I find it a bit disheartening that after the forum last night and given how this race is going, that instead of talking about how the endorsed candidates stack up against each other of the two leading DFLers stack up against each other, the discussion is about how the Black candidates stand up against each other. Most people will be voting along party lines the big question is how will Olin stack up against Don in my opinion.
And while I like and support Dyna's fantasy campaign (are you seeking endorsements btw?;-) I think the logic of the results is a bit flawed. At the 3rd convention, Kari and Olin walked in with delegates. You need only look at the delegate list to confirm that, and that's how the game is played, get your family and friends on board and have them go with you. Don walked in without that and as a political newcomer gained enough support to make it through the first ballot. That in and of itself was a testament to the candidate and his campaign. But had we added Don's supporters as Dyna theoretically did (it was actually more like 30 than 20), Don would have been in the lead on the first ballot and could have (would have) gained from there. Given that Kari and Olin were the two perceived heavy hitters, there's a good chance her support would have gone to Don, rather than Olin, if only because many times people are voting against a candidate as much as for another. Olin did win the DFL endorsement and he did it fair and square as Dyna said. I believe in giving credit where credit is due. But let's not rewrite it as if there was this huge groundswell of support from the community with neighbors calling their delegates to support Olin and hoist him up over the fray. No, that was Don's campaign. If that were the case for Olin, he would have won on the first ballot. Instead he got almost 37%, the other 25% settled for him, and the remaining 38% had to accept him because of majority rules. Olin ran a good floor and had good supporters, but the fact still remains that there are more people forced to accept him then were actually supporting, even discounting those who settled for him. From what I know of him, he's a nice and competent guy, as I said, give credit where it's due. When I've dealt with him in Sabo's office he's always been responsive. And Dyna, no one's pigeonholing him as an insider because he works there, he proclaims it as part of his experience (and rightly so) but between his activities and his wife being chair of the CD, he is an insider. I leave it to the individual to decide the merit of that. There's a lot of things that go into making a good councilmember--intelligence, support, experience, but most importantly character and concern for the community you will represent. NE has traditionally been taken care of, the question is who can and really will work for the Northside. I know Olin said that he understands the Northside because he lived on the Northside, I just don't know where and when. I live on the Northside, but I live in Victory which is a far cry from Jordan where I know Don lives and has dealt with the problems head on. I was disappointed last night that the moderator inexplicably discarded the question of "what involvement have you had with neighborhoods on the Northside" because she "felt" that candidates answered that in their introduction despite the fact that many of them said they'd be proud to represent Northeast on the city council. But you know what really raises some questions for me is how Olin responded to a question last night that was an obvious plant by someone. Obvious enough that because we only had time for one question the moderator choose to combine "What will you do to help acclimate to and support SE Asian residents and immigrants in the ward?" with "Given Biernet's conviction of 5 felonies will you disclose any felony convictions you've had in the past?" It was a question directed specifically at Shane and it was very poor and dishonorable thing to do. It was a cheapshot so much so that every candidate between Shane and Olin said as such and in one way or another that they were offended. This stopped when in got to Olin. And as the party that is supposed to be, and I believe is, the one that stands up for the disenfranchised, for the underdog, for the downtrodden, I would have hoped Olin would have said the same, but he did not. He would have picked up some more support by doing so, and instead it leaves me to wonder how much he truly understands not only the Northside but also the epidemic of crime and incarceration within the Black community which is the majority of the Northside. Moving to a part for all of the candidates, this race is about more than stepping stones to higher careers or looking for a way to get your one interest through, it's about dealing with the problems that the WHOLE ward has. It's about being able to be out in streets as much as you're in the council office. It's about being able bridge both sides of the river because you have experience on both sides not just because you once ate at Lucille's or Emily's. Can you legitimately represent North or Northeast given your background. Each candidate and more importantly, each voter has to decide that, but the journey is just as important as the end. When you get to that seat are you representing a party, special interest, yourself or are you representing your neighbors. And when a business starts to leave, or shops are not allowed to unionize, or the drug dealing spreads, or god forbid another riot occurs, will you be out on the front lines, arms locked with the union members/residents/neighbors to say "The line will be drawn here! This far no further." And will you stand together with them until the battle is won? Or will you quietly watch the coverage from your office or home and figure out how you can spin this so as not to look bad. This is a serious time with serious issues. This is not just a job, it is a life and you hold the responsibility for the lives of your constituents. Every candidate must ask themselves if they are truly prepared for this and if you're not prepared to wholeheartedly and honestly say yes, you have no reason to be out here. Jonathan Palmer Stepping off his soapbox in Victory And wishing honestly for the BEST candidate, whoever that is to win. "�w���b��,����� (��� �ǝ +�p8�r�,��̜@ޚ�+ȉ��fz���-�f���&�[&��+�j+�+����m�'���r��x8�z�Z�٨��m���yצ���s*+����
