Washblog || Seattle Port Vote of Conscience: JACK BLOCK, JR. YES! (Tarleton, please no!)

Seattle Port Vote of Conscience: JACK BLOCK, JR. YES! (Tarleton, please no!)

By noemie maxwell
Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 11:30:08 AM PST
Section: King County Topic: Ports

Thanks to Jeffuppy for previous Washblog story ( Port of Seattle Candidate has ties to Ports contractor) and additional links to sources that I use in this story.

Jack Block, Jr., is a highly-qualified, well-endorsed, and well-spoken candidate for Seattle Port Commission. The Municipal League gave him their highest rating for the position: OUTSTANDING. Gael Tarleton, another candidate for the same position, told me in a phone conversation last week that he's not an appropriate or qualified choice for the position. With all due respect, she's mistaken.

Like Jack Block, Jr., Ms. Tarleton is also well-spoken, endorsed, and qualified, with an OUTSTANDING rating from the Municipal League. Unlike Block, who is a Burien City Councilmember and was the Deputy Mayor for that city in 2006, Tarleton hasn't served in elected office. So we can't see behind the curtain of public decisions she's made to reassure ourselves if we have doubts about her progressive bona fides. And there are some pretty profound conflict-of-interest questions to be asked here, as I discuss below. There's no way to answer these questions but to take the word of Tarleton and her friends (she offered to give me contact information for colleagues and friends who can vouch for her) that there really are no real questions to be asked here. But Ms. Tarleton is drastically better-funded than Mr. Block. So it's quite likely that she'll win this race. She has the time and money to advertise her considerable qualifications -- and to downplay Mr. Block's considerable qualifications. I believe that we've got race here that's a poster child for campaign finance reform.

Block's raised a total of $23,445, including 117 contributions from Washington State. Tarleton's received more that 4 times that amount, including more contributions from out of Washington state -- 122 of them -- than Block has received from in-state. Nearly $19,000 of Tarleton's contributions, about 80% of Block's total, are from people associated with one company, Science Applications International Corporation. (1) Ms. Tarleton told me that she left SAIC because she did not approve of the direction it was going in. She is running as a reform candidate. We have seen supposed reform candidates for the Port before who turned out to be the greatest supporters of special interests. Ms. Tarleton had no need to accept these donations from a company that has a direction she did not approve of, that she has personal investment in, that has substantial financial interest in the port, and that is, by many accounts, a major war-profiteeer. I believe this disqualifies her as a reform candidate.

SAIC is an $8 billion company accused -- with good reason -- of war profiteering, which has $7 million worth of contracts with the Seattle Port (2) and interest in gaining much more. Ms. Tarleton, who was an SAIC Vice President and has "somewhat less than $50,000 of personal investments in the company, (3) told me in a phone conversation that she left the company well before 9/11 because she did not approve of the direction in which it was going. Yet, she has made the decision to accept a very large amount of money from people connected with SAIC. In our phone conversation she told me it was really more like $5,000 she had received from SAIC-related contributors -- she wasn't counting any of the people who had retired, including the company's founder and his wife.

Vanity Fair's March 2007 article, Washington's $8 billion Shadow, tells us that SAIC is larger than the departments of Labor, Energy, and Housing and Urban Development combined, and that it helped pressure US Congress to enter the Iraq war - and that has profited tremendously from that war with massive documented waste.

A 2006 New York Times article, Conflict of Interest entangles US Port security, tells us that SAIC has spent multiple millions on lobbyists and that one of its main business products is radiation detection equipment for Ports that could be a $2.5 billion to $5 billion market in the US. The article goes on to point out that, while SAIC is not the only manufacturer of such machines, "it was the first to integrate the technologies and it had the only device, one company official said, that could efficiently scan a container as it passed through a major port on a truck at a speed fast enough to avoid bottlenecks." Evidently, we've already reached $2 billion in this market. I don't know what percentage of that is SAIC, but I can guess that it's a goodly portion. According to the U.S. Government Accounting office, the US has spent $2 on these devices for our ports, which are only 17% to 45% effective. (4)

Jack Block Jr.'s qualifications
From his biography for the Burien City Council

A long-time area resident Jack Block Jr. was elected to his first term on the Burien City Council in November 2003. He was elected by his fellow Councilmembers to a one-year as Deputy Mayor in 2006. Jack is a third generation longshoreman and a member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19 where he serves on its executive board. He is also a former teamster (Consolidated Freightways) shop steward. In 1998, Jack was a founding member of, and past chair of, the Burien Parks and Recreation Board. Jack's diverse interests include aviation, motorcycling, United States history and public service. Block serves on the National League of Cites Hispanic Elected Officials Committee and the Association of Washington Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Block's votes -- from 2005 through the present (Block took office in 04) can be found in the Minutes that are available here: Council Agendas and Minutes. I asked him to summarize for me some of what he considers his major contributions and he sent me the following list. I spent about an hour perusing the public documents available on the list above and, in the limited time I had, this statement seemed to check out.

