There’s an undeniable difference between Seattle’s two candidates
for mayor: One is an idiot. Mike McGinn, whose face we put on the cover
of The Stranger recently, is not the idiot. McGinn is an
attorney who comes to the ballot with a résumé thick with
civic accomplishments: chairing the Sierra Club, founding a nonprofit
called Great City that has successfully advocated for neighborhood
improvements and more affordable housing, heading up a levy to fund
neighborhood parks, and fighting to increase transit service and
improve sidewalks. This is the sort of civic engagement you would
expect from someone running for mayor.
While McGinn has been engaged in the life of the city, T-Mobile
executive Joe Mallahan (who plunked down $200,000 of his own money to
launch his campaign) has disregarded it. For example, while McGinn was
running a campaign in the fall of 2007 to defeat a “roads and transit”
ballot measure (he argued it would come back without the roads and with
more of the transit, and he was right), Mallahan didn’t vote at all,
records from King County Elections show. In fact, Mallahan—the
man asking for your vote—hasn’t voted in 10 elections
since 2001. He didn’t vote in the primary elections of 2001 or 2005
(when the rest of us were voting for mayor). And in 2003, he didn’t
vote in the primary or the general election, when voters decided
five city council races and four school board races.
“Most people who vote—and especially in off-year
elections—pride themselves on being involved in civic life and
paying attention and learning about candidates before they vote,” says
Christian Sinderman, a local political consultant. “If someone hasn’t
taken the time to study the issues or vote, the dialogue becomes, ‘How
can you become so angry about these issues if you didn’t participate in
past issues? Why run for office if you haven’t even voted in the
past?'”
Despite repeated requests, Mallahan did not return calls for
comment. His spokeswoman, Charla Neuman, said she was unsure how many
elections he had missed, adding, “He is like 98 percent of Seattle
voters who do not have perfect voting records… Do not mistake that as
a lack of commitment to democracy.”
The rest of Mallahan’s record, upon inspection, has more holes than
cheese. Four examples:
He doesn’t know what makes the city tick. A good candidate
for mayor should be obsessed with how decisions are made, who is
affected, and what happens next. Asked for any examples of Mallahan’s
civic leadership, Neuman replied, “Can I give you private sector
and civic leadership?” She repeated a story Mallahan told in his
TV ads about T-Mobile helping victims of Hurricane Gustav continue
using their cell phones. “Most people underestimate the technological
difficulties in trying to turn on [wireless] services or add service
for people who would otherwise be without,” she said. And civic
service? “Can I have someone else who is more directly involved call
you?” Neuman said. No one from the Mallahan campaign called back. His
website says that Mallahan is one of the organizers of the Wallingford
Wurst Festival, a sausage fair. But there’s nothing related to
neighborhood organizing and nothing resembling political
involvement.
He hasn’t done his homework. Mallahan distributed campaign
fliers claiming that Mayor Greg Nickels had disbanded the gang unit
when, in fact, the gang unit shrank to six officers but remained
intact. In an endorsement meeting with The Stranger, Mallahan
was unfamiliar with the 2007 bar crackdown Operation Sobering
Thought—involving the mayor’s office, the Seattle Police
Department, and the City Attorney’s Office—which was reported
extensively by every newspaper in the city for nearly a year. The
Seattle Times reported in July that Mallahan, while attending a
forum at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, couldn’t name a single neighborhood
organization in the Central District or Capitol Hill. And when Mallahan
met with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in May, he was asked,
“What’s your position on KeyArena and the stadium taxes?” Mallahan said
he wants to find a tenant for KeyArena, but added, “I’m not familiar
with the stadium tax, to be honest with you.”
His private-sector experience was not at a progressive
company. Mallahan is asking voters to measure his qualifications on
his career at T-Mobile. But that’s not a company that reflects
Seattle’s values. In July, a memo surfaced from T-Mobile’s
human-resources division that outlined ways for executives to bust
potential labor unions, including reminding staff that T-Mobile rules
“prohibit all third parties, including union organizers, from
soliciting or distributing materials on T-Mobile premises.” (Sinderman,
the political consultant, points out, “Seattle has a long history as a
union town. And in a struggling economy, more and more people are
interested in organized labor.”) T-Mobile’s record also doesn’t jibe
with Seattle’s general support of gay rights. The Human Rights Campaign
gave the Bellevue-based company the lowest ratings in Washington State
in its Corporate Equality Index in 2008, and it was the lowest-ranked
telecommunications company in the survey nationally. “The fact that
T-Mobile is so low on the list will be news to him,” spokeswoman
Neuman said last month.
