"I support the proposal in principle"

-Bobby Forch.

That is far from "enthusiastic".

How would The Stranger react if another publication were to voice crude prejudice against the GLBT community in the manner that it vents ageist ridicule at Jean Godden?

Excellent endorsements! A great reason to support Forch, amazing reasons to Reject the Tunnel and, most importantly to me, reaffirming my adoration of Councilmember Clark for all her good faith in spite if a couple of bad ideas, like tunnel support.

Any person that has anything to do with cutting the most crowded busses in the city? I'm voting for their rival.

McGinn was outfundraised almost four to one by the odious Mallahan, and he didn't throw in the towel, now did he? Money, schmoney.

The fault isn't in the system, it's in a lack of zesty challengers willing to do the hard work to win over supporters. As a lover of down-to-the-wire races and harassed incumbents, sad news for me.

Last time I checked, Bobby Forch wasn't providing any actual details on any of the plans he would like to implement while Classen has provided detailed solutions on critical issues. Forch's answers have not been nearly as strong as Classen's in all of the forums I have attended.

And citing Classen's "stance on a proposal mandating paid sick days for everyone employed in Seattle that really pissed the SECB off." He has supported this from the beginning and even said yesterday that he would vote for paid sick leave or consider other opportunities to secure the necessary votes on KUOW.

It seems clear to me that this Position 1 endorsement hasn't been thought through well-enough.

The system is fine, the tunnel issue just hasn't inspired any top challengers to come out of the woodwork, or pissed off city voters enough to get them in a "Throw the bums out" mood.

I saw both Sandy Cioffi and Dian Ferguson speak on the campaign trail. Neither could come up with a good reason as to why they were challenging a Council incumbent. Which is a shame, because Dian seems to have some of the tools to be a good candidate; Cioffi was kind of dazed and vague as a public speaker and would have lost to Rasmussen 99 times out of 100 despite their money totals.

Hoo-ray for The Stranger and the SECB for refusing to endorse any of the non-performing incumbents on the School Board.

Of the endorsement meetings I have attended, it hardly seems like Bobby Forch has been able to articulate real solutions to City issues while Classen has been able to put the detail behind his ideas and given people a clear vision for where he'd like our city to go.

I am not supporting Mr.Forch because I don't believe we need anymore meandering minds on the City Council, we already have Jean for that. I will clearly be voting for Classen with his ideas.

And I'd say the SECB being "pissed off" on Classen's stance on paid sick leave, I am not sure what there is to be pissed off about. Mr. Forch "supports in principle" while Classen clearly said yesterday that if he were voting, he would do what was necessary to make it happen, whether it is voting for it on the Council or it is working with a broader group to get these votes and make it happen.

Its pretty clear to me this Position 1 endorsement is not as well-thought out as some of the others.

So let me see if I got this right. Bobby and Maurice are both pro-tunnel. Bobby and Maurice both have equivocated on paid sick leave. Bobby and Maurice both have endorsements. And Maurice is roundly mocked and Bobby is endorsed? Puh-leez. If you were to make your endorsement on who best matched the Stranger's values, you'd endorse Michael. If you were to endorse based on who is most likely to beat Jean, you'd endorse Maurice. I think Bobby just charmed the shit out of you at the interview (he is a very charming dude) and you bought it.

It is good the "The Stranger" gets it, even when the Municipal League is clueless with endorsements.

The job of SPS Directors is really pretty simple in the basic requirements.
1.. Follow State Law.
2.. Follow School Board policy.
3.. Supervise the Superintendent.

The four incumbents up for re-election are a combined ZERO for TWELVE.

The Stranger follows closely enough to make the leap that
ZERO for THREE for each of these folks = NO ENDORSEMENT

.... Now how does the Muni League figure that
Sundquist is Outstanding and each of the other three incumbents is very good?

Does the Muni League not care about laws, policies, supervising the superintendent, and/or results? Which is it? Perhaps all of the above.

The Stranger seems to have the Seattle School Board figured out...

A vote for an incumbent is a vote for "inequity and incompetence".

