Friday, August 04, 2006

Nancy vs Bonnie

I still have people coming up to me and asking how the debate went with Bonnie and Nancy. I have to explain that Bonnie did not want to participate. What I find strange is most of my conservative aquaintances thought it was great idea and really looked forward to the event. Some of my close liberal friends thought it was a brilliant idea. I only know a few people who told me it was bad idea. One was Mr. Salzman and the other was Bonnie. None of the anti debate people have ever identified themselves on the blogs. The pro debate people have identified themselves.

I feel I have have vested interest in who will be Supervisor for the 4th District. I put time, effort, money and sweat into my campaign. Call me selfish, whinney, arrogant and whatever other nasty things spew out, but I would still like to see the debate.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

youre doing a good job rich, especially with that unionization threat against bonnies big contributors. your capacity to scare the hell out of these fossilized bureaucrats and unprofessional politicians is your greatest asset. use it.

Anonymous said...

I am thoroughly confused here. Why would Richard Salzman have anything to do or say with the Bonnie Neely campaign?

It’s bad enough that Bonnie hired Chris Kerrigan to be her political manager (and pays him an alleged $30,000), but what is Salzman’s involvement?

I thought Bonnie was a Republican. Why would she be associating her campaign with extreme-lefties and socialists?

samoasoftball said...

8:11AM-Surprise! Richard Salzman was an active Bonnie supporter. Saw him putting up signs around Eureka myself. If you want the pulse of Humboldt County politics, call Richard. He is probably one of the most influential political strategists in Humboldt County. I have said this before and I stand by it today, if Salzman wanted me to be Supervisor, I would have won. He said I was too late in the game to be a viable candidate. So he helped make sure I would not be there for a run off. If that would have happened it would have been an ugly affair with people having to choose sides. People close to my campaign know that we took advantage of some of Richard's stratdegy tactics and were able to pull a surprising amount votes out of votes out of no secure base.

Bonnie is banking on the left to lead her to victory.

Anonymous said...

Hint from a lil blue bird.

Give up your hopes for moderating a debate.

Then, ask your wife to put together a group of six or eight other women, with various political positions to go to the league of womens voters or some non-biased individual or group with experence in debate moderation.

Ask this group or individual(s) to help the new group write a proposal letter to both campaigns.

You can work with your wife on some of the questions that might be asked, but you can't dominate the process.

The keys here are a politically balanced group of people and professional non-biased help with the proposal.

Robin's group, if she thinks it is a good idea, should present themselves like she does, that will go a long way.

If Robin, thinks the whole thing is a bad idea, then forget about this post, because it is a bad idea.

What do I know though, I am just a lil bluebird.

samoasoftball said...

I take it you are not the "Bluebird of Happiness" I have heard about. Blue give me hope that you are a fellow Democrat though!

Anonymous said...

With all due respect Richard, if Salzman and Kerrigan were really that “influential” shouldn’t Bonnie should have gotten at least 50% of the popular vote?

And you are not letting on the “butcher’s bill” for Local Solutions support of money, strategy, email lists, Letters To The Editor, etc. What does Local Solutions expect in return?

samoasoftball said...

9:11pm Got me there. I don't have a clue.

Anonymous said...

Obedience, that's all, those who own the political machine want to govern it.

Anonymous said...

I you give Richard Salzman way too much credit for your defeat.

There were a lot of factors. This idea that Salzman is behind everything progressive simply gives credibility to a popular mythology that serves the Arkley agenda.

I am just as angry as you are about what Local Solutions and other liberals did, but I think that you're taking things way to personally.

samoasoftball said...

Shane: Richard Salzman took me out from the beginning. I blame myself now for not at least informing that section of people a year ahead of time. You of all people know that. Why you are airing our dirty laundry publically is beyond me. I had no chance. You helped me beyond reason. I will not publically argue with you. I respect you too much for your effort. We are both pro-worker, pro-union, pro-environment, pro-choice, pro-educated growth liberals. We are both anti Bush/Arnold we both want the dams knocked down, we are both part of a progressive movement in Humboldt County. 30+ Year Democrat! Doesn't that mean anything? And yes, I am sure I have been checked, I vote every time! Me and my wife!

Eric V. Kirk said...

No, but Richard, Shane does have a point. The leadership of any organization is perfectly capable of messing up on its own. It doesn't need help from a villain in the shadows. I have no doubt that Salzman has their ear, but I can tell you that there wasn't a monolythic political agenda in this group even when Salzman was a direct player.