He hasn’t done anything for the environment (except eat it). During The Stranger‘s endorsement interview, we asked Mallahan
if he’s done anything—just one thing—for the environment.
Mallahan answered that he went fishing as a kid. “My mom and dad used
to plan our vacations around the tides. And that’s so that they could
feed their nine children from the bounty of the Puget Sound,” he said.
That was the only thing he could think of.
Any single example of Mallahan’s lack of qualifications would seem
like a reasonable mistake, a gap of knowledge, or an indicator that
Mallahan is an ordinary guy who has focused on some issues but not on
others. But collectively, this is a portrait of someone who didn’t give
a damn about the city until he saw a top vacancy at City Hall, then
essentially paid his way into the general election. We’d have to be
idiots to think that Seattle’s next mayor should be someone who has
demonstrated no interest in how the city runs—and Mallahan would
have to be an idiot to think we wouldn’t figure that out. 
So why should we vote for McGinn? I looked at his website and frankly he is as short on details about policy as Mallahan.
We’ve got ourselves a situation where we could end up with a liberal or quasi-liberal version of George W Bush as Mayor of Seattle. I just wish a candidate could step forward as a write in candidate to bring reason, liberalism and experience to the table. I may just write in someone. I don’t want to be liable for either of the two candidates.
McGinn, want my vote? Then start fleshing out policy detials now. And getting rid of the tunnel is not the solve-all solution to Seattle’s problems.
You would have to be an idiot to write this article. A smart, engaged executive ready to move the city forward is ten times better than McGinn – who has promised to mire the city in an unwinnable fight for the next four years.
I’ll take the intelligent executive who missed a few elections over the extremist who wants to fistfight everybody.
It’d be interesting if the Stranger based the article on Mallahan’s policy proposals and ideas, which dwarf McGinn in both substance, specificity and volume.
Do your fucking jobs. At least read his positions and ideas.
Wow, the stranger has stooped to Fox News style journalism. They just call someone an idiot but provide nothing SPECIFIC to back it up. He doesn’t call you guys because since your mind is made up that he’s an idiot and I doubt that anything you would write will change that, regardless of “facts” that you seem to report at the level of Glenn Beck or Sean Hannity which is to say a bunch of negative attacks that either have little substance or are unimportant when taken in the context of the real world.
You don’t bother looking at the issues and where the candidates actually stand, probably because McGinn isn’t specific enough on things he would actually DO to stand up to a comparison of that nature. So he financed part of his own campaign. Big deal. I sense jealousy in not having that kind of money. He’s a successful businessman, accept it. But now, let’s look at your points one by one, shall we?
First, you mention him not voting. So what? Lots of people don’t vote. I could even make the point that by not voting, he didn’t contribute to the mess we’re in by supporting a crappy candidate or a stupid ballot measure. Do we know why he didn’t vote? Also, how does not voting affect his policies or positions on the issues (which he has finally gotten into specific details about on his website if you’d bother to check it).
Next, he doesn’t know “what makes the city tick?” What the fuck does that even mean? Can you offer something specific? Give me an example of “what makes the city tick” and him “not knowing it” and I’ll take you seriously.
Not doing his homework- I’ll give you that one, although when McGinn was asked what organizations he would work with to improve Seattle’s night life, he couldn’t name a single one either. This occurred at the Bus Stop bar on the night he did his bar crawl through capitol hill. McGinn has come out strong on “tunnel bad, green good” but has never said anything specific about what he’d do about these things.
His private sector experience wasn’t at a progressive company. Ok, that’s true T-Mobile isn’t progressive but we’re not voting for T-Mobile for mayor, we’re voting for Joe Mallahan. What’s your point?
Finally, he hasn’t done anything for the environment. He’s a regular guy who lives in Seattle, what’s he supposed to have done? I care far more in his environmental priorities if elected than this.
One final word: although Joe may not have the background on every single issue in this city, he’s far more receptive to input than McGinn is. I have talked to both and offered suggestions to both. McGinn dismissed my questions, ignored my suggestions, and generally smiled and nodded at me. He clearly didn’t care. Mallahan listened to my suggestions (the same ones, a big one of which is to make busses run when the bars close instead of shutting down at midnight) and thought they were a great idea. He was very receptive and happy to have input. If he doesn’t know all the issues, at least he’s willing to take input from someone who does and potentially act on it rather than dismiss it outright in favor of his own agenda.