I've always been somewhat clueless about endorsements....(and happily so)

So SPS incumbent School Director Peter Maier has the following endorsements on his website:

Organizational Endorsements
46th District Democrats
King County Young Democrats

Elected Public Officials
Sally Bagshaw, Seattle City Council Member*
Tim Burgess, Seattle City Council Member*
Reuven Carlyle, State Representative, 36th District*
Sally Clark, Seattle City Council Member*
Richard Conlin, Seattle City Council Member*
Mary Lou Dickerson, State Representative, 36th District*
Bob Ferguson, King County Council Member*
David Frockt, State Representative, 46th District*
Jean Godden, Seattle City Council Member*
Lloyd Hara, King County Assessor*
Bruce Harrell ,Seattle City Council Member*
Adam Kline, State Senator, 37th District*
Jeanne Kohl-Welles, State Senator, 36th District*
Marcie Maxwell, State Representative, 41st District*
Joe McDermott, King County Council Member*
Tom Rasmussen, Seattle City Council Member*
Gael Tarleton, Commissioner Port of Seattle*
Scott White, State Senator, 46th District*

PTSA Presidents
Andrea Baumgarten, 1st Vice President, Seattle Council PTSA*
Lisa Bond, former President Seattle Council PTSA*
Laura Brosten, Co-President Whitman MS PTSA*
Linda Ellingboe, former President Ballard HS PTSA*
Betty Hoagland, former President Seattle Council PTSA*
Lauren McGuire, President Seattle Council PTSA*
Paul Plumis, former President Ballard HS PTSA*
Lyn Porterfield, former President Ballard HS PTSA*
Sharon Rodgers, former President Seattle Council PTSA*
Rita Sheckler, Co-President Madrona K-8 PTSA*
Sam Star. Co-Chair Friends of Salmon Bay K-8 (PTO)*
John Verduin, President Ballard HS PTSA*
Sue Verduin, former President Loyal Heights PTSA*
Greg Wong, President John Muir PTSA*

Leaders of Civic and Political Organizations
John Burbank, Exec. Dir. Economic Opportunity Institute*
Alicia Edgar, Vice President Parents for Public Schools*
Lucy Gaskill-Gaddis, Families & Education Levy Oversight Committee Member*
Pamela MacEwan, Board Chair, Alliance for Education*
Tre Maxie, Exec. Dir. Powerful Schools*
Susan Sheary, former Chair, King County Democrats*

* For identification only; does not mean endorsement by organization

Former Seattle School Board Members
Dorothy Hollingsworth
Jan Kumasaka
Barbara Schlag Peterson
Barbara Schaad-Lamphere
Marilyn Smith
Nancy Waldman

=================
My Granny always said that "fools names and fools faces are often found in public places".....

Don't these folks above have some splainin' to do?

.... or are they just clueless?
=======

No wonder the public has such little confidence in their elected officials.

I thought Joe McDermott was a really knowledgable guy ... and now I see him endorsing Peter Maier.

The endorsement of Forch seems based on misinformation. Representations of Classen's position on paid sick leave are misleading, it was Classen, not Forch, that first talked about police accountability, and Classen also has a "shitload" of endorsements (from some of the same organizations as Forch), including King County Democrats, KCYD, 11th, 36th, 43rd, etc. What's the deal, Stranger? Seems like irresponsible journalism to me.

The Stranger Electoral Control Board knows squat about the district and I absolutely disagree with some of the challengers they chose.

McLaren is a more credible candidate than Anderson in West Seattle and Buetow is stronger than Dunn in the northeast.

But -- if even the self-absorbed, penis-gazing Stranger gets it in general that the current board isn't cutting it, then there is hope the community at large may wise up when they vote.

I have worked with and for Bobby for years, and am excited at the prospect of him serving on City Council. Bobby has a unique ability to bring all interests to the table and pull together a workable solution to many complex issues. Yes, he is charming and likeable, but he is also smart and effective - charming gets you in the door, but abilities make you a respected leader.

As a longtime City employee working for my 5th and progressively less effective administration...Bobby's skills and experience would be a welcome addition to Council.

My politics are usually spot-on with the Stranger's - in this case they are even more happily so. :) Good choice!

Summarizing Harium Martin-Morris simply as "grim" is lazy typing. In Seattle School Board District #3, we have three good candidates -- I support Michelle Beutow for her investigative energy. But for all the credibles running for non-paying office, they deserve a little more than you just spouting dis.

