Friday, January 18, 2008

City Atty. Race: WTF?

With Councilmember Brian Maienschein throwing his hat into the ring for City Attorney I can only ask the obvious; “Why?” Does he really think he stands a chance in this field?

Here are my thoughts on why he’s doing this:

1) Mike supporters are mostly Republican.
I base this bit of conjecture on the fact that if the Republicans were anti-Mike, their instinctive attraction to order would link them to a single candidate to carry the day. That doesn’t seem to be the case otherwise they wouldn’t have so much trouble fielding a candidate. Look, if you have unified party behind you in San Diego, you win, especially on the Republican side because at least they vote. The fact that people are shying away from this tells me there is more going on below the surface and the most obvious “candidate” is that Mike pulls from the Republicans in such a high number that, short of the Democrats endorsing him, they can’t make a partisan appeal.

So a more moderate influence is needed. Enter Brian betting, correctly I think, that his name recognition is higher in the City than Jan’s and, even if Mike pounds him into the sand, he can say he fought the good fight and stood up when none else did

2) Brian needs a job.
Our termed out councilman needs something to hang his hat on because the last thing legislators want to be is termed out. You lose the taxpayer paid staff, you’re not treated “special” and you don’t have access to the money chambers you once did. And the last thing anybody who was (they think) somebody wants to become is a nobody.

At minimum, by being a pain in Goldsmith’s hide he can burnish his credentials in being the anti-Goldsmith, whatever that becomes, as the race progresses. Any press is good press.

3) This is what happens when you’re in a city filled with big mouths and no guts.
A constant refrain from this race is the Aguirre needs to go, but those who would publicly say so or act towards this refuse to because they’re afraid of him. Last time I checked, I thought we lived in America where you could say what you wanted. Oops! I’m in San Diego where speaking your mind is a no-no unless approved from the oligarchs that run the city.

I’m overstating the case here but the point is that this race, like many others, will attract the second stringers and has-beens unless those who can make difference dare speak out for what they believe. Short of that, San Diegans deserve what they’ll get: four more years of Sanders and Aguirre.

Because if this race were to be taken seriously, Brain wouldn’t have dreamed of entering.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting that most of Mike's support would be from the Republican side. That would explain much.

Anonymous said...

Today's fish wrap says even the local GOP doesn't want Brian to run.

Anonymous said...

Wow, if I'm a Mike Supporter this is great news! Brian will be a great diversion and will focus voters once again on the pension crisis and how it happened while Brian voted us down into that mess.... But then again who knows, Mike's antics could cause him to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Lucas said...

Interesting concept, since he never shows up to his current job. The whole "not only would I not be another Aguirre, I wouldn't even be in the building" pitch might get some traction.