May 18, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Election Post-Mortem
For reactions to yesterday's election from the L.A. blogosphere, visit L.A. Observed, L.A. Voice, Matt Szabo, The Angelino, Noti Los Angeles, Matt Welch, Marc Cooper, and Fishbowl L.A.
Posted by webmaster at 9:03 AM | Comments (1)
May 5, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Instant Runoff Voting
Schadelmann comments on the issue of instant runoff voting or "Why the Cure Is as Deadly as the Disease". He writes: "If it's Tuesday, it must be Belgium, and if it's runoff season, then it must be time for Self Appointed Prophet Steven Hill of the "Center for Voting and Democracy" to be pimping the reform du jour of so-called "progressives" to "fix" our "elections" - the so-called "reform" of Instant Runoff Voting." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 4:40 PM | Comments (2)
May 2, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> The Mayor's Race as Brutal Calculus Exam
After running the numbers, are we left with two zeros? The L.A. Voice adds it all up: "Based on Mayor Jim Hahn's four years of near absenteeism from the leadership duties of the office, his administration's penchant for triggering corruption investigations and his love of venal election-season gestures, it's plain that we can't vote in good conscience to re-elect him. Los Angeles deserves far better.The question is whether Antonio Villaraigosa's a morally and politically significant alternative. I'm not the most astute political writer, so here's the kind of struggling, sophomoric nonsense I found myself banging out way too late last night in a feeble effort to make sense of the choices" (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 11:38 AM
April 27, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> The last debate?
Following an announcement on Hahn's web site, and comments from the blogosphere, the two candidates squared off in another debate last night. (Read more).
Posted by webmaster at 11:02 AM
April 25, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Matt Szabo on Steve Lopez' recent visit to Tolliver’s Barber Shop
It's Must See TV, according to blogger Matt Szabo, and he brings you excerpts and a link to the video: "L.A. Times uber-columnist Steve Lopez calls Tolliver’s Barber Shop “the smartest barbershop in all of Los Angeles.” But perhaps after watching this piece on the mayor’s race, Tolliver’s Barber Shop should be referred to as the Last Honest Place in Los Angeles. Lopez’s piece offers a dead-on-raw-honest look at the undercurrents of this race."(Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 10:23 AM
April 22, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Taxpayers foot extra $700,000 for Hahn re-election
L.A. Voice and Boi from Troy comment on a recent report by the Daily News accusing Hahn of spending $700,000 of voters' tax money in a rush to complete Van Nuys City Hall - just in time for election season. Boi from Troy writes: "He's used a PR firm hired by the LADWP to enhance his image. He traded airport contracts for campaign contributions and now, he's using the public purse to needlessly speed up construction to score political points before the election. That's far worse than any congressman trying to get pork for his district--it's an abuse of the public trust." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 10:10 AM | Comments (1)
April 20, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us
The L.A. Voice asks: "Why are we stuck with two trust-challenged candidates who can do nothing better in the way of projecting their vision for the city's future than assault each other's character? Political consultant Greg Dewar answers that question with a good, long think on the subject and concludes that it's all our fault" (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 5:33 PM
April 18, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> "STEM CELLGATE"
Blogger Matt Szabo laments "the only real news out of Sunday’s mayoral debate was totally ignored by the two major newspapers: the stunning admission by Mayor Jim Hahn that he believed Los Angeles had no chance to host the $3 billion stem cell research institute." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 4:03 PM
April 13, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Villaraigosa leads in poll
Following the latest LAT poll, L.A. Observed comments that "even whites in the Valley and blacks in south L.A. favor Antonio Villaraigosa by a wide margin, after going big for Jim Hahn in 2001. Parks and Hertzberg voters are also strongly in Villaraigosa'a column. Citywide, the bottom line among likely voters is 53-35, with 12% undecided. It's the kind of perception-altering news that will shape the rest of the race. The bloody TV-ad battle to the finish still lies ahead, but Hahn's fundraising obstacles just got higher and Villaraigosa's lower." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 8:21 AM | Comments (1)
April 11, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Second Runoff Debate
In a post titled "BUMFIGHT! - Hahn, Villaraigosa Pummel Each Other", L.A. Voice comments on the latest heated encounter between the candidates. "When Jim Hahn and Antonio Villaraigosa faced each other this weekend for a second pre-runoff debate we hoped to get down to a discussion of what each of them really hopes to do in the next four years if elected mayor, yes? Perhaps Hahn has would explain his precipitous election-season, feel-good plans to clamp down on gangs and save Hollywood. Maybe Villaraigosa could tell us a bit more about the actual nuts and bolts of his lofty, short-on-details Vision for L.A. so that we could make a learned decision about whether he's the better man for the job rather than the lesser of two evils, right? Nope." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 11:46 AM
April 8, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Money Battle
The cash has been counted, and according to the L.A. Voice the Mayor's race "looks like the floor at two neighboring frats on the Sunday morning after competing rush-week keggers: Mayor Jim Hahn and Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa have blown more than $6.2 million combined on mailers, yard signs, TV production, airtime and other attention-getting devices, and they have pitiful little left with which to get a death grip on one another." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 10:23 AM
April 7, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Villaraigosa campaign releases fundraising totals
Mayor Sam reports on fundraising totals released today by the Villaraigosa campaign. "Their form shows Antonio has raised well over 650 thousand dollars for his campaign for Mayor. Hahn refused to release his, citing that the information will be public tomorrow. The only question to ask is, why would Antonio release this information early? Is it like what many folks suspect, that Antonio has outraised Hahn." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 2:37 PM
April 6, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Reactions to Parks' endorsement of Villaraigosa
Los Angeles blogs Noti, La Voice and Martini Republic were quick to comment on the latest endorsement in the L.A. mayoral race. News of Parks' vote of confidence also prompted posts on LA Observed, Mayor Sam's Sister City and Boi from Troy.
Posted by webmaster at 10:26 AM
March 29, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Battle of the Soundbites: Los Angeles Mayoral Runoff Debate
Following the first debate in the mayoral runoff, BOI FROM TROY asks "Can't we do better than this? The entire session consisted of Hahn and Villaraigosa repeating two to three basic talking points: Cloud of corruption," "Haven't proven anything," "No one trusts you, doublespeaker," "Not so fast there," "What have you done in the last four years," "Enron!" (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 7:35 PM
March 28, 2005
BLOGWATCH>> Post Mortem: Hahn vs. Antonio, Debate 1
LA VOICE reacts to the first debate between Hahn and Villaraigosa: "If Monday's first post-runoff debate was any indication of the thrilling repartee to come, it's going to be a long, bloody trudge to Election Day..." (Read more)
Posted by webmaster at 7:12 PM