Increased transparency in 2004-05 by insisting that all meetings be televised, including study sessions, enhanced web access to materials, Spanish language inserts in our newletters
Pushed for quarterly community meetings in 2006, dropped this year due to transition workload for staff.
Got the first version of our apprenticeship set-aside bill (a voluntary program) passed in 2004. Our mandatory program passed in 2007. (Apprenticeship set-asides require a certain minimum percentage of employees for work conducted through city contracts. Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, has a description here: The "Other" 4-year degree.)
The anti-discrimination ordinance was passed in 04.
Got the anti-slumlord bill on our legislative priorities in 2004 and 2005 and testified on its behalf in 2005.
Added emphasis to early childhood education in 2006. We implemented a program called "Ready! For Kindergarten in 2007 to address Burien's low rate of pre-kindergarten preparedness.
Began pressing on emergency preparedness in 2005, and in 2006 we began talks with other cities to work together to hire a dedicated emergency preparedness coordinator. (In 2007, Karen Ferreira, the city's new Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, was hired jointly by the cities of Burien, Normandy Park, SeaTac and Des Moines, with her base office at Burien City Hall.)
In 2005 we began a program in coordination with Tukwilla of "capacity building" of non-profits to allow them to better provide services.
Have pushed for higher emergency operations awareness throughout term.
We began quarterly council process meetings in 05 which helped iron out differences and helped build working relationships.
Have worked and advocated throughout council term to work with other cities and agencies to provide more cost effective services.

NOTES

Washington Public Disclosure Commission Database, accessed 8/4/07.
Aimee Curl, "Port Commission Candidate Gael Tarleton's SAIC Backers Could Soon Be Asking Her For Business" Seattle Weekly. July 18, 2007.
Jeff Upthegrove, "Ports candidate ties to port contractor raises concerns," www.portobserver.com. July 12, 2007.
Brian Ross, The Nuclear Loophole: US Still at Risk, Blotter. July 20, 2007.
"Washington's $8 Billion Shadow", 3/07, Vanity Fair (http://www.vanityfair.com)
Port Commission Candidate Gael Tarleton's SAIC Backers Could Soon Be Asking Her For Business , 7/18/07, Seattle Weekly. (www.seattleweekly.com)
Conflict of Interest entangles US Port security, Eric Lipton, The New York Times, June 19, 2006

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Seattle Port Vote of Conscience: JACK BLOCK, JR. YES! (Tarleton, please no!) | 92 comments (92 topical)

isn't it possible that...

...that the SAIC employees -- not the company, a distinction you conveniently fail to make -- are also disgruntled with the corporate direction? It's a very big corporation, with thousands of employees; surely there are some who are of-a-mind with Gael Tarleton about it.

Would you object to a federal employee contributing to a political campaign? Would you assume that, say, a GS-13 career employee at CMS or EPA is shilling for or exerting influence in support of the Bush malAdministration if they send $500 to a campaign?

I know quite a few high-level CMS personnel (not too far below the political-appointee level), all of whom are distressed and disgusted by the direction of their agency. They stay because they're still trying to maintain whatever they can of the agency's original mission. And yes, they stay because they can draw superb retirement benefits if they put in enough years. Would you have all the good people leave CMS (or leave SAIC) and let the baddies have free rein without constraints?

I don't know whether every single Tarleton contributor at SAIC fits the profile I've described. But, having seen her campaign positions and having talked to her about this issue several times, I bet that the majority of them do. I'm still supporting her, and will fill in the oval next to her name on my ballot.

Jack Block's a good guy. I hope he joins Gael in the top two in the primary; that would assure a reform Commissioner in position #2. However, this anti-Tarleton jihad on his behalf doesn't help his campaign IMHO.