Can The Stranger stop this attack-style Fox News journalism and actually provide some facts? What is McGinn doing to DO compared to what Mallahan is going to DO and how does that make one candidate better?
Remember, “supporting” something isn’t DOING something. Fighting for something is vague, did he go out and beat down the opposition with a baseball bat or did he shake his fist angrily and how did either of those things help? Provide some substance, something specific, particularly something that’s actually important and relevant directly to the issues in Seattle and I’ll start caring. Otherwise, shut up.
The question is – now – will Mallahan spend ad dollars at the Danger.
Mc Ginn surely does.
Sign me – Cynic
After the primary when the candidate I voted for, McGinn, did so well, I was eager to pitch in with time or money. As this article demonstrates (however shrilly), it is important that Mallahan not be mayor, and the only way to make that happen was to get out there for the only alternative, a guy who might at least be half-decent at the job.
But now I’m ruined. Now I avoid thinking about the race, since the name Ed Murray is what pops up. Ed may never enter the wacky write-in campaign he’d have to, but when I think of Ed I realize, that’s a person up to the job. That’s what one looks like. What a proven, trustworthy, responsible public servant looks like.
Mallahan doesn’t, clearly. But now I don’t think McGinn does either. And I doubt I’m alone in feeling stuck there.
Mallahan is anti-union and pro-big business which is reason enough for me not to vote for him. He doesn’t give a damn about people like me. Not voting is also terrible for a politician, sets an extremely poor example.
@5 McGinn has ad dollars? Did Joe write him a 200K check too?
98%?! Did she just insult Seattle voters when over 140,000 Seattle residents just cast their ballot in last weeks primary? The primary also had the highest level of voter turnout in at least 16 years. If Mallahan’s own spokesperson is this disconnected from Seattle, how much more disconnected is he?
Sorry, but you don’t get to be an elected official if you vote only when you feel like it. Voting is the ONE civic reponsibility spelled out in the US Constitution.
And I’m working hard to make voting for Ed Murray as our next mayor to be the second civic responsibility.
“Murray for Mayor, let’s bring FABULOUSNESS to Seattle once again!!”
If you can’t be bothered to vote, I can’t be bothered to vote for you.
Dominic,
I’d sure like to hear more about Joe’s specific accomplishements at T-Mobile. How many people worked for him? Budget? What exactly was the job? How did these “initiatives” he developed actually work.
My beef with Mallahan is that the city doesn’t run on profit. The city doesn’t have “customers”. I nearly fell out of my chair when I read Joe’s quote on his website:
“As mayor, I will transform our city government to make it lean, efficient, and customer-driven.”
Corporate buzzwords asside, I see no evidence that T-Mobile is customer-driven.
Does he understand that it’s just not kosher to call for the head of employees for political reasons without even knowing their actual performance. Does he even have the slightest clue how to manage people that you can’t fire in a fit of pique?
The city of seattle employees union, police, fire, etc, must be shaking in their boots right about now. Labor, as well.
“lean and efficient” are code for “BRING ME A RED PEN and the BUDGET”. Effeciency is all great and good, but we have to remember that all great organizations are fueled by people.
The mayor shouldn’t be worried about customers. The City of Seattle doesn’t have a “mission statement” that includes profit.
Holden did a great job outlining why Mallahan is an idiot. I presume the anonymous posters are form Mallahan’s campaign.
Mallahan is an idiot for not knowing his bread and butter company rated so low on the corporate equality index. If he cared, he would know. Boo!
And if Mallahan is so good at helping hurricane victims get good cell phone service, why does T-Mobile suck so bad in Seattle?
Mallahan is an idiot.
The Stranger is fuckin blowing it on the mayoral election coverage. I usually agree with most of the SECB Cheat Sheet picks, but I can’t stand the newfound slurping of McGinn’s McJizz.
Ditto on the other comments above:
McGinn is a fucking idiot, too!
“Spite is a step beyond anger. It happens when anger has hardened, you’ve polished it shiny, and you’ve fallen in love with it. Now in dangerous territory, you nevertheless can’t stop, and you decide it needs a monument.”
~ Jen Graves, The Stranger, Vol. 18 N0. 50
In this case, what might that monument of spite be? Could it be a newspaper article?
