Another quick look at the kickoff to the Kansas City Mayoral Silly Season.
I should start by noting that Mayor Funky was on the outside of the debate pouting like a hurt poodle.
Or maybe I should start out noting something nice . . .
KMBC newsman Michael Mahoney and Citizens Association Prez Cheryl Bisbee did an EXCELLENT job with this public event. The turnout included a great, many new faces in the Kansas City political scene and offered a hope that this town might be more engaged in upcoming elections. As always, there's behind the scenes drama but Mahoney and Bisbee deserve credit for getting the voting public involved so early in the Mayoral Race.
Now, onto the drama . . .
Dan Porrevecchio's resignation made the evening news with a quickness.
TKC TIPSTERS were the first to offer a look at his official letter of resignation.
It was a drama that eclipsed everything else that happened during the evening.
Still . . . TKC used a bit of new technology to post a live Twitter account of some of the choice quotes from the debate night.
Here are the most important utterances of the night from the serious Mayoral Candidates with a bit of commentary from yours truly:
TKC: Four candidates are too many. Format with redirect questions is lame.
MAST Pensions are the hot topic. Burke goes after Deb Hermann: "You voted for it."
Deb Hermann, Sly and Jim Rowland all think a defined contribution plan is in the future.
Jim Rowland's behavior attacked back from his council days Rowland stays cool. . . . On this one, the douche who attacked him is part of the reason Kansas City politics is so horrible. Rowland deserves credit on this one, the comment was so personal and unprofessional it really called for a more stern rebuke given the format. Rowland played it off nicely by simply saying, "Nice Try."
Most of the questions are simply grand standing from Citizens Association members. Maybe only two exceptions to that . . .
KMBC'S Mahoney moderates and asks about poverty. Mike Burke: The best solution to poverty is to create jobs.
Jim Rowland promises to show up at every murder scene. Notes the disparity over lack of attention to the death of young, African-American males.
Mahoney: Will you keep Troy Schulte?
Troy Schulte question: Sly: We'll see. Rowland: Yes for Troy. Burke: Yes. Deb: Should have been done last year.
Deb Hermann: We have to do more to help small and medium sized businesses in Kansas City.
Deb Hermann on 3rd District Development: We need to focus on infrastructure.
Mike Burke touts multi-year budgeting as an economic solution not yet utilized in Kansas City.
Jim Rowland: Each of us would be the antithesis of Mayor Funkhouser.
Mike Burke: This is the most important Kansas City election in our lifetime . . . I have a lifetime of dedication to our City.
With that . . . Mayoral Candidate Mike Burke won the endorsement from Citizen Association Directors and the decision will be ratified by the Governors of the group. It was really a photo finish between Deb and Mike Burke . . . But I thought both Sly James and Jim Rowland make a great impression on the crowd overall at the outset of Kansas City's Mayoral Race.
Developing . . .
Come out Deb.
ReplyDeleteWow! A meaningless endorsement from a self-important group of people who most residents in the city have never heard of.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we think the same old system with the same old faces will ever bring a different result to KCMO city government?
The e-tax vote is just over the horizon.
Were the candidates' signficant others introduced? And if so, did they all wear shoes?
ReplyDeleteThanks for Tweeting the event, Tee. It made for an interesting evening!
ReplyDeleteBurke is a member of that board, or used to be, so the endorsement doesn't mean much.
ReplyDeleteSeriously. Mike Burke? I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteMy voting choice just got easier. Anyone who blindly supports Troy Schulte as the City Manager needs to be kicked to the curb. You might as well just turn the purse strings over to King Louie
ReplyDeleteTroy is Deb's.
ReplyDelete7:51 - you sound like a really knowledgeable insider with really great information. Dumbass.
ReplyDeleteTony is referring to Deb's political thought master, Jim Rice. He made a fool out of himself and set Rowland up to handle the question. Later he asked another question and then when he didn't like the response Rice snapped at Rowland and the crowd was buzzing at his outburst. Deb was tagged team by Burke and Rowland for being the incumbent insider who gave MAST away to the firefighters and raised taxes and fees on homeowners in the middle of a recession. I predict Burke gets the endorsement. Good work Rice.
ReplyDeleteMike Burke just out bid the others for the endorsement. No big deal.
ReplyDeleteBurke promised people goodies and appointments to get the endorsement. The endorsement is meaningless. Burke won't win the primary.
ReplyDeletethe BIZ! <3 cheryl bisbee
ReplyDeleteCome out Deb.
ReplyDeleteOuting Deb has nothing to do with homophobia especially when we are coming from the LGBT community to do it.
As long as we live in the closet, we make bigotry acceptable. Some of us in the LGBT community have decided to put an end to the ability of public officials to hide who they are in order to avoid taking a stand against bigotry.
In addition, if someone stays in the closet in order to hide an improper relationship with the representative of a city contractor that corruption must be brought to light and put to an end as well.
Come Out Deb.
1:21, WTF are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteCheryl Busybee is a lunatic!
ReplyDeleteBurke is a crook.
ReplyDelete1:21 is a lunatic, too.
ReplyDeleteRoland said he will show up at every murder scene. He told my neighborhood a similar LIE and we helped get him
ReplyDeleteelected by opening several of the retirement homes up for him to speak. HE LIED. Never sat in at a DRUG WATCH. HE LIED.
Rowland will go to every murder scene?
ReplyDeleteWow, that's sure to make a big difference.
Can you spell P A N D E R I N G ?
Wow, 5:59 sounds like Rice. Or any of the other of us who know that Rowland LIES. But shhhhh! If you say it at a meeting, Cheryl can pretend like Burke got endorsed because of it.
ReplyDelete