You're only young once, but you can be immature forever -- Larry Andersen
Blogging at Peace Tree Farm

by N in Seattle on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 12:20:53 PM PST

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I have to agree with N..... by willisreed, 08/04/2007 01:04:39 PM PST (none / 0)

i wholeheartedly concur with N in Seattle

Noemie-you usually do great stuff. what's up with this? you are waaaaaay off the mark. and conjecture is the perfect term for this. so she raised money from co-workers from a company she worked at over 5 years ago. big deal. plus, seems to me she was in RUSSIA post cold-war for the entire time you are blasting her. and her reasons for leaving SAIC endear me to her MORE. leaving a company that pays well because you don't like the rightwing direction its taking? RIGHT ON!

and if it's fair to say that gael is like the company she worked for, isn't it fair to say that jack jr will be like his dad? i mean, similar logic applies. talk about reform candidates turning into the side of special interests! daddy block was the WORST! and jack jr's complete flip flop on lora lake is an indicator of that behavior if ever there was an indicator.

jack seems nice and all, but maybe the reason gael has 4 times the money is because she WORKED hard. jack has BARELY attended a 34th district meeting - Gael has been here 4 times. how can you turn around a port if you don't even care to show up to the district meeting in your own backyard.

VOTE GAEL. (although I already did too.)

by 34 PCO on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 01:18:28 PM PST

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Agree with N and Willis Reed

Jack Block is a nice guy, but I have to wonder about his letting his campaign use this eleventh hour smear campaign against Tarleton.

Gael Tarleton is committed to transparency and effective governance and has experience in building transparency in political culture. She is an extremely well-qualified candidate. And yes, she was employed by SAIC under the Clinton Administration. Here's another fact about Tarleton that gets no play in this post, she is a co-founder of UW's Citizen's Roundtable on Politics and Democracy.

Oh, one other thing, when she last visited us at our 36th District Democrats meeting - she stayed until the very end of the meeting (I think she was the only candidate to do so) and participated in the meeting generally - she wasn't there just asking us to vote for her.

She's participating in politics for the same reason most of the readers of this blog are - to make a progressive change in our politics.

by microveldt on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 02:44:07 PM PST

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At the 36th endorsement meeting, by DWE, 08/04/2007 03:58:44 PM PST (none / 0)

Gone too far...

Noemie...I usually respect your writings but I believe you have gone too far. This is an incredibly and unfairly biased piece. So Tarleton used to work for SAIC...Get over it!!! Now she works for the UW...are you already planning a hit piece on that? I believe this is a last minute attempt by you and Block Jr. to save an awful campaign. And when I say awful, I really mean awful...he can't even retain staff. The guy is incredibly lazy. In my LD the 37th, he never even showed up to talk to us until our endorsement meeting. Tarleton, on the other hand, came three times total--once to speak, once to shake hands, and once to receive her endorsment. Those who work the hardest deserve to raise the most money and WIN.

by FedUp on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 03:44:08 PM PST

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I did my usual research and verifying by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 01:41:23 PM PST (none / 0)

I'm more disappointed in those jumping on you by rmdSeaBos, 08/11/2007 09:06:33 PM PST (none / 0)

Verified facts relevant to this high-stakes race

The facts in my article are highly relevant to this race where reform is the main issue. A scolding of me does not change them.

Ms. Tarleton presents herself as a reform candidate.

I am not criticizing the fact that she worked for this company. In fact, in earlier comments on jeffuppy diary on Washblog, I note that her experience there is relevant to this position. And in this piece I note that she is qualified.

I am criticizing her acceptance of donations from employees, former employees, and the founder of this company -- and his wife.

If you read the Vanity Fair article, linked to above, you will see how central the founder of this company is to the direction it has taken, including helping to pressure Congress into war and making huge profits off of the war. The founder gave her campaign the maximum amount, $2,800 - and so did his wife. Ms. Tarleton accepted that money. That is a choice she made during her campaign -- not years ago. It's a choice she made as a person presenting herself as a reform candidate. How does that reflect on the choices she will make (or fail to make) if she is elected to this position? My criticism is fair and relevant.

In addition, as I note, we do not have a public record of votes to look at for this candidate. This is a high-stakes, high-level position -- environmentally, economically, and in terms of security. When there is reason for profound doubt, I feel much better seeing a public record. Has a person ever gone against the grain to take a stand and take heat?

If she were running for a lower level office or for an office in which this company did not have economic interest.. or for an office where there has not been an exceptionally high level of mismanagement and scandal associated with the untoward influence of economically interested parties.... or if she had not accepted these substantial donations there would be a completely different calculus for me here. Sure, Gael Tarleton is smart. She is experienced. She has worked hard. She has a very good background in environmental volunteer work. I believe she made a big mistake in accepting these substantial donations from people associated with a company that she left because she did not approve of its direction -- and that has business with the port.

