Any comment on DC council chair? I am pretty set on everything else but don't know where I am going on chair.

by DAJ on Sep 13, 2010 4:07 pm • link • report

Can you at least comment on why you aren't making an endorsement in the Ward 1 race?

by KB on Sep 13, 2010 4:20 pm • link • report

Good for you, David.

by Neve on Sep 13, 2010 4:23 pm • link • report

I am so happy I don't get to vote here.

by Jasper on Sep 13, 2010 4:33 pm • link • report

I, too, am curious as to the reasoning behind no endorsement on Council Chair, and on Ward 1 Council.

by Malcolm Kenton on Sep 13, 2010 4:54 pm • link • report

Keep in mind Daniel Vovak for Montgomery County Executive, too! Thanks for the list.

by Daniel Vovak on Sep 13, 2010 5:07 pm • link • report

I guess I should put as much faith in David Alpert's apology(in his re-endorsement of the incumbent in Ward 6, when he conceded that he was too facile in characterizing challenger Kelvin Robinson's argument as "vague racial innuendo") as I put in Mayor Fenty's apology tour.

So if the first endorsement David made was flawed by a too-facile characterization of Kelvin Robinson's campaign (and, presumably, the second attempt to endorse in that race came closer to getting it right, at least in David's eyes), why would this summary of endorsement links point to the flawed first endorsement? Why not link to the second, corrected version?

Has David suddenly come up with proof that Kelvin Robinson engages in "vague racial innuendo"? No? I didn't think so.

Repeating the charge you've been forced to take back as "too facile"/making sh*t up is so very much worse than making the mistake in the first place.

The first mistake: Inexperience.

The second mistake: Racial malice.

by Trulee Pist on Sep 13, 2010 5:11 pm • link • report

Prediction for GGW endorsements for November are as follows:

Vote you Democrat ticket ;)

K

by Kaleel on Sep 13, 2010 5:21 pm • link • report

What are the odds that Trulee Pist is actually Kelvin Robinson himself, or one of his senior staffers? Because almost nobody else has bothered to even dispute David's comment, let alone go on a crusade about it.

by Phil on Sep 13, 2010 5:23 pm • link • report

While the mass of political-oriented posts has been a bit overdone the past couple days, I do appreciate everyone's efforts and am grateful that GGW has offered some point & counterpoint to the mayoral decision.

I suppose I'm fortunate in that I don't get to vote in the Democratic primary; spares me the hassle of having to think too much. :)

by Bossi on Sep 13, 2010 5:28 pm • link • report

GGW admins-

Could you fix the code for this thread? The comments section lost their word wrap & are floating off the right edge my screen. (feel free to delete this message once it's addressed) Cheers!

by Bossi on Sep 13, 2010 5:30 pm • link • report

What OS & browser are you using?

by David Alpert on Sep 13, 2010 5:32 pm • link • report

What are the odds that Trulee Pist is actually Kelvin Robinson himself, or one of his senior staffers? Because almost nobody else has bothered to even dispute David's comment, let alone go on a crusade about it.

I was going to say that the unsubtle race-baiting certainly seems characteristic, but didn't want to be unkind.

by oboe on Sep 13, 2010 5:41 pm • link • report

David - I'm having the same problem as Bossi and using IE8.

by Timmy on Sep 13, 2010 5:46 pm • link • report

Trulee Pist is not Robinson. He's is a Capitol Hill resident (see comments on this story), though.

by IMGoph on Sep 13, 2010 5:59 pm • link • report

I got a flyer in the mail from Tommy Wells. Under the "endorsed by" section the first listing is The Washington Post. The second: Greater Greater Washington ahead of SEIU, Sierra Club and the Gertrude Stein Democracy Club. So at least Wells is grateful for the GGW endorsement.

by Steven Yates on Sep 13, 2010 6:21 pm • link • report

@David-

I was on IE6 when I last posted. It's working fine now that I'm on Chrome.

by Bossi on Sep 13, 2010 7:00 pm • link • report

Here's who I voted for (and thereby endorse):

DC Mayor: Gray
(I've discussed why before. Basically same reasons that David gives. It's not enough to want to be able to do something you gotta be able to do it in a way that is economical and sustainable. Gray's first business in office is going to have to be to redress a lot of the badly planned initiatives which Fenty mandated without proper funding or knowledgeable management.)

DC Council Chair: Orange
(I like Kwame Brown, but I can't get past the fact that he owes something like $800,000 on credit cards ... or something like that from what I read. After 4 years of Fenty, it's going to be especially important that we have Councilmembers who understand the need for balancing the budget. Kwame doesn't seem to be able to balance his own budget, how can he be expected to help balance the District's budget?)

At-large-Councilmember: ... well ... I read up on Mendelson ... and I read up on Clark. And almost tit for tat, their position on all issues is identical. So, I thought, okay, 'but Mendelson has experience on the Council ... yeah, but, Clark would bring fresh blood and enthusiasm to that same council ... for the same ideas ... ' I almost had to flip a coin ... I ended up going with Clark partly on the 'fresh blood' thought ... and partly on the fact that a dear friend is working on his election campaign. We can't lose with either candidate.

