Krist Gets Some National Love

Posted yesterday at 2:18 pm by Brian Miller

A nice AP story about our esteemed politics-and-music blogger Krist Novoselic found its way into both The New York Times and Seattle Times. And the story of course mentions his weekly blog on this site. The story mentions his music, his love of ranked choice voting, and his run for Wahkiakum County clerk, all of which will be well familiar to his regular readers here. So maybe now, thanks to the AP story, he'll get the national readership that he richly deserves.

Topics: News, Newspapers, Politics, and Shameless Self-Promotion

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Palin Out As Alaskan Guv

Posted yesterday at 1:48 pm by Mike Seely

The Idaho grad is resigning at the end of the month. And did you know Alaska was female? Not the governor, but the massive state itself. (Check Palin's quote in the linked ADN piece.) Me neither.

Topics: Politics

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Last of a Breed--Editorial Cartoonists--Convene Tonight at Town Hall for a Fundraiser

Posted July 2 at 9:28 am by Mark Fefer

As Brian Miller mentioned in the Weekly Wire, editorial cartoonists from around the country are convening tonight at Town Hall for a public pow-wow and fundraiser. Among those attending and showing/selling their work will be pi.com's David Horsey, Ted Rall, and Portland-based Matt Bors, whose image of the indie-rockin eggplant (above) graces Jonathan Kauffman's feature story this week. Tix for tonight's event are $25.

Editorial cartoonists have been victims of budget cuts and space constraints, including in the alt-weekly world, which was among their most welcoming showcases. Our paper is one of many that no longer runs This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow, for example.

Of course, with fewer editorial cartoonists working it'll be that much easier to win the Pulitzer Prize, right? OK, maybe that's not a huge consolation.

Topics: Arts & Culture and Politics

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The Juice Man Endorses Donaldson

Posted June 30 at 5:44 pm by Mike Seely

Naturally, there are many ex-Sonics who've endorsed mayoral candidate James Donaldson — Gus Williams, Gary Payton, John Johnson, Lenny Wilkens, and Spencer Haywood among them (Husky coach Lorenzo Romar and former Wazzu & Tampa Bay quarterback Jack Thompson are on the list as well). But the most random — and my personal favorite — endorsement comes from former Supe power forward Michael "The Juice Man" Cage. The reason for his nickname is plainly evident in the photo here. Dude had a one-of-a-kind coiffure, that's for sure.

Topics: Campaign 2009, City of Seattle, Politics, and Sports

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If Al Franken Can Be a U.S. Senator, How 'Bout J.P. Patches?

Posted June 30 at 2:01 pm by Brian Miller

The NYT and everyone else is reporting the Minnesota Supreme Court decision finally granting former SNL funnyman Al Franken the critical 60th seat for Democrats in the U.S. Senate. There, he'll join our state delegation of Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, neither of whom is particularly witty or quotable.

But look: If a formerly dope-smoking, Harvard Lampoon-writing, Stuart Smalley-playing comic can get elected to our nation's highest legislative body, that opens the door for any number of local performers. J.P. Patches, for instance, still enjoys tremendous public goodwill. And John Keister, from the old local Almost Live program, is still around. As are his former colleagues Nancy Guppy, Pat Cashman, and Joel McHale (lately moved on to The Soup).

Or, what local entertainer or celeb would you like to see representing us in Washington, DC?

Topics: News and Politics

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James Donaldson: Back in the Game

Posted June 30 at 9:51 am by Mike Seely

Assessments of 7'2" ex-Sonic James Donaldson's mayoral campaign have ranged from "quixotic" to "sputtering" since the onetime city council candidate decided to up the ante and challenge Greg Nickels in late March. Since then, Donaldson's fund-raising ledger has consistently bled red, and the gentle giant has been outshone in the press by more moneyed and seasoned challengers like Joe Mallahan and Jan Drago.

But while Donaldson might be down, his celebrity status ensures that he's definitely not out: A SurveyUSA poll released last week put Donaldson in a statistical dead heat with Drago to emerge, along with the mayor, from the August 18 primary. (Nickels garnered 24 percent to Drago's 15 and Donaldson's 14, with Mike McGinn and Mallahan trailing them with 8 and 7 percent support, respectively. "Undecided" still leads the pack with 26 percent.) And with campaign manager Cindi Laws, who's also helming City Attorney Tom Carr's reelection effort, now calling the shots, Donaldson is finally primed to trade on his NBA connections to rake in some cash as well.

