Chris Essel Spins her "No-Show" on KRLA's Kevin James CD 2 Candidate Forum
"Chris Essel spins race card on Kevin James"That "thud" you hear in background is Campaign Consultant John Shallman falling face first in shame as his candidate becomes the first to interject racial comments into a council race that had been devoid of any racial cogitations until now.
Paul Hatfield does a great job in follow up to Essel's comment.
I told her that I had listened to the forum; that Kevin showed respect to the participating candidates. Although I felt he would have pressed Chris on some issues, I did not think he would have been disrespectful. I also said that leaders should not be afraid to enter a potentially hostile environment.
Well stated!!
If Essel wants to be taken seriously in her bid for political office, then she better learn quick that a "strong political backbone" is a critical part of the political anatomy. In addition, her "talking points" about Kevin James sounds like the political speak that Matt Szabo would craft in the "Third Floor Spin Chamber". Hmmm, makes you wonder where her comments originated from??
But with less than 10 days remaining to election day, the political vessel of the Chris Essel has some bad water spilling into its holds. Whether it sinks for good is up to CD 2 voters to decide.
Your thoughts...................
Labels: cd2 special election, Chris Essel, kevin james, mayor antonio villaraigosa
Posted by Red Spot in CD 14 @ 9/13/2009 11:56:00 AM
43 Comments:
Kevin James is a hatemonger and he loathes the Mayor with a vehemence that is passed onto Essel, like it was to Weiss (who was way more qualified than that other Shallman client). Just like James lied and keeps lying about Weiss (accusing him of intentially keeping rapists and murderers on the street because it took a while for him to get the rest of the Council and LAPD to fund the DNA evidence testing - which is still WAY before the County with its far larger resources, by the way, and Baca hasn't even tried to make it a priority, while James love Baca because he's allied with Cooley and Zine). This particular lie he repeats about Weiss is just crazy.
He asked a question in the first round that was a litmus test of "loyalty" to Trutanich's badly flawed and legally naive (to be it nicely) and patently unconstitutional graffiti bill. (Tamar started with, "he's my boss so of course I support him..." nice save. The guy is a vindictive nutjob who's misusing the legal staff to be a bully, as even Doug McIntyre is noting on his show.)
James pushes the most conservative candidates, and is an infomercial for Trutanich, Berger, Cooley, Zine and Cooley/Trutanich campaign manager Republican Party strategist John Thomas, who appear regularly.
He makes numerous other assertions over and over that are just plain lies. James LACKS INTEGRITY and is nasty and mean-spirited. The stuff he says about Essel goes way beyond the factual. It's true he does not deserve being dignified with an appearance. Candidates who do appear are doing so to reach out to an audience that may normally not hear them at all and that's commendable. But Hatfield is wrong on James here.
"racial cognitations" ????????
While the rest of Republican America is watching football, Red Spot is trying to produce political commentary in spite of his illiteracy. It's sad.
Good for Essel for avoiding this buffoon's terrible show.
The only thing Kevin James will be remembered for is the time Chris Matthews embarrassed him on national TV by proving his ignorance in regards to very basic elements of world history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK0d8ENS__c
Opposing the Mayor is not racism. Essel needs to grow a pair. Tamar has.
Who cares about Kevin James WHEN FELIPE FUENTES PAYING FOR PAUL KREKORIAN TV COMMERCIALS!!!!!
WHY IS PAUL KREKORIAN AND HIGBY ALLIED WITH THE GUY WHO WANTS TO DESTROY THE VERDUGO HILLS GOLF COURSE?
Chris your comments are "inflammatory". Oh I forgot that was the Mayor (your puppet master) calling Doug MacIntyre on his questions about illegal alien gang bangers. Now Kevin is a no, no but you were ok doing Doug on Friday???
Your support of Special Order 40 (UCC Forum)makes it hard to support you.
It was perfectly acceptable to refuse to go on Kevin's show and to refuse to participate in the candidates forum, after all, Tony V did the same thing.
But what is not acceptable is using the worn out race card to cover up the mistakes of your campaign staff.
You have said several times, you did not know of the forums or radio invitation. That is a different tune then what they are writing for you now.
Stick with your gut girl, you are a sharp women and have gone far without the help of these political scavengers.