LS assumed you weren't going to do any better than you had in your previous election. They felt they had to support Neeley as the lesser of two evils, and they've been working closely with her in opposing the Arkley proposal. In that moment, they lost their vision. I can understand why you're bitter, but I don't see anything to suggest that there's more to it than that.

samoasoftball said...

Ok Erik and Shane. I am being double teamed. Time to pass the ball. Points taken. I will take it out on the softball tonight!

Anonymous said...

Richard, as one who was in on the HCDCC's decision against endorsing anyone in your race, I want to point out that we did not indeed have any idea you were even running until too late in the game. You are a good man and mean well. HCDCC contains people of different philosophies and backgrounds. You are welcome to attend, or to join as an associate (it's only $15). The large number of democrats, beginning with Congressman Mike Thompson on down, who endorse Bonnie do so for two reasons: 1) Bonnie has done a good job and 2) electing Nancy Flemming would be like electing Robin P. Arkley II (If you like Bush, you'll love Flemming). Stay involved!

Eric V. Kirk said...

anon 10:30 - Neely also supports Bush. And Schwarzenegger.

Anonymous said...

Neely is a social liberal and a fiscal moderate (no real choice in this era of no-money-for-government). She is NO neocon, while Nanoo is anything it takes to get elected.

Anon.R.mous said...

I'm starting to hate the word "neocon" and the people who use it.

Anonymous said...

Come on Richard... what dirty laundry? I just wanted to address your point about Salzman in the public, becuase I know that what you said about him simply isn't true. He doesn't have that much power.

As for anon 10:30 - I probably know you or have met you, and I probably even like you, but let me just tell you right now, while you have the cloak of aninimoty: it's people like you who enable the right.

Folks in the 4th District now have to pick between two Republicans. That's almost more disgusting than having to vote for a blue dog Democrat like Thompson!

I hope Bonnie wins, but only because of your second point. Your first point is certainly debatable.

samoasoftball said...

10:30am: I was a 4th district representative for the HCDCC and associate from 1995 to 2000. I not only helped with the Chicken by the Sea when it was held in Samoa, I rented and personally paid for the building and my wife and I helped with set-up and clean up. The BBQ used was my own. I hosted the bar. I served at booths at the Humboldt County fair and North Country Fair. Was also a Precinct Captain and GOTV volunteer. I left the area to serve a 5 year term as a union organizer in Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Southern California. I filed all papers timely and your HCDCC chair Patrick Riggs (Who had committed to Bonnie way earlier) choose not to inform you way before my meeting with the HCDCC. So please save it.

Anonymous said...

And then I saved the world.

samoasoftball said...

"No Binky. We will do what we do every night. Try to take over the softball world!"

Anonymous said...

From erik v. kirk, "They felt they had to support Neeley as the lesser of two evils, and they've been working closely with her in opposing the Arkley proposal."

Excuse me, but why would Supervisor Bonnie Neely be "opposing" the Arkley proposal. What happened to an open mind until all the facts are in? And by this I assume you're referring to the Marina project?

The "Arkley proposal" doesn’t even go before the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. It will however go before the California Coastal Commission, of which Bonnie Neely is a member.

Since one of Bonnie largest financial contributors is Bill Pierson… you can draw your own conclusions on her vote.

And from Anonymous said... "The large number of democrats...who endorse Bonnie do so for two reasons: 1) Bonnie has done a good job and 2) electing Nancy Flemming would be like electing Robin P. Arkley II.

Could someone explain to me exactly what “good job” Bonnie Neely has done? I’m looking for details on jobs, housing, education, poverty, homeless problem, drugs, etc.

The only thing I see is the Humboldt County government getting larger (more and more bureaucracy, which requires more bureaucrats).

And who do you think is paying for this growth in government?

Anonymous said...

No Shit ! Is Boonie really paying Chris $30,000 to be a political advisor ? Unbelieveable ? But if that's true it's probably the 1st "real" job he's ever had.

I wonder why nobody had brought up HOW Bonnie first came to be on the board of supervisors ? does anyone know ? I do.

samoasoftball said...

I do not think that Chris is being paid anywhere near 30 grand. I am sure Mr. Kerrigan will be involved in multiple campaigns and willbe way busy. That will make for interesting races. Left vs Right. Marina Project/No Marina Project.