Continue reading "James Donaldson: Back in the Game"

Topics: Campaign 2009, City of Seattle, Politics, and Sports

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HuffPo Names Cantwell "Sexiest Senator"

Posted June 26 at 5:49 pm by Mike Seely

My former boss, Maria Cantwell, is a lot of things, some good, some bad. One of the good things, at least according to 40,000 readers who responded to a Huffington Post poll, is that she's sexy as hell. Sexier, in fact, than any senator, male or female, in all the land. Sexier, even, than MacKenzie Phillips (pictured here, before her looks took a thrashing from controlled substance abuse), to whom the purportedly comely Cantwell has often been compared.

Topics: Politics

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McD Backpedals, Slips On Rainier Club Earmark

Posted June 23 at 3:07 pm by Mike Seely

Yesterday, while making an appearance at the Rainier Club, Congressman Jim McDermott attempted to downplay his request for $250K in federal stimulus money to repair the windows of the elite, private, Mercedes-and-mahogany institution. As spin sessions go, McD flew off his stationery bike in the Rainier health club, out those supposedly dilapidated windows, and into an even deeper puddle of shit than he'd been swimming in when word of the earmark broke.

Mistake #1: Attempting to paint the Rainier Club as just another run-of-the-mill 7th District institution while physically standing in the Rainier Club, thus allowing Lewis Kamb of the Times to print observations such as: "As he talked to a reporter in the corner of the club's lobby, outside, in a crowded private parking lot, valets jockeyed to park arriving members' cars. Among the occasional Honda and Scion, the lot included several BMWs, Mercedes, and a vintage Rolls-Royce."

Mistake #2: Comparing the Rainier Club to the African-American Museum, the Seattle Art Museum, and the University of Washington, which he noted possesses a "huge endowment."

Continue reading "McD Backpedals, Slips On Rainier Club Earmark"

Topics: Politics, State of Washington, and United States of America

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Jim McDermott's Sudden Lurch to the Right

Posted June 22 at 8:17 am by Damon Agnos

Okay, it's not really that. But, as the Seattle Times reports, McDermott is soliciting a quarter of a million federal dollars for window repairs to the elite Rainier Club (where one may not be seen in denim, athletic attire or shoes, or shorts—except when going to or from the health center or an overnight guest room).

At the same time, he was among the handful of lefties who, under pressure from Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama, switched their votes on the war-funding bill. Originally, McDermott was opposed, but this time around, with the party enforcing discipline and the bill containing $5 billion for the IMF—an organization that's hardly a darling of the left, given the austerity measures it's forced upon its borrowers—he ponied up a yes vote. And all of this during Solstice. The Troll and Lenin weep, Jim McD.

Topics: Politics, State of Washington, and United States of America

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Jenny Durkan, Party Pooper

Posted June 15 at 1:07 pm by Rick Anderson

The story today about U.S. Attorney-nominee Jenny Durkan's Democratic party ties presenting a possible ethical conflict is probably all you need to know to understand the below e-mail exchange:

From Seattle attorney Anne Bremner, to Durkan, other attorneys and the press:

Hello all: Stafford Frey [law firm] is hosting a community meeting with Seattle City Attorney Tom Carr on June 17 from 4:00 to 6:00....Bring your questions and thoughts and we'll supply snacks and beverages. We look forward to seeing you.

Durkan's response:

Anne - good luck with the event. I am firmly out of all elected politics including non-partisan races. Jenny.

Topics: Politics

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New Reversal in Alaska Corruptions Cases

Posted June 5 at 9:21 am by Rick Anderson

Yet two more Alaskan corruption convictions, like that of ex-Sen. Ted Stevens, may be overturned due to Justice Department wrongdoing - which elated Seattle attorney John Henry Browne (left) yesterday when Legal Times called: "Thank God we've got judges like Judge Sullivan, thank God we've got lawyers like Brendan Sullivan, thank God we've got attorneys general like Eric Holder, otherwise this would have never come to light," said Browne.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan dismissed charges against Stevens in April at the request of the Justice Department, and ordered up a criminal probe of Justice lawyers. Yesterday, partially as a result of that probe, Justice asked that two former Alaska state representatives, Victor Kohring and Peter Kott, be released from prison because the Department also failed to disclose information to the defense prior to their trials, too.