I don’t understand the purpose of all this. The election is already over and Mallahan lost, but The Stranger published this drivel (true or not) anyway. I feel like I’m at a Town Hall meeting with The Stranger in the back screaming for attention and holding up a doctored photo of President Obama with Hitler’s mustache. If there’s something important to say Holden doesn’t say it here. There is no point to this story. It’s a bid for attention. It’s a bit for this comment (and I guess they got it). Don’t hand me a melted candy bar and tell me it’s a rocket launcher. Mallahan might be an idiot, but Dominic Holden just shit his pants and tried to rub our faces in it; and you know what, I’d rather hang around an idiot than a guy who smells like feces and wants me to smell like doodoo too.
+
More and more The Stranger publishes these pieces which say nothing except: “HEY GUYS, LOOK AT ME GUYS. I’M OVER HERE EVERYBODY! HEY, DON’T YOU SEE ME?” Yes, we see you, unfortunately. Is this supposed to be a stab at the Seattle Times? If so, say so. Isn’t there something else, something more important, that you’d like to impart to readers.
Dear Holden & The Stranger,
Please stop treating us (the public) like we’re morons. We’d have to be slow to read this and think that it’s anything but your version of “shock and awe.” You’re making yourself look desperate. You have nothing to say here, you smell like poop—and YOU would have to be an idiot to think we wouldn’t figure that out.
Congratulations to Mike McGinn. The Stranger, at least sometimes, gets it right. I’m just sorry McGinn had to be tainted by their endorsement.
Also, can we have some highlighting of the fact that McGinn’s “big plans” are to improve both bus service (wrong office- run for King County council or Exec) and our schools (wrong office-run for superintendent or school board)?
The idiocy abounds in this election and is being reflected in the coverage thereof.
@ A. Osel: I voted for McGinn and think he’s the better man. That said, I want to thank you for setting Holden and The Stranger strait. Mallahan sounds like an idiot to me but why exactly does that matter now?
@ The Stranger & Holden: Get real.
@ JeffT: Not quite Fox News style but they seem to be on their way.
–Kelly Macintosh, Seattle
Whoa there Skippy! I didn’t vote in many elections because I could see that the people running were just in it for the praise and position. But, I was all for Kerry and it solidified when Obama spoke at the DNC convention and I knew that he, Obama, would be a good man for the Whitehouse.
Just what makes a solid citizen? Do you know? No, only what you perceive it to mean. There is only one person who can do the job right in this city and I refuse to run. Why me you may ask? Well, let me tell you. I know the facts on the issues. I don’t and never have catered to interests outside the whole. My belief in “you first”, as in everybody besides myself. Having been on the bottom and top at various times has me open to all the possible outcomes and gives me a level head when making decisions. It is not about those who have, but those who are yet to be able to acquire. So many things you folks are ignorant of and unwilling to learn.
We are surrounded by children fighting over cake and as children are prone to do, they will change their minds according to the frosting and not the substance of the filling.
You can find me on the street blending with the homeless one day and the next writing big checks for worthy causes, all anonymously. I don’t care what you think of me, only what you do for others.
Jump to conclusions, it only causes sore feet and then you become sluggish in following a path that’s worthy of praise.
As upper-level management, Mallahan doesn’t HAVE to work for T-Mobile. I’m sure he has skills and would be employable at any number of corporations in the Puget Sound region. But he’s CHOSEN to work for T-Mobile.
If he so strongly disagrees with their policies (anti-union, anti-gay, etc.), why does he CHOOSE to continue to work there??? Why doesn’t he work for a company with values that match his own? He does have many options in the region. My only conclusion is that he continues to work at T-Mobile because he LIKES IT, and is only concerned with one thing, making money.
I concur with 14 above: The Stranger is blowing it on election coverage.
I was going to comment on this article but #15 pretty much says it all.
I agree with JeffT.
I also went to the Bus Stop and to an event with Mallahan to do Q&A.
Here’s my rundown with McGinn:
He’s running for mayor because “we’re in an era of new change.” Wow, change. Haven’t heard that before.
Q — He was asked if he’d be a competent bureaucrat — would he know the agency to call or employ if a disaster happened or a conflict came up.
A — Lawyerly nonsense. The question was asked again and he couldn’t give a simple “Yes, and here’s why” answer.
Q- — He was asked about the homeless and how we can address their needs.
