Recent Articles
It is probably Brett’s to lose
All week I’m hearing from political pros how Mark will still beat Brett for mayor. Mark is too smooth, they say. Mark knows what to say in every situation. Brett is doing a poor job of exposing Mark’s
All week I’m hearing from political pros how Mark will still beat Brett for mayor. Mark is too smooth, they say. Mark knows what to say in every situation. Brett is doing a poor job of exposing Mark’s
Consider this. Mark got 28% of the vote. We cannot find a local incumbent receiving less than 30% in a primary who was then elected in the general election. The biggest comeback found was in 1991. Shirley Van Zanten got 31% in the primary (against 6 challengers) and 57% in the general to win. She beat Don Hansey. This year Don is running for city council against Terry Borneman.
We all agree this is the most contested mayor election with an incumbent in memory. All past mayors were re-elected every time they ran. Douglas, Hertz, Williams, Westford - that is as far back as we can go. Douglas had a tough race in 1991, getting 34% in the primary against four challengers, and 58% in the general to win. (thanks to BM for research)
Bottom line: The mayor's race is 50-50. It is probably Brett's to lose
To comment, please log in.
It is probably Brett’s to lose
All week I’m hearing from political pros how Mark will still beat Brett for mayor. Mark is too smooth, they say. Mark knows what to say in every situation. Brett is doing a poor job of exposing Mark’s
Taking care of our own—NOT!
Did you know that US soldiers who get wounded in Iraq and are hospitalized in military hospitals - for amputation of their foot or other treatment - are then charged for the food they receive in the h
I would sure welcome some company online
The look of this home page has changed today. The flag is larger and now fits official flag specs. My thanks to Conrad Suckow for this. While it is larger, the image for downloading is 1/20 the former
The Auditor counted all but the last
25 ballots today. In the only close race, Don Hansey has firmly out-polled Sheri Ward. Given how the Herald viewed the big absentee count on Friday afternoon, we can expect them to tell us tomorrow m
Decreasing the ‘bull’ factor
The dates of the Lunch Time Soapbox Forums schedule has been adjusted. It will now start on Wednesday, October 8, instead of the 1st as originally posted. The forums from that first week have been mov
Conclusive election results are now in
Don Hansey has out-polled Sheri Ward and will face Terry Borneman for city council representative from the 5th Ward. Terry polled only 44% and probably faces a stiff race to retain his seat. Don is to
Insist on the truth about war casualties
Were 8 US soldiers killed yesterday, besides the 3 being reported? We may not learn for days, weeks or months. As casualties mount, the US military appears to be playing with the numbers. The US only
Some comments on national issues
Foreign Internet news sites are reporting 8 US soldiers killed in Iraq today. Nothing at the CNN, Fox and MSNBC websites. These reports are three hours old. What is happening? That would total 11 US b
A few words are in order
It is humbling and most satisfying to see the voters choose for change in leadership at City Hall and the Port. For an incumbent to get less than 40% of the vote is a mandate for change. Ginny and Mar
Internet election results: It’s just a fad
The Auditor will post election results in almost-real time this evening. First post should be about 8:15, and because of the very few races the evening count may be done by 9:30.
The first live
Can this website influence the elections?
I doubt it. Most visitors are political experts - elected, bureaucrats, reporters or junkies - and have their own candidates to support. Few casual citizens even know of this site. Regardless, below a
Facing the abyss
So now the US is crawling to the UN asking for help in Iraq. And asking France and Germany to help. George W and his Neo-conservatives are facing the abyss - defeat and humiliation.
Gentle read
Growing up Whatcom
A new political pressure group is organizing to try and slow the growth of Whatcom County and Bellingham. Pro-Whatcom claims to be a diverse grassroots group of citizens but is actually a savvy
So - what polite word can we use?
Phone outage in Whatcom County, Bellingham and much of Skagit County since 7:45 am this morning according to news reports. KGMI is on top of this and the Bellingham Herald is posting special reports o
Why things go so wrong for us good guys
AlJazeera’s English language website has finally opened. This is the Arab news site that scooped the US news media on a weekly basis during the war last spring. The US Government supposedly blocked th
This city is in serious need of good local news coverage
According to today’s Herald, editorial page editor Carolyn Nielson is on leave. Eric Thomas, who has been writing goofy editorials aimed at humor, is now going on vacation. So - during the two weeks l
What is happening at the Herald?
You would think the Port of Bellingham getting a windfall of $17 million would be news. But since posting that here - and scooping the paid news media in Bellingham - they have ignored this. Th
The Port Commissioner campaign is getting hot
Ginny Benton, seeking her third term as commissioner, stated this evening at the Rome Grange that she will not respond to the “mud slinging” being done against her. She will “not stoop” to dignify thi
Wednesday’s Lunch Time Soapbox Forum
At yesterday’s forum, the mayor and four challengers faced the audience for over an hour of questions. The forum does not allow them to use notes, so the give and take is very entertaining as well as
Do we have to endure a tragedy before we wake up?
Go pick up today’s issue of the Bellingham Weekly and read the Skinny. It reports on the Bellingham Police giving jaywalking citations to downtown merchants who have dared to criticize the police. The