Do not let them make you Monica Rodriguez #2.
Unbelievable. Just unbelievable . And this coward wants to represent us on the Council? If she does not have the intellectual prowess to confront James ,how is she going to stand up to the City Hall bosses? Sorry,they are also her bosses; IBEW, SEIU, Durazo etc etc
We hear Riordan is going around town saying that Essel is "Our girl. We own her."
And indeed you are correct. If Essel is afraid of Kevin James she does not have what it takes to be a Council Member. Even Robert Gibbs had the balls to on O'Reilly. Even Obama did once.
But if Essel is indeed Riordan's "girl" she has no intention of being an independent mind and plans to be an automaton. Anyone who has any designs on voting for her, especially because you don't like Krekorian should at least vote for Tamar if you can't bring yourself to vote for one of the grassroots candidates.
At least she didn't say she would show up and then chicken out at the last minute.
(cough) Krekorian (cough)
Chris Essel's excuses could have been made earlier- James' did not even get a response from her office to decline the several contacts made to extend the invitation, according to his comments made on the nights of the candidate forum.
James was polite to all the candidates but was concerned about the backround for Krikorian's absence- whether truly engaged in-session with the assembly, or just being put off. But Essel has to have some faith in her ability to handle critics and maybe she's just short on material, knowledge and ability for the job, and wants to avoid supplying anymore evidence of that before the election.
She's following the style of Villaraigosa in the last election, the same style used by Jose Huizar, Tony's selected replacement for his CM's seat in cd-14. Tony at least made up a "calendar conflict" in his rsvp's. Huizar just refused all debate invitations, showing his arrogance and lack of substance in being responsible to constituents.
Bot HUIZAR and Tony saw debates could only hurt their chances in the election, exposing more than they cared to discuss. Although they still were each likely winners in the races, taking the voters for granted was the real disrespect.
ESSEL has chosen the same path, but she's not an incumbent and is too clumsy in the way she's trying to apply the technique. The opposition appears to be doing a good job of showing her lack of quality as a CM for CD-2, but less successful showing the danger to the City-at-large of adding another Villaraigosa "Yes Man", female style, to the council.
The carpet-bagging label seems appropriate and maybe more so for Krikorian who's becoming good at trading-up for better paying political offices.
in cd-14
If the only choice is to vote for one of the "big three" God help North CD2
Oh, I am very disappointed in "Crybaby" Chris.
This was a candidate forum that he was running, not his own hour of talking on his own thoughts and opinions. But I guess if Ms. Essel disagrees with yours, she will turn her back on you.
This whole, "won't dignify" does not cut it at all. Who does she think she's kidding with that one.
And if that big, bad, masculine meanie Kevin James was so unfair as to ask her a tough question (how dare he), I guess she would not be allowed to respond and turn it against him, if he was out of line in criticism. And if he was too harsh, then he would have been seen as unfair and Chris would have benefited.
I think the real reason is because Christine doesn't know that much about the district or council position and cannot take the change of being caught like a deer in headlights at the most basic, obvious questions live on the radio where one foot in her mouth would kill it for her.
But it already goes to show she isn't a fighter who has the confidence to stand up to opposition and battle it out. Just your typical attack the talk show host, say you won't dignify him over some other things he said that won't be an issue in a forum setting, then make some more excuses.
She's a runaway from the challenge crybaby-quitter. (Oh, sorry I said, "runaway," Chirs.)
This comment has been removed by the author.
No politician needs to be on the Kevin James show.
Kevin James' first concern is not this election, it's his ratings. He gets higher ratings and more public recognition by having someone to slam like Essel, and not a bunch of lightweights.
From Essel's point of view, you have to take into account the KABC audience. They would tune in only to hear her get skewered, not to hear a meaningful interview.
It's a bit like Sarah Palin being stupid enough to show up on Saturday Night Live.
Krikorian is the only one actually born and raised in the district...
Essavi-Armenia
Sheftel-New York
McCue-Military Base
Sanchez-Texas
Benson-IowOhio
Galatzan-Wa
Zuma Dogg- Valley
Bisani-Itaest LA
Essel-Westly
I told Essel that in my half-dozen years of involvement in the NC system and community affairs, I had never once heard her name mentioned in connection with any activity in the district. Had she ever participated in issues related to this community?
