Seattle mayor fights to hang onto job

FoxProvidence ^ | 08/20/2009 | Associated Press

[Robwin]

Seattle (AP) - Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has been hailed as a visionary and a leader on environmental issues, helping persuade nearly 1,000 mayors around the country to abide by the standards of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.

But an environmental issue of a more basic sort — the city's inability to clear streets during paralyzing snowstorms last winter — might have set the stage for his political undoing.

Nickels narrowly trails two challengers following Tuesday's primary and is at serious risk of not advancing to the general election in November, potentially ending his eight-year run at City Hall.

[snip]

But the city's response to a series of three snowstorms last December helped focus voters' discontent with his leadership.

Over a two-week span, the storms dumped 14 inches of snow on a city that rarely sees that much. Given a relative lack of plows, steep hills and a stubborn refusal to salt roadways, the city all but shut down, with main streets undrivable and bus service curtailed.

A Seattle Times investigation revealed that the city held some plows in reserve even as neighborhoods complained of snowbound paralysis, and Transportation Department officials focused snow removal efforts disproportionately in West Seattle, where Nickels lives.

[Robwin]

A typical Liberal. Totally out of touch with the average person's actual everyday needs while at the same time making sure he's well taken care of.

Will West Siders ever learn?

[Robwin]

ping

[A_Former_Democrat]

Yep. They get in front of the cameras with all these collateral issues while ignoring basic services

[pissant]

Good riddance to that idiot. They don’t get much worse.

[Rapscallion]

I have had a bellyfull of the liberal dogmas.
Obama, the wallet of the US is empty. You lose.
Leave and take your ilk with you.

[Robwin]

Just a small personal note regarding Seattle last winter. I was there when they had one of the storms with just a few inches of snow. It was both amusing and disquieting to watch the city come to a near complete grinding halt. Freeways clogged. Vehicles abandoned. It was amazing to witness.

[Publius]

Statistically he can't get enough votes to get a spot on the fall ballot. In fact, he is so far behind that he won't even merit an automatic recount.

He's gone. It's over.

[John123]

focused snow removal efforts disproportionately in West Seattle, where Nickels lives.

Of course...

[Intolerant in NJ]

Over a two-week span, the storms dumped 14 inches of snow on a city that rarely sees that much...During the year and-a-half I spent in Seattle, a two inch snowfall was considered a catastrophe - anybody hapless enough to be unable to deal with such a triviality should be removed from office......

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

These people are all for liberalism until it suddenly affects them. No doubt that the voters of Seattle supported Nickels when he was pushing crap beyond his scope of office but reality is a mutha———. So sick of Mayors taking up causes like global warming or banning guns when they can’t provide basic services.

[sionnsar]

Thanks to Robwin for the ping.

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

Quick link: WA State Board

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[Patrick1]

Have to love the irony of a global warming nut being done in by a snowstorm.

[rockrr]

So, with Washington state’s “top two” primary system isn’t ‘good ol #3’ out of luck? Won’t he have to win via a write-in?

Or does he have enough mojo with Fraudoire to manufacture a few extra votes?

[Publius]

It’s too late. Ballot box stuffing only works in close elections. He’s falling behind too rapidly to have any kind of shot at it.

[HardStarboard]

>>>He's gone. It's over. <<<

Promise? Cross your heart and hope to die? He needs to be gone before he can do any more damage on the way to the door.

[sionnsar]

- anybody hapless enough to be unable to deal with such a triviality should be removed from office......

Clearly you know nothing of Seattle and its climate. This just ain't Joisey out here. Our priorities, requirements and necessities are extremely different from Joisey (for all I think Nickels screwed up royally and the stupid city would be better off without him).

[rockrr]

Hi Publius!

Do you suppose this article is just “stale bread” or is there some sort of maneuvering going on to keep him in the running “Seattle mayor fights to hang onto job”?

[Ramius]

Isn’t Jean Enerson running for Mayor? How did she do?

[ezo4]

throw the bum out on his a&&

[rockrr]

I don’t think so, but Susan Hutchinson is running for King County Executive - and winning (crosses fingers)...