@19 whatever must be new.

The Stranger never gives serious consideration to any school board candidates. Not this year, not any year.

If Sandy Cioffi thinks that if she had half of Tom Rasmussen's money she could beat him, then I want some of what she is smoking!

Maurice Classen is a great public speaker and does well at forums, but the reason Bobby Forch is getting so many endorsements is because he is making the effort to connect with people one on one and has values and ideals that appeal to a lot of activists in the various organizations whose endorsements he has sought.

Forch?!?!? Really, The Stranger? Really? I am disapoiinted in The Stranger and I thought I could rely on you for good information.

Forch did some effective negative campaigning recently by making noise that Classen is against paid sick leave when the truth is Classen is "for" paid sick leave. Forch is taking one from the GOP/Republican playbook. You sure Forch is a Democrat? He's playing dirty like a Republican.

I also like that The Stranger showed that Forch is a proven flip-flopper -- I'm anti-Tunnel. Nevermind, I'm pro-Tunnel. Sounds like he's "I'm whatever will get me elected even though I have no clear policy ideas/plans." If he's elected, wouldn't be surprised if he's pro-paid sick leaveand then anti-paid sick leave.

Wow, Forch sounds like a winner.

I also say YAY for The Stranger not endorsing any of the School Board incumbents. They have a lot to answer for and yet their answer is to say they are working on it and keep moving.

I don't agree with all their endorsements for School Board, though. I've met them all and I would vote for Marty McLaren in the Position 6 race and Michelle Buetow in the District 3 race. (Michelle is not a disgruntled parent; she's a smart cookie. I'm not sure I understand how Joy Anderson isn't also a disgruntled parent.)

But it comes down to change. We need to change the direction and viewpoint of the School Board and get people who take input AND use it in their decision-making. We also need less rubber-stamping from the Board and more oversight.

Please look over the challengers carefully and pick one if your district is in this election.

Forch?!?! Really, The Stranger? Really?

Dear The Stranger -- I am disappointed in you. :(

Note to self and The Stranger readers: Negative campaigning works. Forch spread some lies that Classen is against paid sick leave and he is awarded. Right out of the GOP/Republican playbook. You sure Forch is a Democrat? Last I read and heard on the radio, Classen is "for" paid sick leave. Nothing wrong with wanting it implemented right so there are still jobs in the city.

I also enjoyed reading that Forch is a proven flip-flopper -- I'm anti-Tunnel, nevermind, I'm pro-Tunnel. Seems like a trustworthy fellow. Yeah right!

I went to Forch's site and he wrote about legalizing weed and bringing the troops home. Um, since when did a Seattle city councilman have the authority and power to legalize weed and bring troops home? That's right folks -- the answer is never.

The Stranger is a sucker! So disappointed.

Your Forch endorsement is sloppy. I expect more from you guys. Almost every one of your points in favor of Forch can be refuted with only a bit of research.
(1) Forch didn't "enthusiastically" endorse paid sick leave. As Publicola pointed out, Forch said he supported it only "in principle" and thought it needed to be approached with caution. So, nothing different from Classen and Gooden.
(2) Forch wasn't the first candidate to talk about police accountability. Classen was. And while Classen actually outlined concrete steps on how to make the police accountable, Forch just said that he's had "enough" of police abuses. Uh, thanks, Bobby - So has everyone else in this town. But what's your actual plan and what makes you qualified to get something done?
(3) Forch once was a tunnel critic. Ok, but on KUOW yesterday, Forch, Godden, and Classen all supported the tunnel. The fact that Forch at some point in the distant past agreed with you means that he's worthy of an endorsement? How does that make any sense?
(4) Forch had a "shitload" of endorsements, but most of them weren't unique to Forch. Classen had virtually the same district endorsements plus some of his own (the liberal 43rd) as well as additional endorsements from both liberals and moderates. Godden also had her share of endorsements.

Lastly, Forch hasn't been able to raise any money comparable to Classen or Godden. Money isn't everything, obviously, but in the general election, it matters.

You guys screwed this one up.