Chris Essel admitted she had no direct involvement in CD2.
I don't understand what being born here has to do with anything. If you do not trust someone, it doesn't matter that they were born nearby. Ask the people of CD 14 if it helped them that Assemblyman Villaraigosa was born in the district.
Villaraigosa was born in Mexico.
Born Antonio Ramon Villar January 23, 1953 in Zacatecas, Mexico, Villaraigosa attended both Catholic and public schools. Villaraigosa's father abandoned the family when he was 5 years old.
Hmmm,
Autry's John Gray looking for a protential new friend on the City Council, if elected.
09/03/09 John Gray
(President & CEO, Autry National Center)
Los Angeles, CA 90026 Paul Krekorian
Council Member - District 2
1318897 - Krekorian For City Council 2009 A - Monetary Contribution Received
(IND - Individual)
[Period: 08/09/09-09/05/09]
$500.00 [Election: 09/22/09]
4:28, to continue with the notion: And Tony V. abandoned the City about the time he was beginning his first term as Mayor.
His true loyalty is to his wallet, and I don't mean the condoms in it.
So is or was a good City Councilmember?
4:03 Huh, what's that got to do with anything? That's a poor excuse to elect Carpetbagger Kerkorian!
Say what you may, but Chris Essel has the LA Times endorsement and that is good for hundreds of undecided votes. Stay tuned as she takes the vote on September 22!
Playing the race card is standard operating procedure for career politicians in L.A. Unable to defend your policies? Just call the other guy a "racist."
7:56 PM.You are going to eat your words and I hope you will be big enough to admit it. CD2 voters are too sophisticated to blindly accept the bankrupt ,figuratively and literally ,Times` word.
3:14 has it dead on - no politician needs to go on Kevin James. He has a small audience of angry people who hate Mexicans & not a meaningful # of CD2 voters.
Let me get this straight.
Kevin James who love him or hate him has no business interests in front of City Hall is not kosher.
But what is kosher is having your campaign be paid for by developers and lobbyists.
Essel is full of crap.
7:56
Essel staff are up this late? I am impressed.
If Essel believes Kevin James is a racist, why did she not say so a few weeks ago?
If that was the real issue, she could have said so weeks ago.
The bottom line is her handlers think she will fall apart by any set of questions to which she does not have pre-written answers for,
9 days left - Angelenos need to get out and vote on Tuesday, September 22. If you don't vote, you don't count, period!
Vote for a TRUE REFORMER "David (Zuma Dogg) Saltsburg"
2.58 hits the nail square on the head. IT WAS A CANDIDATE FORUM. not Kevin James spouting off about illegal immigrants and what not..
Essel screwed up. badly. it was an opportunity to speak out, on radio, to all those people Kevin has been infecting, if that's her complaint.
she had an opportunity to reach out and DO SOMETHING.
clearly, she's a puppet. and doesn't know what she's talking about, because she wouldv'e been exposed, and she knows it.
Essel makes herself look bad by not appearing. It looks like she is hiding something.
The racism card is a weak excuse. None of the other candidates were so offended that they wouldn't show up.
Essel must be pulling away in this election. You can feel it out there.
One of the great tests of this is the tone of the comments we are seeing on this blog. The more shrill and hysterical candidates and their supporters get the more you become convinced that this is happening.
We saw this with McCain against Obama.
I'm for anyone who won't go on Kevin James hatemongering show. He's an arrogant pri*k who is obviously planning to run for office and build a base of support with local conservative politicians who smeared Jack Weiss.
He thinks he's famous, but no one listens to his show except a few right wing Obama bashing fanatics.
I don't love Essel, but I like that she stood up to him and she will be smart to bash anyone who appeared on his show. Take any broadcast of his and you'll find a dozen comments that would make Studio City and Sherman Oaks Democrats think Rush Limbaugh was more reasonable.
She appears on some loser blog, but won't get on the radio? What up wit it?
Next come the hit pieces on Tamar and Paul.
I thought that Tony Villar was born in City Terrace. I never heard that he was born in Zacatecas. If he was he could never become President or vice president.
