also going to have to stop twisting the knife on her opponents and continue communicating that socialism is the alternative to capitalism, not some century old revolutionary concept. She did that well in this interview and needs to continue to do the same. It will be interesting to see if she challenges McDermott or Adam Smith (not sure exactly where she would need to live) in 2016.
12
There is kind of a cliche that socialists take themselves way too seriously, don't have a sense of humor, can't laugh at themselves, maybe miss when they are going on and on a bit (ranting). Sincerity, humility, and humor are all qualities you need to learn how to fake if you're going to try to be a successful politician in the U.S.
13
I'd be uncomfortable too if Goldy had his tongue up my ass this long.
14
@4 yeah it's not like Goldy would toss around the word "rape" when describing economic policies or tell people not to listen to someone cause they're an "old white rich woman"...
15
I assume being a Socialist is different from being a Socialist politician?
16
@11, first of all, don't tell me to chill out. I can think and write whatever I want. Plus, the things I wrote in that comment are true. She needs to relax, and start talking about things she can actually do in Seattle. She didn't run for the House or Senate. And she didn't win the "vast majority" that she stated in her interview. If anyone should chill out, it's Kshama, and realize that she's a city councilmember-elect. She should start talking about the actual issues that she can have an effect on, and what she intends to do. And for god sakes, stop blinking so much (psych studies indicate that chronic blinkers are liars, i.e. G. W. Bush).

And from what I've seen of her so far, she won't take anyone's advice. She thinks she can run into city hall with her supporters and overturn city politics. And it's going to backfire big-time. I would imagine they are all huddled in an office somewhere right now pledging allegiance to one another, and against her.
17
All I'm saying is, if she can't be herself, then her best chance for success would be to join the Democratic Party. Forget what she believes and practice delivering talking points from the Democratic platform with a sincere smile.

But if she's not going to play the same old game that everybody else plays, why must she try to look and sound the same as they all do on TV? Why would a voter who is happy with the same old politicians want her over the ones already in office? She's here to appeal to people who have had it with all that.
18
I wonder if Kshama believes that the people have a right or a duty to keep guns in the home so the people can have them at the ready to fight against unjust tyrany by the 1%.
19
Interesting shift that ChefJoe makes by calling her by her first name now that she's an elected official. He's trying to keep her from getting too uppity. I wonder if he's going to post some negative remarks online about her as a teacher, and then quote them here to try to discredit her again.
20
Congratulations! KS!
21
@19, I was just laughing at that ratemyprofessor review. Not sure who it is, but obviously some students didn't think she was the bee's knees.

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRati…
22
I wonder if Sawant will vote against the ideological homeland of her socialism in regard to gay rights in future city council measures. It will be an interesting test for her.
23
@21: Haven't spend much time in academia I take it? Any professor would happily abide 4 positive reviews out of 6 on Rate My Professor.

Confirmation bias much?

Chris Hayes kicks ass, and Kshama Sawant was clear and concise.
24
All the TV optics yada yada bullshit....

Seattle City Council members are seldom on 'real' TV. Kshama might garner a few second spots here and there if she makes a controversial, principled stand. Aside from Council meeting broadcasted on the Seattle Channel [http://www.seattlechannel.org/shows/defa…], you can rest assured that your closely-held assumptions won't be challenged.

25
@22,
I'm going to make sure I stock up on some popcorn for when Hansen (the hedge fund manager) or Ballmer (22nd richest man in America according to forbes) come to city council talking about public partnerships in their sports arena building. Last time, they never offered the city any cut of the team profits and the league objects to public ownership of the teams. Should be fun for the socialist agenda to come up against.

Sonics fans might have been able to appeal to Conlin in the worth of their project, but I think with Sawant it'll be like a meat purveyor trying to sell steaks to a vegan restaurant.
26
@22 Ha ha, yeah! go to russia if you don't like amerikkka. ha ha!
27
There are working, successful socialist states. Capitalism is failing a vast majority of people and has failed the middle class spectacularly, as we've seen. If she plays her cards right, like I've said before, she can play a very big role in changing this country. Especially if she can make it to mayor.
28
I would say that in this instance it is very important for a Socialist politician (of either gender) to come off as "warm" and "human", because so many people really have a truly distorted view of what Socialism is. It hasn't been in vogue here since the 1930's.

