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Thinking Out Loud

'Kingmaking' and council endorsements

Here's what David Hoggard says in his blog about Tuesday's council results:

Second in the king-maker role this time around (to consultant Bill Burckley) is undeniably the Hammer Brothers of Rhino fame. Eight of their nine picks ended up a winner this term suggesting that their pulse-feeling fingers are more sensitive to the mood of the local electorate than that of the N&R’s who endorsed six of nine.

What David may be missing here is that the point of our endorsements is not to pick the winners. It is to pick who we perceive as the best candidates.

We do that based on what we believe each candidate brings to the table, not his or her chances for victory.

We're figured, for instance, that Joel Landau was a decided underdog to Mary Rakestraw in District 4, but we chose him, narrowly, over her, based on the fresh perspectives he could offer.

Frankly, we were surprised the race was as close as it turned out to be.

This is not an NCAA Tournament pool for us. We're not in this to predict winners; we're endorsing who we think is best in each race.

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Posted by Allen Johnson on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 11:03 am

What do you think?

16 comment(s)

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bobgbo

November 4, 2009 - 3:24 pm EST

Yeah, sure.

CherylP25

November 11, 2009 - 2:50 pm EST

So, by your comment, are we to infer that the N&R endorsements are NOT the candidates that the editorial board deemed best for the job?

Allen Johnson

November 11, 2009 - 3:40 pm EST

Quite the contrary. They were.

Doug Johnson

November 4, 2009 - 4:10 pm EST

Could you tell us what your endorsement rate for liberals is.
I heard it was 96.8% for last 12 years.
I have no proof of that, so I accept it as hearsay.

Allen Johnson

November 4, 2009 - 4:14 pm EST

Doug:
I have no idea. We don't keep such stats. Who''s a liberal and who's not on the City Council, school board and county commissioners?

CherylP25

November 11, 2009 - 2:52 pm EST

What is the litmus test for "liberals"? The definition of LIBERAL is: 1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. 2. (often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform. 3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism. 4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties. 5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers. 6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies. 7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant. 8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor. 10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation. 11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.

Jon

November 4, 2009 - 6:20 pm EST

One of Knight's campaign promises was to resolve the problems in the G'boro Police Department. Solution. Merge them into the County Sheriff's dept. BJ'll resolve that matter. If I were Knight and the new crew I'd Unigov that one.

Allen Johnson

November 4, 2009 - 6:27 pm EST

BJ is a good one. But policing and elective politics can be a dangerous mix.

Jeff Deal

November 4, 2009 - 11:32 pm EST

"policing and elective politics can be a dangerous mix"....

Not sure about the intent behind that statement, and nothing against the vast majority of GPD officers who are fine public servants, but as a resident of unincorporated Guilford County, I rely on GCSD to respond when I need them to.

And they do.

Jon

November 6, 2009 - 11:29 am EST

I'd tend to put more faith in an official elected by all the citizens instead of an individual hired by nine individuals with different agendas and perspectives on who or how someone should provide for the security of our neighborhoods. In the latter case with respect to the GPD, it's not working.

nclawkid

November 4, 2009 - 11:37 pm EST

Someone should tell Alex Castellanos that he should stick to national strategy and not attempt to analyze local elections. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/opinion/05castellanos.html

He's using the results in Greensboro to make a broader point about the Republican party, which is both inaccurate and disingenuous. Did Yvonne Johnson lose a few votes because she was a Democrat? Possibly. But it's probably more fair to say that complacency and low turnout did her in. Throw in all the pot stirring by the Rhino and it's easy to see how the mayor's race was much more complicated than Castellanos makes it out to be.

Most readers will probably find his opinion unpersuasive, however, since he's trying to argue that in 2009, it was enough to win by not having a (D) by your name. Yet he forgot to mention that a majority of Greensboro voters are registered Democrats, which is essential to his argument.

I hate when national media outlets and pundits swoop in and oversimplify the outcomes.

brian444

November 5, 2009 - 1:00 pm EST

Neither candidate had a "D" next to his or her name, which further muddles his argument.

Even my crazy liberal wife voted for Knight, but it had nothing to do with ideology: she thought he would run a tighter ship than Johnson. But unless I steal her car keys, she'll be pulling the "D" lever in predictable fashion next November.

Mick

November 5, 2009 - 8:48 am EST

Do your endorsements then show you are somewhat out of touch with voters?
Do your endorsements then prove w/o doubt your are politically left of a largely Democrat populace?

Allen Johnson

November 5, 2009 - 9:15 am EST

Not really. Over the vast majority of recent elections, they have reflected the general results in the county and the city, although, again, they are not intended to be predictors.

In fact, no offense to the Rhino, but they have more closely mirrored the results in most elections than the Rhino's, including the 2008 election.

brian444

November 5, 2009 - 1:13 pm EST

Don't worry, the Rhino won't be offended: they pick the best person for the job irrespective of which way the political winds are blowing.

Serious point: You guys rely too much on "fresh vision," "new perspective," "strong background," "open-minded," "x style," etc. And too little on "supports reopening the landfill," "opposed firing Mitch Johnson," etc. With no party tags to identify them, candidates get away too easily in the N&R with "supporting job creation" and "improving efficiency." Let us know where they stand on the hot-button issues: make them answer the hard questions, not identify a "main goal." Less on temperament, more on the concrete issues.

Doug Johnson

November 6, 2009 - 4:03 am EST

That is easy Mr.Johnson how they talk about spending money. Can not tell you about Greensboro, up here we had a candidate, who all he talked about was his big plans.
He made the statement, I will not use your tax dollars. I will get the money from the federal government!

Sounds like Perdue and her crab pots. Which very few of you heard about.
B444, sounds like my wife until the liberals went after Palin, she then began, to see the light, thank God!
She got off CNN, and started to watch other news outlets.