A — Sidesteps the question and says the mayor’s office has limited control. He rambles on a bit and gives a cursory understanding of the issue.
Q — I personally ask him how we can bring transportation into the 21st century in Seattle
A— Gives a 3 or 4 minute long, rambling answer. Begins promisingly, but basically ends up being that (a) we have to make new choices as a city, (b) we have to walk more and (c) we have to ride our bikes more. No real cohesive, complex transportation plan aside from that. No longer-term vision. No discussion of how our neighbors would be involved in other cities like Federal Way, Tacoma, Burien, Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah, etc. Just a simplistic answer after a rambling response.
Q — Is asked about the whole tunnel issue.
A — Advocates his vision but ignores the federal funding we’re receiving for the tunnel, doesn’t seem to understand it’s a fucking state highway where we have limited control.
Q —- I live in West Seattle and commute to Redmond…
A — He scoffed at the man working in Redmond instead of realizing that 250,000 car rides go across 520 daily. No response on how we can work with our neighbors and other cities to create viable transit solutions. He said we need to focus on rides happening within Seattle first — OK, fine, but what about the thousands of cars that use 520?
He also spoke about education and he used such great, specific ideas as “we need to invest in education.” No fucking shit. Tell me how.
I can’t defend Mallahan not voting in elections. But if I were going to write an article called “Joe Mallahan is an Idiot,” I’d at least have the journalistic integrity (and innate curiosity) to go to the campaign websites, read, research and compare Joe’s ideas against Mike’s ideas on the issues. If you do that now, you’ll find that Mallahan DOES have ideas and so does McGinn, and that both candidates often lack the specific road map on how they’ll achieve it. The opposite is true on other issues.
For example – Mallahan wants to cut city contracts by 25% to shave tens of millions off of the wasteful $125,000,000 the city spends. He has a lot of other specific ideas, too. The Stranger would be better served making Mallahan explain EXACTLY how he’ll go about achieving these goals, the specific ACCOMPLISHMENTS at his job that prepared him for this, etc.
There’s no need to call someone an idiot to grab attention. And make McGinn answer the same questions, too – like JeffT said (he and I went to the same events), McGinn was very evasive and totally lacked specifics. He spoke like a lawyer evading a question.
I don’t see how you could argue with anything in this article. Yes, it’s a bit harsh, but it’s also funny.
And we all know Mallahan wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for his deep pockets and paid staff, that he doesn’t have the right experience or knowledge, and and T-Mobile is not the progressive company you’d want to come from if you’re running for mayor.
McGinn has a history of grassroots engagement and political wins, he’s progressive (as in actually progressive, not progressive-except-when-you-decide-to-cave-to-special-interests), and he’s very knowledgeable. Just listen to interviews, such as the recent interview on KUOW: http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=18240
I like the comments that ask about McGinn’s qualifications and positions. The article has nothing to do with McGinn. It’s the pretty childish tactic of “I know you are, but what am I?”
It seems that neither of the two men who will stand in the election are as qualified as the current mayor, who certainly deserved the chastisement of his primary defeat. Seattle may be looking at its own version of the 2004 US Presidential election, where neither of the top two choices were very attractive.
Mayor McCheese just might keep his job if he runs a shadow campaign and lets the two rookies shoot themselves in the feet.
Surely the people who are going to vote in this years election will be aware of all the facts and why McGinn is the very best choice for Mayor. And I will do all that I can to make that happen. Will you?
Hmm, a swarm of unfamilar commenters defending Mallahan at the beginning of the comments, then a more predictable pro/con trickle beginning some eight or ten comments down. One thing you can say for Mallahan’s people, they keep their finger in the wind.
If Seattle isn’t bending over far enough for big business already, a Mayor Mallahan should complete the soul-sucking of this city.
This is a hatchet job that actually peaks with the headline. You could have written this at any point in the next two months prior to the general election, *after* waiting for some calls back and real quotes… not that he or his campaign have any reason to return your phone calls now.
All I had to do was go to Mallahan’s site & read his bio – legislative experience as an aide (at least he knows how the process works), community organizing in Chicago, and he was raised a Catholic Democrat (usually accused of being too pro-union) with a proud mention of his grandfather being a longshoreman. You could poke holes in any of this if you wish, but instead went with character assassination admittedly based on incomplete information.