One other thing: Why the vindictiveness on Classen? This guy should be in your wheelhouse. He lives in Capitol Hill, is pro-nightlife and will stay that way (he's part-owner of two bars), pro-gay rights, and pro-decriminalization of marijuana. As a sex crimes and domestic violence prosecutor, he is way better equipped than the other candidates to lobby for funding of sexual assault domestic violence victim advocates. And his personal story (losing his mom six years ago to an act of domestic violence) is compelling and has spurred him to a life of public service. Lastly, the guy is single and 33 years old. We haven't had a young person on the council in ages. Forch is over 50. And after all that, all you can come up with is some crappy crack about him being a tunnel-humper? What the hell?

I'll let others add comments about your cheapshots on Godden. There are plenty of things to criticize other than her age (for starters, her gossip column for the Times almost made me want to set the paper on fire) . . .

Thanks Stranger for this important resource. When election time comes, first I see who the Seattle Times endorses and rule them out. (Have you seen their School Board endorsements? Wow!) Then I read the Stranger's incredibly shallow endorsements and go with who the commenters endorse instead.

You mean "Hogwarts *divination* professor", not "divinity"

Bobby is thke more progressive one-- i thin

We've been voting school board candidates in and out of office for years, and the school system continues to suck. No surprise, since there hasn't been a board member in decades with prior experience that would prepare them to oversee an institution with a $577 million dollar budget.

Every one these candidates' pathetic resumes is a big "fuck you" to our kids. The fact that you have kids yourself or you built a skateboard park in your yard doesn't mean you know the first thing about running a school system. Either figure out a way to attract real players to the board, or elect a board that will disband itself and turn over the reins to the mayor and city council.

Aren't there some other city council candidates? What about Brad Meacham?

nice work on the Seattle School Board endorsements. Too late for me, though. I gave them the last nine years to fix the system while I paid for my kids to go to private schools. I can't afford them any more, so hello, Mercer Island! I leave the fucked up schools and the tunnel bill to you.

@33: These are the Stranger's primary endorsements. Many races only have two candidates, and so they will not appear on the primary ballot.

"a vital indicator of a candidate’s ability to get through the primary"

LOL. Yes, LD endorsements are integral to a campaign. Just like Joe Fitzgibbon, John Burbank, and--oh shit--Jean Godden!

Having worked with Joy in our attempt to keep Cooper open, you have very finely worded her opinions and actions. We need a passionate advocate on that Board so that we know actual families are being considered when they vote. If anyone has any sense, they will vote for Joy!!

Granted, I'm on the record supporting Classen, but your Forch endorsement is as surprising as it is uninformed. Checking the factual record of the candidate's stances instead of political rhetoric would eliminate every proposed advantage you presented for Forch... well, except for his crucial understanding of parking meter installation.
First time in a long time that I've been disappointed in the Stranger's depth on a topic.

The Forch endorsement is off base and inaccurate. I think the council needs someone who better represents the Capital Hill area – someone under 50.

The Forch endorsement is way off base and inaccurate. Besides, the council needs someone who better represents the Capital Hill area – someone under 50.

Thank god two politicians you once supported, Dow Constantine and Christine Gregoire, are a hell of a lot smarter than you, and obviously not on the payroll, as I'm not so sure you aren't...of the People's Waterfront Coalition Of Developers Who Own Land Uphill of the Viaduct. THEY can think region-wide. THEY understand that people have jobs they need to get to, that commerce needs to move through a water locked penninsula, that your constant reference to the Embarcadero freeway in San Francisco is complete bullshit (ripping out highway 280 would be a much better comparison), as is your "study" that says the "Surface/Transit alternative"...the ONLY plan dumber and more out of touch than this tunnel...won't make things worse than they are. Of COURSE the tunnel is a bad plan, but "Surface/Transit", or "Let Them Eat Bus" is assinine. Are you secretly working WITH the tunnel crowd to make SURE the only alternative is STUPID? Very telling that your map last week didn't include West or South Seattle at all. Do we really need to be able to see Elliot Bay from 6th avenue? Is that what you're so concerned with? I know I sure as hell won't be able to afford to eat in the pricey new restaurants or live in the pricey new condos that will be going in...and their views won't be affected by the now-not-moving-at-all traffic on the waterfront, but some of us need to get to work, and don't have two hours to add to our day. "Improve I-5"? Are you advocating demolishing the convention center and freeway park? Why is the Stranger...who once opposed the Seattle Commons Park project on the grounds that it would "create a nice lawn for rich people" (as if Central Park in New York is only used by the rich people who live around it)..so hell-bent on making the waterfront nice for rich people and fucking the West and South parts of the city to make it happen? Instead of being incredulous that the working people of Seattle are expected to facilitate pricey new real estate they can't use with tolls, you use it as ammunition to pimp lunacy. Well how about a nice steaming hot cup of go fuck yourself, I'll go right to Maakies next time and recycle the rest of your bullshit. With liberals like you watching out for the rich who always seem to get their way in this day and age...who needs Republicans?