Her opponents and the troll are going to paint her as humorless and grim, and she will need to be mindful of that.

With that said, I think she did a fine job in this interview. I hope it is the first of many national appearances.
29
Seattle electing a Socialist is like Washington legalizing pot. It's simply acknowledging a truth which already exists. The Bolly Bolshevik of Broadway will no more change society than a state run pot shop opening in Yakima. It just removes the extra necessity of pretending to care.
30
@29 - Won't change a thing, wxcept, you know, people (especially non-white people) not being harassed/arrested/convicted cuz of weed.

As has been stated numerous times, you are one stupid motherfucker.
31
National TV or not, she faces a re-election race in two years (where there will be higher turn-out) and will need to improve her "likeability", the warmth factor, smiling - whatever you want to call it. She eked out a win - good on her and is this a great city or what? - but a lot of those votes were simply about being tired of/pissed off at Richard Conlin
32
@22: Raindrop you nailed it: Every socialist I've met has been
(a) a HUGE fan of Putin and
(b) for that reason, very conflicted on gay rights.
33
The big note I started going on shows like All In and Real Time? Smile. I got it from female producers and make producers.
34
Dan, are you fully awake?
35
@32 You two are joking, right? Yes, I'm going to interpret it that way so I don't lose all faith in humanity.
36
@32: really? Not sure if my sarcasm detector is broken. That sure doesn't describe the socialists I know in Ohio, e.g., http://danlabotz.com/issues1/
37
@23 -- Confirmation bias is as confirmation bias does.

For that institution (SU) and department (ECON), 3.5 is a median rating ... though decidedly behind the curve compared with other instructors in the same subject area (statistics for business majors).
38
@31: 2 years is 2015. why will there be a larger turnout in the year before the presidential election?
39
@22: Germany?
40
@32 is totally joking, because @22 is full of shit as usual.
41
I'm pretty sure Putin is not an ideologic socialist. There are BIG difference between socialism, communism, fascism and totalitarianism, but to certain members of the commuinity (Republicans) they mash them all into one big box of badness. Canada is socialist. Germany is socialist. Even the USA is socialist; we have a nationalized retirement plan and healthcare for the elderly as well as a (inadequate) safety net for the poor. It's an ideologic balance to unregulated capitalism and all of the most livable countries in the world have a balance between both.
42
I thought the rumor mill had Sawant living apart from her husband because she'd embraced being a L herself..... would be awkward to side with russia on that.

Though, I'm really not sure city politics has much to do with how you use your genitals, despite how many times the word "fuck" appeared in the endorsements.
43
@38. Because it will be the first council district election with all seats TBD.
44
@38. And because it can't get any worse than this year
45
So many blinks! But go Sawant!
46
@2 @11 @28 @31 and @33 - Correcto. She's gonna have to come off as warmer or she is gonna turn people off. I don't live in Seattle anymore and I'm sad that I couldn't vote for her, but she needs to lighten up. And that would go if she was a male as well.
47
Does anyone know morse code ?
http://www.military.com/video/operations…
48
@29, have you ever tried NOT being a douchebag?

Douchebag: not an alternative lifestyle.
49
22... Wait, I don't under... Ohh... I get it! You're talking about the Soviet Union, which was a communist country. And because Sawant is a socialist, she must accept the current policies of the now-capitalist Russia. And because Putin has been pandering to the Orthodox Church and the neo-Nazis by making gays & lesbians illegal, that will cause conflict in Sawant if she ever has to cast a vote condemning Russia. What will she do???

Ha ha ha ha... Man, that's funny. Your concise, easily followed logic and clear observations are equal to George Carlin's.
51
@42: wouldn't it be interesting if....

http://shusterman.com/greencardsthroughm…
52
@28

Exactly right. Sawant needs to be specially skilled with human relations because she has much going against her.

Please wait...

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