Random Musings on CD2
The big news of the weekend was the number of candidates for CD2 that dropped in on Sunland Tujunga's historic Watermelon Festival, long seen as the CD2 version of the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in Iowa. On hand were Chris Essel, Tamar Galatzan, Paul Krekorian, Michael McCue, Frank Sheftel and others. A number of observers took note that candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg was not in attendance leading to much speculation while at the same time some Mayor Sam readers told us they saw Zuma Dogg campaigning at events in Studio City and outside various Studio City businesses. Stay tuned.
Would Sunland-Tujunga be thrown under the bus if Chris Essel were elected? Our insider is telling us that Essel is quitely deal making so that if elected CD2 would be gerrymandered to include her Brentwood based estate while at the same time surgically remove Sunland-Tujunga from CD2 and place it in Richard Alarcon's CD7. This would allow Essel to terminate the lease on the Studio City apartment she's renting that was described to us as being less than desirable for someone of Essel's social standing.
And finally is Tamar Galatzan attempting to follow a Chicago style of politics? The mommy bloggers appear to be out in force in opposition to their cohort. We hear rumors that Tamar is attempting to silence several mommy bloggers who challenge her policies as an LAUSD member and is using some strongarm tactics to do so. One mommy blogger has gone as far to create a list of the "Top Ten Reasons You Should NOT Vote for Tamar" including "People with two full-time jobs should really focus on those jobs, and not seek a third," and "She's unelectable in Sunland-Tujunga because of two little words: Home Depot."
Would Sunland-Tujunga be thrown under the bus if Chris Essel were elected? Our insider is telling us that Essel is quitely deal making so that if elected CD2 would be gerrymandered to include her Brentwood based estate while at the same time surgically remove Sunland-Tujunga from CD2 and place it in Richard Alarcon's CD7. This would allow Essel to terminate the lease on the Studio City apartment she's renting that was described to us as being less than desirable for someone of Essel's social standing.
And finally is Tamar Galatzan attempting to follow a Chicago style of politics? The mommy bloggers appear to be out in force in opposition to their cohort. We hear rumors that Tamar is attempting to silence several mommy bloggers who challenge her policies as an LAUSD member and is using some strongarm tactics to do so. One mommy blogger has gone as far to create a list of the "Top Ten Reasons You Should NOT Vote for Tamar" including "People with two full-time jobs should really focus on those jobs, and not seek a third," and "She's unelectable in Sunland-Tujunga because of two little words: Home Depot."
Labels: cd2 special election, Chris Essel, David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg, frank sheftel, michael mccue, paul krekorian, sunland-tujunga, tamar galatzan
Posted by Michael Higby @ 8/16/2009 07:07:00 PM
48 Comments:
Tamar and Chris don't have a chance in S-T. Neither do any of the grassroots candidates. It's going to be Paul Krekorian if only because of the large Armenian population in the area. Mary Benson could win if the district wasn't so gerrymandered. She cannot carry the vote in Sherman Oaks or Studio City. Tamar can't win because of her husband supporting Home Depot and the Prop Q mess. Cris's downtown connections won't fly in S-T. Frank has the marijuana baggage, and Micheal McCue is smart but he just won't get the votes.
There is a real possibility that Sunland-Tujunga may, for the first time, be the deciding factor in this race.
OK, kids. Summer is almost done. Do you see that little yellow bus pulling up? That’s ‘cause it’s time to go to school.
Lately, there has been so much celebration by folks who think Paul Krekorian actually has a chance in the Council District 2 race.
Here is why Paul Krekorian will NOT win the CD2 race.
Heck, it’s almost late night. Let’s make it a Top Ten list:
(10) No one who really knows him likes him – or believes in his abilities. Paul Krekorian got absolutely snubbed by the leadership in Sacramento. No committee chairmanships. No real power. Just a BS title of Assistant Whip or something. How’s that for a vote of no confidence by his fellow legislators?
(9) Even though he is not liked in Sacramento, Paul is Sacramento. Yes, he’ll try to distance himself. But we know the truth. He has been an inept loyalist during his entire undistinguished career. “Send Paul to the LA City Council, so he can bring you the same deficits that have plagued Sacramento!” No thanks.
(8) The Mayor. While other candidates have been supported by the Mayor, so has Paul Krekorian. And this is politics. I don’t know about you, but I don’t care so much about endorsements as what someone will do. And Paul Krekorian’s politics are indistinguishable from those of Mayor Villaraigosa. Shame on you Mayor Sam, you hypocrite, for endorsing a Mayor Villaraigosa clone.