I didn't get to vote for Wards 3, 5, or 6 ... Nor does David ... And I don't even know if Dan and Ken are DC residents ... I'm not sure who I would have voted for given the opportunity ... But then, since I don't live in those wards why would I even give a stab at saying who should vote for who there. I don't live there and don't know their issues. I think Wells thinking on the bag tax is flawed, but maybe his residents have plastic (and paper) bags handing from all the trees there ... and, of course, the Anacostia runs along that ward ... So, maybe his constituents have good reason to put that above being sure 'all residents are brought along into prosperity and growth' ... or something like that which David said in giving his reasons for Gray over Fenty. (Which makes me wonder of course why he said this about the Fenty ... but noticably didn't bring the matter up about Wells ... )

Oh well ... big day is tomorrow.

by Lance on Sep 13, 2010 7:14 pm • link • report

*Clark Ray ... At-Large Councilmember

you gotta luv it when someone has 2 first names! ;)

by Lance on Sep 13, 2010 7:18 pm • link • report

Vincent Gray has waffled on marrage equality and he is a big bucks lobbyist. I'm happily voting for Kwame Brown for Chair.

by Howard Park on Sep 13, 2010 7:26 pm • link • report

I had a typo in the return email associated with my first post here. (Am using Firefox browser because of noted problems with IE.) Anyone know how to clear out the email address in the comment block so that it populates with correct email address next time? thanks

by Lance on Sep 13, 2010 7:30 pm • link • report

Fenty or Lrrr. I was going to go with Ndnd but I like the idea of a mayor who tells whiners to shut it, or vaporizes them.

I cannot vote for Orange, having lived with him being around when he was actually on the council. Bloviating blowhard with about as much raw intelligence as deep fried catfish, corrupt, sticky fingers and eternally on his knees for big business; the last position belongs to Jack Evans, we need no more. Ugh, what an election...

Ray sounds nice, but the life as a political appointee irks me. That and I think 2 gay white men on the council is enough, 3 is overkill.

by copperred on Sep 13, 2010 10:01 pm • link • report

Is Arlington part of Greater Washington? There's a city council race that merits a look: Kevin Chisholm, Green, is running against Democrat Chris Zimmerman. A big part of Kevin's platform is multi-modal transit, especially bikes. Kevin is also opposed to the trolley project in Lower Arlington (it won't go any faster than buses, and will cost tens of millions more). I've done some volunteering with Kevin, and I think he's a great candidate for GGW's goals and interests in the area. http://greensofarlington.org/

by M. Townes on Sep 13, 2010 10:32 pm • link • report

Have you punted on Ward One because of your connection to Jim Graham? Even though he has been horrific on Metro oversight, drives everywhere and parks anywhere he chooses?

Weaver is so the transit choice. This makes me so sad.

by So Sad on Sep 13, 2010 10:41 pm • link • report

M. Townes: The race you speak of is not part of tomorrow's election. These are only endorsements for the primary. We'll make an endorsement in that race in due time.

by David Alpert on Sep 13, 2010 10:52 pm • link • report

Zimmerman is probably the strongest urbanist-aligned elected official in the region, DC included. It would criminal for anyone who cares about cities and transit to vote against him. If the Greens really believe in the stuff, Zimmerman is not the guy to go after.

by BallstonGuy on Sep 14, 2010 1:09 am • link • report

Sorry for the delay about the wrapping problem. It's been fixed. I had a stray tag that was confusing IE.

by David Alpert on Sep 14, 2010 8:34 am • link • report

*Clark Ray ... At-Large Councilmember
you gotta luv it when someone has 2 first names! ;)

Even better when that candidate puts his *first* name on his campaign signs and literature in bold, and his last name in reduced typeface.

Voter enters booth. "I'm voting for Clark, daggummit!!" Scans the ballot... "Okay, let's see. Hmm... I don't see 'Clark' on the ballot. Odd. Oh, well, I guess I'll vote for Michael Brown. I've always liked that guy..."

by oboe on Sep 14, 2010 9:02 am • link • report

Even better when that candidate puts his *first* name on his campaign signs and literature in bold, and his last name in reduced typeface.

I wonder if that's to try to get the vote of elderly Dave Clark supporters.

by Juanita de Talmas on Sep 14, 2010 2:37 pm • link • report

Lance: Yes, Dan and Ken both live in the District (even if I didn't know this, it's mentioned on both of their bios on the site) - that's why they wrote mayoral endorsements, much like I live in Ward 5 and wrote that one.

Additionally, because I'm familiar with Orange's history as Ward 5 councilmember, I cannot in good faith vote for him to be council chair. While Brown is less than ideal (as many have said, voting Gray for chair makes the most sense here), a good chunk of that debt is mortgage - meaning I'm 6-figures in debt, too, and so are most homeowners in the area still within their 30-years of monthly payments and HELOCS. Not an endorsement for Brown, just additional perspective.

by jaime on Sep 14, 2010 4:22 pm • link • report

While Brown is less than ideal (as many have said, voting Gray for chair makes the most sense here), a good chunk of that debt is mortgage

Hmm. This the first I've heard of that. If true, the folks pushing this line ought to be tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. That really is quite disgusting.

by oboe on Sep 14, 2010 4:29 pm • link • report

oboe: Admittedly not the best decisions in refinancing (and additional purchases), but here's one accounting of the debt.

by jaime on Sep 14, 2010 4:41 pm • link • report

David, you just lost all your progressive cred. All of it. Gabe Klein, Cathy Lanier, Michelle Rhee? Who will Gray replace them with? Why risk it?

by dcguy on Sep 14, 2010 7:54 pm • link • report