I’ve read McGinn’s site, as well. Fighting the roads-transit initiative should not be something anyone should find pride in, not with our decaying infrastructure. Most of that roads package is something a real mayoral candidate would support. He compounds that with a massive amount of lies & misinformation about the viaduct situation. I think I’ve found the idiot in this race.
The Stranger doesn’t know what makes this city tick, either, if they think anyone’s going to pretend this drivel functions as a legitimate op-ed. Some of the criticisms of Mallahan may be accurate, but you’ve gone about it in the worst way.
p.s. Wouldn’t it be worth noting the possible conflict of interest in quoting Sinderman when he’s a paid advisor to Ed Murray, someone considering a potential write-in campaign?
One final question:
What’s wrong with spending $200,000? He’s not a multi-billionaire like Michael Bloomberg, a businessman who became one of the most popular mayors in New York City history.
Mallahan had to compete, and he did by giving his campaign money instead of squeezing it from the rest of us.
I AGREE WITH THE ARTICLE. BUT, #15 HIT THE NAIL ON THE FUCKING HEAD.
@27, MEET ME TODAY AT STARBUCKS ON DENNY AND OLIVE AND LETS DEBATE!!!! I’ll take the Pro- Murray side and you take the Mallahan side!! Tonight at 7pm!! BRING IT ON!!!!!
*note to Sloggers, sorry I’m feeding the trolls but I am sick of this unregistered pro-Mallahan shit!
Gosh, Dom!
I’m going to start thinking it’s “argumentum ad Dominem,” not “ad hominem”…
Any way you spell it, it’s a cheap rhetorical device that seems to be the stock in trade down there at Th’ Stranger.
Couldn’t agree more that Mallahan has some ‘splainin’ to do with regard to his past no-shows in the polling booth and thin record of community involvement.
HOWEVER, there are plenty of converts in life who have gone on to achieve good things–including St. Paul and ex-convicts.
Every candidate deserves to be evaluated on the merits and in the moment–so I’d suggest that you cool your jets and start doing a good job of comparing the M&Ms on that basis. That’ll be a lot more useful to those of us who’d like to actually look at stated positions, planks, and platforms, as we get ready to do what Mallahan has evidently done a few times: vote.
I guess I’m also tired of how stupid our electorate is in the sense that 75% didn’t even fucking vote. And about 90% of us all hate career politicians. Our two candidates are NOT career politicians, and now a career politician might do a write-in campaign.
Fucking Christ.
And BTW — we all need to work our fucking cocks off to make sure Susan Hutchison is defeated. She’s awful
Have you ever heard of emotional intelligence? Well McGinn doesn’t even reach the scales to see what his is. I know. I worked in the community with him for 10 years of his late or missing in action participation. When he did show up, it was super annoying to watch him be yet ruder than just showing up late, but then blather on out of turn about which pickle jar he was just sitting around and with who. Forget it. Mike may bike, albeit with an electric bike, but Joe manages.
I agree that T-Mobile Joe’s lack of prior interest in civic matters is a pale comparison to McGinn’s rich involvement in our city for the last decade plus. But why don’t we give them a few weeks to formulate positions and plans before we enter a downward spiral of name calling that matches the civility of right wing nuts attacking the President for trying to improve health care. Those guys have been battling just to get here and they need more time to prep for the next phase. I SAY BRING BACK THE DEBATE! Let’s get these fat white guys in a room in front of TV cameras and radios and have a good old fashioned exchange of ideas. Anyone?
The Stranger really blew this one.
Not that this paper’s endorsments have meant anything for the last decade, but we now have two front runners who know nothing about managing a large city. Nickels was the only candidate with the experience to push this city forward (pro-business, yes, but this frigging country was founded on pro-business principals).
These two guys do not have the fortitude or clout to stand up to the backwards city council to push items like density and public transit. Here’s to four years of Seattle sliding back to its bumpkin origins thanks to an impotent mayor.
I have to agree with # 14, 15 & 16- targeting one candidate for being a moron, whilst sucking off the equally idiotic other is a shabby excuse, even for an op-ed piece.
Also @ 33- I couldn’t agree more- McGinn is a condescending, over-talking piece of environmental rhetoric that can’t even show up for meetings- not just on time, but not show up at all. His camera charisma belies an aloof mentality I wish people could see for themselves.