I love reading these endorsements, even though I live nowhere near Seattle and can't vote in any of these races. They're just so very entertaining and informative!

Nick Licata's endorsement may be toxic to me in the Forch vs. Taylor-Judd toss-up.

Nobody better represents the NIMBY-ish, retrograde Seattle approach to "progressivism" better than Licata.

It sounds like we have very few candidates or initiatives to be enthusiastic about this time around. :(

PS: NO ON THE FUCKING TUNNEL.

The tunnel smelled like a rat from the get-go.
I hope this kills the damn thing for good. Can't we find better ways to "put people back to work" than digging a hole in the ground?

The tunnel smelled like a rat from the get-go.
I hope this vote kills it for good. Can't we find better ways to "put people back to work" than digging a hole in the ground? Please.

***Kudos to the Mayor for fighting the thing for so long. That's cajones.

It's nice that you're supporting a progressive against Godden in the primary, but do you really plan to stick with him? Or will you run back to Godden in the general election the way you did in 2007? You complain about the spine of the candidates; what can we expect for SECB?

No! traffic wont be the same if the tunnel is built or not and as the mayor put it last night that Seattle "has always been" "is now" and in the future "will always be financially responsible" and how congress should get its act together????

The "cost" of the tunnel is the wonder "unless you have lived with this American ignorance for a while and have come to understand it"

No! a bunch of piranhas hanging out in front of your coffee shop wont make mellow non-confrontational Americans cross the street to go to get a cup of "You don't have to pay attention the city's problems as well as pay for coffee "BEFORE" you need to wake up and deal with "your world".

Like we need to remind someone of the story of Washingtons States traffic ignorance and waste of tax payers money over the last 50 years? like we need the congress and the city and the bum asking for beer money?

Do I need to pay the city to take care of veterans and if so can I pay the military to take care of my city?

Sally Clark?! Are you serious? Read who endorses her on her website!!! THE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS GUILD. Are you kidding me?! After everything that's been going on and the way that organization is terrorizing us?! I am gay but I am not going to vote for every gay person that is running for office. There are people at Police Internal Affairs that are gay too but they are just as corrupt and unaccountable in a nazi culture that police guild is promoting today against our society. Look at the city of Miami Beach for example, a lot of gay officials and a gay Internal Affairs Captain, but corruption and police brutality against gays is through the roof with lawsuits piling up.

Dian Ferguson, unlike Sally Clark, is very clear where she stands on police accountability and is not endorsed by their guild. Sally Clark has done good things for the time, but times changed and she is becoming irrelevant to the issues we face today. Saving environment and riding a bicycle in traffic is probably the last thing on my mind when at any moment I can be shot by some overpaid corrupt lunatic cop that will lie and get away with it... I do not want to even listen to anyone who is associated with police today.

Do not re-elect Sally Clark! There are enough police connections at the council already. In fact no one have shown any real leadership on the council about the accountability and the guild's attitudes towards the taxpayers.

Vote for Dian Ferguson. get to know her at least! This article is only written by one person and shouldn't be taken seriously. Come on people, it's 2011, google your info.

I actually worked with Dian a while ago in Skyway when she was an activist there and did a fantastic job. And by the way, I am not black and not a female, not even Asian or Hispanic... I am gay though... Vote for Dian Ferguson!

Sybil Trelawney teaches Divination, not Divinity. Jeez.

No love for GoodSpaceGuy and his plan to end the minimum wage because wage-price spirals are the sole cause of recession? Yeah, in 1975.