(7) Eric Hacopian. Everyone knows that Eric can’t win a race unless he steals it. But they are watching his absentee-ballot shenanigans this time. I know of at least two serious complaints to prosecutors, and there are different, unsympathetic , new sheriffs in town. No more walking into an old-folks home and coming out with 50 absentee ballots from people who don’t speak English. Oh yes, and Eric Hacopian worked for . . . Antonio Villaraigosa. His biggest claim to fame so far was making Nick Pacheco lose his campaign after agreeing to the fix with Villaraigosa, and then making Gil Cedillo lose his campaign (by running Pleitez) after agreeing to the fix with Villaraigosa.
(6) Areen Ibranossian. Eric is the consultant, Areen is the campaign manager. Areen makes Paul’s government staff look like brain surgeons. Areen, who did you last work for last? What’s that? You were the guy who provided breathe strips for Antonio for the last six years?
(5) Ethnic politics. The Krekorian spinsters try to downplay the significance that everyone working for him is from one ethnic group. One even went so far as to write on a blog that, “Every campaign has lots of people of their ethnic group working there. Get over it.” That poster then compared the campaign to Latino and Black empowerment efforts. I wanted to puke. The fact is, the Krekorian campaign is made up of exclusionary, wealthy, white folks, who are for their ethnic group and no one else. When was the last time they truly supported anyone who wasn’t of their group? I call it like I see it. That’s racist and has no place in our modern world. And everyone else senses it too.
(4) Past failures. Paul tried to run for Burbank City Council, then lost. He then ran for Assembly, and lost. He then, by a miracle, got himself on the Burbank School Board. Then, he beat a weak candidate for Assembly. Since then, he tried to get his slate of candidates, including his government staff, elected to County Central Committee . . . and lost.
(3) He’s cheesy. He calls taxes “revenues” and thinks people don’t see through it. He is all fake gravitas and fake distinction. He kisses butt to every special interest that he thinks will further his career. He has never taken a courageous stand. People see through that.
(2) He can’t raise money. So much for the myth that he could.
(1) Mayor Sam endorsed him. Mayor Sam is learning, but he’s still pretty clueless yet. His endorsement is the kiss of death.
Sheftel,
You are saying that its okay for say Latinos, Blacks or Jews to line up for ethnic pride behind a candidate but not okay for Armenians because as a people they are successful?
You also do not recognize that a wide variety of Neighborhood Council leaders who don't normally agree, including your own Neighborhood Council have endorsed Paul based on personal experience?
What have you been smoking Frank? Oh, never mind, we know.
Party on Wayne!
An IAN has spoken!
Armen Kickyourassian????
LOL!
Benson can't win because she won't do well in the southern parts of the district like Studio City?
That's silly. Benson's appeal is to homeowners and anti-developer types. There are plenty of those in Studio City. It's absurd to say that homeowners in Studio City will vote for some other candidate because Benson lives a few miles away.
Armen,
Let us spell it out for you. The issue is not ethnic groups coming out to support a candidate. Yes, we know, "ethnic pride" and all that. Kumbaya.
Here's where most people have a problem. It IS racist when *any* group favors their group at the expense and exclusion of others.
Or when someone only supports people of their own nationality.
There's no difference between that and Archie Bunker.
Did I miss something, When did Sheftel say that?
TEAM ZUMA.
xoxo
Benson wouldn't hit in Studio City because she's frumpy, boring and not a good speaker. Remember Studio City is made of the beautiful people
V Doll is extremely pretty in her burro photo.
Benson, McCue, Sanchez, Bisani, Sheftel, Essavi, are toast. Zuma is not even on the credible radar. Sorry to say that, but it's true.
It's between Paul & Tamar, or maybe Chris. Paul will win, unless the grassroots figures this all out and backs Tamar.
Zuma would be a blip were it not for inside stuff he's being used for by the goombas. And Tamar won't get much activist support when the next financial report is out and its all over the blogs.
Prediction: Paul Krekorian will win CD2. Essel and Galatzan will scratch each others eyes out while the bloat their personal achievements out of all proportion, and denigrate each other for shady fundraising (Tamar) and illegal carpet-bagging residence (Chris).
ZD will do a first class job of attacking all three, but after the election yields the top two; Krekorian and a screechy female, he will join Krekorian in the run off.
Which ever of the two screechy wimin are left in the run off will destroy themselves as their estrogen powered egos are incapable of handling the attacks that ZD will deliver for Krekorian.