1:18PM sounds like she's more interested in taking jabs at Trutanich than trying to support Essel's dying campaign. The rhetoric is predicable, unoriginal, and stinks of the last of the Weissholes who are trying to rise from the ashes of failure.
So the Weissholes have taken to supporting the two wimin who best represent their agendas; Galatzan and Essel. No surprise really, both are heavily connected to the Westside liberal democrat machine fueled by special interest money, and the youthful ignorance of the Young Democrats who support any loser with a big check book.
Kevin James is no more a racist than Jack Weiss is an accountable politician. It's a typical leftist elitist response - we saw plenty of that in Weiss's campaign - cramming the few public debates with rabble rousing rat touting union 'organizers,' as well as disruptive Koolaide drinking Bruin Dems.
Trutanich soon realized that the best response was to refuse to debate Weiss publicly with his rent-a-crowd, but he continued to appear for interviews with Weiss, notably with KCRW's Larry Mantle - who is to Toyota Prius drivers, what KRLA's Kevin James is to Ford F-250 drivers.
Essel's complete failure to appear is a desperate move. Kevin James is the only radio host who has been giving the CD2 election serious coverage, and he has an audience that will take Essel's cowarice and race baiting to the ballot box.
With 10 days to go, Krakorian is cruising into the runoff and Galtatzan must be wondering if she'll pick up enough of Essel's losses to overcome her own ethics issues over that LAUSD mailer stunt.
It really is a sad day for LA politics if Krackorian ends up facing Galatzan in the run off, because she's no match for him. Zuma Dogg, Mary Benson or Joe Esavi would make far more formidable foes and that's precisely what the Dems don't want. So expect some IE money to flow Galatzan's way to buy her a place in the run off. Then the Dems will throw her under the bus to get Krackorian elected.
Essel's campaign is over, CD2 is not the Westside, and Shalman's going to take a hit on this one. At least he'll be able to say it was Essel's fault for playing the race card.
11:43 starts by claiming both Essel and Galantzan are "the wimin" (sic) who "best represent the Weissholes," then goes on to say how they're pitted against each other in some guessing game, allowing "Krackorian" to "cruiee to a finish"...
REALLY, get a grip.
3:14 has it dead on - no politician needs to go on Kevin James. He has a small audience of angry people who hate Mexicans & not a meaningful # of CD2 voters.
It's true. Kevin "Hates the Brownz" James is a hatemonger, a racebaiter and a general douchebag.
I've seen him in action first-hand, whipping his audience (at a Walter Moore rally, go figure) into a totally WE HATE THE BROWNS frenzy.
It made me rather nervous, what with being one of the "enemy" sitting amongst the WE HATE THE MESSICANS crowd.
While I don't in any way support Chris Essel, I respect her decision to stay far away from that Ultimate Radio Wackooooo!.
Good for you Chris. Tell the RACIST (YAH, I SAID IT) haters to go to hell.
xoxo
The LA TIMES got it right this time! A very well written, non-bias, article! Way to go TIMES! Go out and get your copy if you want to know what this election is all about.
12:10, "non-bias" (sic) my arse. While I think Essel's right to call out James as a racist and hatemonger (though her real reason for not going is probably just his nastiness about her), the Times' assassinations of the other candidates especially Tamar was dumb and nasty. She and Marlene Canter are the most reasonable, smart voices on the Board and to attack her for not being able to change the minds of others usually when they vote to waste money, is stupid and sends the message that if you want their endorsement, just vote with the majority even when they're wrong, don't vote with integrity and your own mind.
The voters see through that and know that this endorsement doesn't matter or make sense. They have a reason for choosing to endorse a particular candidate and go backwards from there to justify it and assassinate the others.
While I will not support Essel, she did not duck my questions. I will give her credit and respect for that.
All the more reason why I am perplexed at her declining KJ's invitation. I am convinced James would have treated her as he did the other candidates.
Whatever she may think of him, or her perception of his politics, I still believe it was bad strategy on her part to take a pass on the forum.
kevin jamesshow is one of a kind in its focus almost exclusivly on local la politics.
people here slander and critisize kevin here but they are really part of the problem.
who else as a la city insider exposes corruption in la?
these criminals are stealing from the taxpayer and without kevin no one would know...this stuff has got to stop.
most who critic here are most likely union members or welfare cheats on the dole.
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