Can’t stand this race, but I can’t stand McGinn even more. Sorry that money runs this country, but it does. It even runs Cuba and Venezuela and it did run the former Soviet Union, so quit crying about being pro-business. I’m not sure why some people think that a city doesn’t need growth while at the same time remain attractive to current businesses. Unreal.
this article was aweful….i’m pulling my companies’ ad dollars and will not be advertising in you publication any more as a result of this article. do you homework next time before you put out false propaganda filled with lies and deception.
We really appreciate the insights of all the businesspeople who think this country was “founded on pro-business principals,” even if they can’t spell.
Wow. This article sounds like immature rantings full of teenage angst. Sorry guys, if anything, you’ve pushed me towards voting for Mallahan.
And no, I’m not connected to either race.
Fine, Cato, I registered just for you. That doesn’t make my critique of Dominic, or The Stranger editors for okaying it, any less valid. I even stated that some of those critiques of Mallahan may have some weight if written in a better way. This article just can’t be taken seriously.
Did you really think that two random people debating Mallahan vs Murray would carry any sway? Regardless, I have a life and can’t make it. I at least agree with you that McGinn should be ignored regarding who should be next mayor 😉
McGinn thinks he can control the school district and Metro Transit, anyone with any knowledge would realize the Mayor’s Office does not have the authority to do either, as one is run by the state and the other by King County.
We do not need another spineless hippy in Seattle that will not make tough decisions…I just hope he doesn’t stop the tunnel and we have an earthquake killing people on the viaduct.
Plus have you seen his house? Get a lawn mower…you could park 4 cars on his lawn and they would go perfectly.
I’m surprised the “article” wasn’t just called “Joe Mallahan is a stinky smelly poo-poo-head.”
At least the intellectual aspects of the piece would remain in tact.
Like I said in my original post (http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/joe-m…), this article is futile and thick, not because it’s false (I don’t know if it is or isn’t), but because IT’S A GIMMICK BY THE STRANGER AND HOLDEN. The election is already over and the article doesn’t make any difference one way or the other. Why was it published? It’s neither timely nor relevant. It doesn’t include any practical information. It’s just a smash job on Mallahan (who is now a private citizen) and doesn’t do anyone any good. The whole article reeks of an outright attention grab. The Stranger wants us to call this journalism? It doesn’t matter who you liked better for Mayor. THIS COMMENT IS ABOUT THE ARTICLE ENTITLED “JOE MALLAHAN IS AN IDIOT” BY DOMINIC HOLDEN. It is Not about Mallahan, McGinn, or anything else. The Stranger has tried to pull a fast one on us by publishing an article with a provocative title but zero relevance. NO MATTER WHO’S SIDE YOU’RE ON try to wake up and smell the putrid self-importance with which this article was written and published. It’s a slap in the face to readers, advertisers, and anyone with even the slightest bit of sense. That’s all.
I know Joe and I can tell you this write up is so correct! Joe Mallahan is an arrogant nightmare. He has been given a light ride so far and I have been waiting for someone to call him out for his bullshit.
The reason he has not educated himself on city politics is that he IS so arrogant that he believes he can just throw some money and buzz words around and that will be enough.
I would rather vote for Satan himself than vote for Mallahan to the job of picking up my trash.
This is the first article I’ve ever read by the Stranger and it might be the last. Thank you to posters #14, #15, and #41 for writing somthing of substance. Without you I might feel like moving back to Boston because of this childish and shallow article.
@46 – buh bye.
@ 39
At hem…. principles. And, no, I’ve never been able to spell without the aid of teknologee.
Thank you.
Go Ed, go Ed, GO!!!
The possible write in of a very qualified candidate will solve much of the angst in the air.
The present two, if interviewing for this “job” would be at the bottom of the stack of resumes, notes say, no experience..
Neither has the grit, the brains or political moxie to run the city.
Go, Ed, go.
Write in – Ed Murray – and color the box ( spell it correctly)
I will do the same, joined by tens of thousands of Seattle voters. Vote APPROVE on Ref: 71 at the same time. That is the keep the law position, it is NOT NO, trash the hate mongers. Approve, remember Approve.
Ed can win.
@44 The election isn’t over…now it’s down to just McGinn versus Mallahan for Mayor. Hence, Mallahan-bashing, though somewhat distasteful, is quasi-relevant and Mallahan is not yet a “private citizen.”
A OLSEN: Do you realize what you just voted on? The top two vote getters go to the general election in November. That’s why it’s called a “primary.” McGinn and Mallahan are going to the general election. It is more important now than ever to point out that Mallahan is an idiot.