It will most likely be Essel who faces Krekorian in the run off as Galatzan's support base is crumbling as more and more CD2 residents are outraged by her blatant abuse of her two government positions to finance her already failing campaign.
Sheftel will be in the run-off with Essel.
Most NC types believe that Essel still lives in the Hollywood Hills.
Have not heard of the scenario before but it makes sense to me.
Marijuana Baggage? There are over 600 pot shops in LA. Over 15 in S-T. Those people vote too. They got the law passed in the first place. So could be Galatzan-Sheftel in a run-off. That would be fun to watch.
We don't need 2 Pauls on Council.
Bad enough we have two Jans. They're both so dumb I'd advise anyone I know who's thinking about it never to name their kids Jan.
We do need another woman on council so question is, who's going to stand up to the dummies there now? Tamar seems smarter and for all the talk from her campaign about Essel's looks, Tamar is in better physical shape despite two kids and all she's doing. As for why run for Council now, she told talkradio that now her kid's about to enter kindergarten, but if she waited for the next council opening, it would be 12 years from now. Why is Paul running when he just started on Assembly?
9:10PM "Studio City is made of the beautiful people" They may be beautiful, but they are not into empowered women at the moment. Remember, their bread and butter, the movie industry, is not doing well right now. It's an industry that has shed male jobs to cellphone yacking, latte sipping, baseball cap wearing, 24hr fitness, botox injected, silicon enhanced, female SUV drivers. So Tamar and Chris are public enemy number one. Obama is no help to either one of them, thanks to a healthcare program we cannot afford and an administration that many now think is worse than Bush II.
The traditional wheeling out the usual suspects - the limo liberal democrats, won't do them any favors either. When jobs are on the line nobody gives a flying fuck about environmentalists so the Kennedys can stay in Martha's Vineyard, and Ed Begley Jr. can polish his Prius in peace.
The kiss of death to the hopes of both the women in this campaign would be Antonio's open support. Expect him to take a back seat while he becomes more embroiled in certain investigations into his associations with some of Essel's campaign contributors.
Bottom line: It's Krekorian for CD2.
Tamar and Villaraigosa have chilly relations, no way is he supporting her.
They smoke a lot of pot in Sunland-Tujanga. It wafts out the windows. Danny Rosas said he contact high outside Wendy Greuel's window. Seriously they bong it up. Why do they eat watermelons? Now you will know.
Wow, sheftels guy at 7:27 has been taking some major bong rips.
I'll just point to a few factual errors.
10) Krekorian is chair of the select Committee on Renewable Energy and the select Committee on the Preservation of California’s Entertainment Industry.
5) That's complete BS. Just becuase someones name ends with an "ian" doesn't mean they are somehow racist or exclusionary. You can see that his staff is not exclusively Armenian or any other ethnicity one can see that simply by looking at the staff list on his assembly page. Further, you can see the diversity of his support simply by looking at his endorsements.
2) He's in 2nd place in fund raising right now, with a considerable lead over 3rd.
You're just hater who hasn't got a clue.
P.S. Mary Benson won't win this race becuase she hasn't raised any money and does not have enough volunteers to contact enough voters. This ain't rocket science, people, it's basic math.
Krekorian will win because he will run the best campaign.
Tamar's going nowhere. She's simply not at the level and everyone can see that.
It's Chris and Paul in the runoff. Chris by virtue of the loot shes raised and Paul becuase, well, people in CD 2 seem to like him.
Frank is the Craig X of this campaign. Higby you should call Frank X Sheftel!
Tamar's the only one of the Big Three who IS from CD2 and the Home Depot thing doesn't resonate outside of S-T. What do you have there now instead, anyway? Nothing? Haven't been able to attract a business?
9:56
If you think ZD will be in the runoff, I think a bet is in order. I'll offer you 1000:1 odds. And if you lose, you have to apologize to MS readers and ban yourself from posting here again.
Krekorian really has very little support in CD2. Check out his contributor base and where he spent most of his money.
http://ethics.lacity.org/disclosure/campaign/totals/public_election.cfm?election_id=41
Who is Joe B voting for? I take my cues from him because he is kinda the "leader" of S-T and since he's so powerful in the community he knows the most about everything. And it's not true that all you have to do is rub his chest and tell him how influential he is in the area to get his vote.
Sunland Tujunga is so active that the community will dissipate its influence by dividing its support among five candidates (the big three plus Frank and Mary) in a way that will help nobody get into a runoff. Smart campaigns will draw from Sunland Tujunga enthusiasm to work other parts of the district. Community leaders in SLTJ should get together and try to settle on one candidate, maybe even interview all candidates separately, as an editorial board might.