I think my piece shows very clearly that her acceptance of these donations while running as a reform candidate -- and the public not having the ability to look at a record of votes --- makes her a poor choice for a reform candidate.

I am disturbed by the high level of progressive support for Ms. Tarleton, frankly. I am sad that Ms. Tarleton, a progressive (I believe her) accepted this money and is defending this acceptance. We are a nation in perpetual state of war and SAIC is a central part of the war machine. We need to look at how war is structurally perpetuated in our society. Remember Eisenhower's warning about the military industrial complex?

So, thanks guys for your scolding and diminishment -- I knew this was coming. It still feels crappy. But what the hey.

by noemie maxwell on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 05:49:08 PM PST

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Claryifying questions by DWE, 08/04/2007 09:10:45 PM PST (none / 0)

Response to clarifying questions by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 11:24:02 AM PST (none / 0)

Thank you by DWE, 08/05/2007 12:39:18 PM PST (none / 0)
"Reform candidate" by DWE, 08/06/2007 02:13:29 PM PST (none / 0)

Noemie, you're just fine. by dinazina, 08/05/2007 06:53:13 AM PST (none / 0)

Thank you so much, Dina! by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 11:28:21 AM PST (none / 0)

We just happen to disagree on this, No biggie by microveldt, 08/05/2007 09:15:28 AM PST (none / 0)

Thanks Microvelt & "dissembling" by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 11:53:55 AM PST (none / 0)

No, Jack doesn't come to all the meetings

Jack operates a crane on the waterfront, and he works the swing shift. Jack has worked at the port for 20 years. He knows shipping terminal operations inside and out, unlike Tarleton, whose background is in other aspects of trade.

In addition to working on the waterfront, Block serves on the Burien City Council, and he simply can't afford to spend the time that Tarleton spends campaigning.

Tarleton has been an energetic campaigner. She has told everybody what they want to hear. And to be fair to her, I have no evidence that she is not what she says she is. But I have no evidence that she is what she says, either, other than that she has said it.

And neither do her supporters, who have slobbered all over her like Pavlov's dogs ever since this campaign began. It is one of the most shocking examples of taking a candidate on faith that I have seen in a lifetime of political involvement.

She has used all the buzz words, and all the code words. "I'm the progressive," she says, with an aw-shucks grin on her face and a twinkle in her eye. "I'm for openness," she says, and all of a sudden she's Jesus, Moses, and Elvis.

When I ask people what is Jack Block, a leper or something, they look at me with incredulity and say "but she has all this BACKGROUND!" Like Jack has no background? Oh I forgot, he's just a dumb longshoreman.

I have to be fair and say I haven't heard this from Tarleton, only from her supporters.

She might turn out to be a great Port Commissioner. But we have no way of knowing that. With Jack Block, we know what we'll get, and it will be a damn sight better than Bob Edwards.

It doesn't seem to matter, because all the so-called "progressives" want to BELIEVE, just like Benny Hinn's flock at one of his faith healing revivals.

It's no different, and don't pretend that it is. Don't pretend you're any more immune to being gulled. The classism and elitism around this town is pretty damn disgusting sometimes.

If perception is reality, then the world must be flat and the sun must revolve around it.

by ivan on Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 08:50:48 PM PST

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Oh-- by DWE, 08/04/2007 09:27:51 PM PST (none / 0)

The ecology of error by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 12:22:56 PM PST (none / 0)

Risk taking by DWE, 08/05/2007 01:07:12 PM PST (none / 0)

Opening and closing discussions by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 01:16:49 PM PST (none / 0)

Cargo Cult: the Reliable Instrument by m3047, 08/13/2007 01:42:32 AM PST (none / 0)

for the record by N in Seattle, 08/13/2007 09:43:16 AM PST (none / 0)

When Ivan and Noemi agree by gibney, 08/04/2007 09:37:11 PM PST (none / 0)

Agreeing with Ivan by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 12:52:06 PM PST (none / 0)

Taking it on faith by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 01:27:24 PM PST (none / 0)

Let me repeat by ivan, 08/05/2007 01:38:21 PM PST (none / 0)

at least we know what we'll get?