Ha, racial privilege in Seattle is ALIVE baby!
On behalf of all the smooth talking Whites in politics... and straight white males who are perpetually convinced that they're NOT race/gender privileged.

Oh yea, that's to #56 & #57

"Never in the history of political fundraising in Seattle—or, at least, not since the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission started archiving detailed online records way, way back in 2003—has every single city council incumbent raised so much money."

The Stranger Election Control Board, and most people, are missing the point:

The actual problem is the very fact that money can influence ANY vote. Sure, there was a time when you needed serious dough to pay printers and to buy media ads. All that was BEFORE FREE MEDIA; that thing the kids are calling the Interweb or some such contraption.
Today, what you really need is a compelling position and message to distinguish yourself from all the knuckleheads. This alone will draw the necessary attention to your cause. If money can buy votes away from you, the problem is that people are incredibly daft (obviously) AND you don't have anything to say that would otherwise change or influence the votes of the people.

popcorn.gif

@nemo- you do realize that Classen is at least 15 years younger than Forch, right? To represent our generation, my pick is the guy in his mid-30s (Classen) and not the guy in his 50s who has spent 20 years working his way up to become just middle management at a poorly run city department.

@64 -

Specifically, Bobby is 54, Maurice Classen is 34, so a 20 year difference.

WARNING: Voting to "Reject the Tunnel" is not a safe alternative to the viaduct. How intelligent and critical thinking people can continue to support the "surface non-option" is beyond me. Perhaps they have never been north or south of downtown. The fact is, nearly all suburban communities are not easily reconfigured for transit, and downtown is not always the final destination - i.e. people on the Westside need a north/south throughway that is an alternative to the Vancouver to Portland Interstate. The fact that the deep bore tunnel can: provide a replacement for the viaduct for through traffic without causing long term disruption to transit or waterfront businesses, allow for a reduced roadway footprint along the downtown waterfront thus maximizing commercial, pedestrian and open space, and allow for traffic to pass under rather than through downtown makes it a winner in my mind. The cost is high and so is the value. As long as the city is part of a larger community with diverse development patterns and transportation needs, it will have to provide effective transportation options, and buses, bikes and trains alone won’t be enough, especially since we took a pass on the monorail. That is why it is called "State Route" 99. And what will be the climate friendly argument against personal vehicles when everybody is driving a Nissan Leaf?
I am not PC and the deep bore tunnel was my idea. Vote yes on Referendum 1, so we can get on to tearing out those stupid old piers and really open up the waterfront...

More evidence the Stranger got duped by Forch:

http://publicola.com/2011/08/03/campaign…

Clearly, Forch is running a "tell them what you think they want to hear campaign" without any true substance or depth. Waffling from pro-business to the "progressive choice.". He'll burn out before the primary.

I, like many residents of King County, know very little about the candidates, so reading your endorsements was not only fascinating and educational, but fucking hilarious! I had to change my pajamas I laughed so hard! Wish we could read such insightful outrageously clever pieces in the Times!!!

I, like so many King County residents, know very little about the candidates so your endorsements were not only insightful and educational, but fucking hilarious! I had to change my pajamas I laughed so hard! Plus you've inspired me to read up on the candidates so that my votes will be more thoughtful. Wish I could read this kind of refreshing, outrageously clever and intelligent writing in the Times!

Once again check out www.eatthestate.org

I'm voting for the guy with the really bad haircut, just because I liked him in Red Dwarf.

Go Crieghton!! Or whatever the hell your name is.

I really like Michael Taylor-Judd. He won my vote at the Washington Bus talent show.

They still don't know why the economy belly's up and they still don't know that wall street is as flaky as Kellogg's?

Its like going to the rock races to bet your money on the fastest rock?

Slash and burn all the programs you want and raise taxes until every male in Seattle looses His genitalia and it will not help one bit when a city cant even develop a "meaningful plan" to be financial stable.

The city saved how much money over the past 10 years? and the city invested in what the past 10 years? No jobs! No Social Security! No Bus! No School! No everything! but Yes taxes?

American Government is like the Catholic Church as its Believed to be a place of refuge and help and a better way of life but the truth is its a hide out for a bunch of professional pedophiles.

The people have spoken. They support the tunnel.

Voters backing Seattle tunnel; fight may finally be over
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/lo…

Can you dig it?