Browne, Kohring's attorney, said he got a heads up on developments yesterday from a U.S. official, and quickly credited the judge and attorneys for the turnabout in justice. "I'm just riding on their coattails," he said.

Topics: Politics

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Hutchison Speaks

Posted June 4 at 4:03 pm by Nina Shapiro

After an odd disappearing act, Susan Hutchison, the former KIRO-TV anchor now running for King County Executive, gives her first extensive media interview to Seattlepi.com reporter Neil Modie. She doesn't elaborate much on her policy views or talk about her experience in the piece published today. Instead, she insists that can't she understand why she has been labeled a conservative. "Our polls showed that 10 percent of the people responding thought I was extremely liberal," she tells Modie—a rather puzzling argument since that leaves 90 percent who thought otherwise.

In any case, she stays away from any more musings on Richard Dawkins, perhaps because the English biologist and author told Seattle Weekly that she made up a couple anecdotes about him. But an anecdote she tells about labor leader David Freiboth doesn't quite check out. According to Hutchison, Freiboth declared that the two of them could work together. He tells Modie that what he really said was much more vague. Is this a pattern?

Topics: Politics

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Krist Novoselic's Running for Office

Posted June 4 at 12:09 pm by Chris Kornelis

Krist Novoselic's column runs every Tuesday on the Daily Weekly.

Our friend and columnist Krist Novoselic has announced that his intention to run for the Wahkiakum County clerk. He prefers "Grange Party." Anyone who's followed Krist's column knows he's been active with Grange for years. On the Grays River Grange blog, Krist wrote:

"It could be worse - at least I'm not an interloper only out to usurp the good name of the Grange. I was elected Master of the Grays River Grange and am a committed member. I'm also doing this to beat anyone else with the same idea. However, if there were another Grange candidate in the race, it would be up to voters figure out who is their preferred Grange candidate - even though the Grange doesn't run candidates.

As a strong believer in private association, I oppose the way The State has implemented I-872 - the Grange sponsored Top Two Primary. My problem is not really with a top two runoff election. My issue is with the way candidates can appropriate the name of a private group."

Good luck, Krist.

Topics: Politics

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And Then There Were Six: New Mayoral Challenger Wants to Build Giant Viaduct

Posted May 27 at 9:00 am by Damon Agnos

Campbell's proposed viaduct. And a giant sailboat.

Elizabeth Campbell is having difficulty collecting signatures for her "Yes Viaduct!" campaign, but she nevertheless wants to run for mayor. (Perhaps to collect more signatures?). The 56-year-old Magnolian is best known for wanting to build a mega-mega-viaduct ("Seattle's Newest Landmark," the campaign tells us) and for opposing the Fort Lawton redevelopment plan, which would have put 216 units of housing (including 85 low-income/homeless ones) in Discovery Park. The low-income component, she noted to King-5, was not required by the deal with the Pentagon. "It'll create another dense housing neighborhood," she said. (She also told the Seattle Courant that Greg Nickels is "encouraging people to come here and he's dismantling the city," and that it'd be a good idea to bring a Wal-Mart to Rainier.)

Despite the Fort Lawton episode, she advertises herself as a champion of homeless housing, among other things, on her campaign site. That site also features a fair number of photos of her posing with Greg Nickels—a strange choice. A student at the UW's public administration program, Campbell will be starring in a documentary on her mayoral campaign. Which should be fun to watch, and hopefully will exceed the production value on display here.

Topics: Campaign 2009, City of Seattle, Politics, and Transportation

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Looking for 120,577 Assholes

Posted May 19 at 10:53 am by Damon Agnos

Perhaps Bruno can help collect signatures

Now that the Governor has signed the state's new domestic partnership law, Attorney General Rob McKenna confirmed that same-sex civil union opponents have submitted the paperwork to make the law subject to a popular vote. The driving force behind the referendum is Protect Marriage Washington, a Political Action Committee whose endorsers include such stalwarts as Ken Hutcherson, Washington Opposed to Pro-Homosexual Policies, and Council 1379 of the Knights of Columbus. Yet to commit are Miss California, Marion Barry, the ghost of Jerry Falwell (which has been busy reuniting with the ghost of his mother), and the Supreme Ayatollah of Iran.

Continue reading "Looking for 120,577 Assholes"

Topics: Politics and State of Washington

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