I am voting for Benson up here in ST, but i must say Krekorian is running the best campaign of the three big money candidates.
Been called, walked and mailed by his campaign. Have not heard a peep from any one else.
Not only will ZD be in the run off, he will win it and become the Councilman from CD2.
If you believe this, then a monkey will jump out of your ass and sing The Star Spangled Banner for you in Spanish.
7:58
Krekorian has more endorsements from CD2 folks than any other candidate.
Hate the man all you want, but facts are facts. Go check out their web sites check it out yourself.
7:22pm, Armenians may have money but they don't have a large pop in CD2. And what makes you think that Paul has the love of S-T, the machine man coming in.
Much rather have a councilperson who had downtown connections or schoolboard or community connections over STATE connections, ANYDAY! State people below in Sacramento! I don't what happened to the state to happen to my town! Anyone but the state! Please!
It will be an Essel-Krekorian runoff. It will be an embarrassment to our district for a Galatzan-Sheftel. Ahhhh! Let's have a run-off that actually addresses issues that can be solved or tackled.
11:30 You are an mis-informaing people and you don't know what your are talking about. Are you a customer? S-T presently has all the MM shops in their area because most of their customers come from LA-Canada-Flintridge La Crescenta,Glendale and Burbank,(their neighbors) whose City Council members are smart and don't have loop-holes in their laws that allowed this to happen in L.A.
Tamar won't win because she has failed our kids. Paul won't win because he has failed our state. Both are the same ol' politicans. I met Christine at the watermelon festival this weekend and, wow, I was impressed. I had heard and read all of the rumors and stories about her. I stated to believe them. But once I actually met her, I was blown away. She is mary-tyler-moore, meets sherry lansing and really isn't tied to downtown like people have been saying on this thing. The fact is she has been participating in LA politics for over 30 years through her work and knows people and frankly, that's great, because she will know who to go to get stuff done and best of all quickly. And to top it off, with what I read about the democratic endorsement and all of the mayor stuff with Tamar, the best part is that she is truly independent. Love that. I am convinced now and my vote is now with Essel.
Chris Essel is SO DONE.
If any of this talk of sticking us with that piece of filth AlarCON is even remotely true, she's dead-meat.
However, this sounds a whole lot like some of the outright lies Sheftel and his "campaign manager" has been spreading. Piss off Frank and Frank's campaign manager!
2:20 am - A Mission College Satellite is purchasing the former Kmart/Home Depot site. They will only use 1/3 of the property and they are negotiating with Target or Target like store to also be an occupant. Plans are for sub-terain parking, a community rooom and there will be plenty of room for other stores as well. This is a big win for S-T.
I thought Galatzan was Armenian and even if she is not, I don't know that it means Krekorian get's the Armenian vote. I mean he hasn't done anything on immigration laws or to help newcomers adjust to life in California which he was in Sacramento and that's the biggest issue the Armenian community faces and there is a lot that can be done at the state level. I just don't see it. I think Essel and Galatzan in the runoff.
7:58
PK's contributions from CD 2 are about on the same level as Tamar(18% vs 20% vs 6% for Chris). Based on the total amount of money raised, it's likely that PK has raised more money from CD 2 then all the other candidates combined.
Not surprising given the fact that PK has the majority of the CD 2 community endorsements.
11:07, I think you are lying. Maybe you met Essel at the watermelon festival but if you were that impressed with her, then you DIDN'T talk about LA politics. What did you talk about, the watermelon seeds??
Which CD 2 issues did you discuss with her?
Oh and looking like Mary Tyler Moore is good reason to vote? Stop it.
11:07 = Essel staffer
They cant even lie very well.
Vote for Zuma Dogg - the only candidate who will definitely get things done.
Let's get real here.
There is no way that the Sunland-Tujunga area will be moved into CD 7. MALDEF will see to that, and Alarcon isn't about to go against them. CD 2 is shaped the way it is largely because the lines were drawn to ensure that as many Latinos as possible would be in CD 7 so that the replacement for Ernani Bernardi would be a Latino, which it was: Alarcon.
Somebody doesn't know how redistricting works if they think that they mayor (or anyone else) can just simply change the district around. Come on... read up.
The redistricting in 2000 took up hours and hours and hours of public hearings and meetings of the appointed committee.
No one person can just come along and ...voila...change the boundaries of the district.
Please read before you babble.
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