That's your best messaging about Jack Block? Don't we deserve better? The people that are "slobbering" over Tarleton do so for good reason. They've met her, they've heard her speak, and they understand that she is genuine, smart, experienced. They are excited about her not only as an amazingly qualified and passionate port commissioner, but an impressive (female) addition to progressive politics in Washington. She will go far in Washington politics and I am thrilled. I work with candidates and rarely have I met anyone that I am so excited about supporting both now, and in the future.

by watcher on Sun Aug 05, 2007 at 02:19:46 AM PST

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Proves my point exactly by ivan, 08/05/2007 08:01:46 AM PST (none / 0)

Ivan, I'm wondering by dinazina, 08/05/2007 09:38:38 AM PST (none / 0)
Hmm. by DWE, 08/05/2007 09:56:24 AM PST (none / 0)

Could be Darcy Burner by 34 PCO, 08/05/2007 09:59:39 AM PST (none / 0)

"We progressives" by ivan, 08/05/2007 10:40:34 AM PST (none / 0)

I'm confused by janey79, 08/05/2007 12:35:54 PM PST (none / 0)

A big difference by ivan, 08/05/2007 12:44:42 PM PST (none / 0)

Calm down Ivan by janey79, 08/05/2007 06:52:44 PM PST (none / 0)

Stop insulting my intelligence by ivan, 08/06/2007 04:43:01 AM PST (none / 0)
Ivan's points had nothing to do with emotion by noemie maxwell, 08/06/2007 09:00:38 AM PST (none / 0)

New "regime" in how candidates rise by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 01:09:36 PM PST (none / 0)
Jolley (just like the ATM rattlers) by m3047, 08/13/2007 02:07:23 AM PST (none / 0)

Except Darcy's got no conflicts of interest by noemie maxwell, 08/06/2007 09:07:48 AM PST (none / 0)

Wouldn't you agree by DWE, 08/06/2007 02:01:59 PM PST (none / 0)

...and by willisreed, 08/06/2007 02:05:33 PM PST (none / 0)

You are really not getting it Willis by ivan, 08/06/2007 02:46:48 PM PST (none / 0)
Hi Willis by jeffuppy, 08/06/2007 03:31:44 PM PST (none / 0)

The Biznis of the Port is Biznis... by m3047, 08/13/2007 02:30:00 AM PST (none / 0)

The lack of a voting record by noemie maxwell, 08/06/2007 09:36:02 PM PST (none / 0)

what if...? by N in Seattle, 08/07/2007 09:31:35 AM PST (none / 0)

McCann's not a Democrat by ivan, 08/07/2007 09:34:25 AM PST (none / 0)
The Stranger endorsements by noemie maxwell, 08/07/2007 11:17:29 AM PST (none / 0)

Fundraising number by willisreed, 08/07/2007 11:56:06 AM PST (none / 0)

Fundraising -- Interesting! by noemie maxwell, 08/07/2007 08:30:13 PM PST (none / 0)
something wrong with this picture by wrog, 08/09/2007 01:07:27 AM PST (none / 0)

simple by N in Seattle, 08/09/2007 09:05:39 AM PST (none / 0)

for completeness' sake by N in Seattle, 08/07/2007 12:40:11 PM PST (none / 0)
I'll vote for the ice cream cone... by m3047, 08/13/2007 02:32:23 AM PST (none / 0)

Risk by DWE, 08/07/2007 01:46:28 PM PST (none / 0)

Yes, Alec Fisken is the star! Pls spread the word by noemie maxwell, 08/05/2007 01:31:25 PM PST (none / 0)

Smear campaigns and hit pieces?? Whaddya nuts?

I have to laugh at the absurdity of suggesting that this is some underhanded, mudslinging "11th hour" calculated jab. Heretic! Heretic! Burn the witch! What happened to the progressive rally cry for an "informed citizenry"? Groupthink is a folly best left to our conservative folk.

by awickens on Sun Aug 05, 2007 at 10:49:28 AM PST

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Noemie, welcome

to the Tarleton campaign cross-hairs.

I first wrote about this information because I thought it was important - not as part of any effort to help Jack Block Jr., or to "hit" Gael Tarleton.

As you point out, SAIC isn't just "any old" port contractor, and it's not just a few former friends and co-workers writing checks. This was large amount of valuable early money, and it came from the top players at SAIC, including their lobbyist.

To those who would dismiss this conflict so quickly, may I point out:

This is a company with an established record of playing fast and loose with campaign finance and self-dealing. This is a company which - just last year - was instrumental in pushing legislation through Congress requiring ports to adopt container scanning technology. They did so by passing off a paid SAIC consultant as an unbiased expert on port security (see Noemie's note #7 above).

Of course none of this means Gael Tarleton is an SAIC shill, but to suggest that the information presented is a "hit piece" is absurd. I've spent more than an hour talking with Gael Tarleton about this issue and about her "progressive" credentials. While she used all the right catch phrases, she only danced around the SAIC issue, and failed to articulate any actual specific progressive positions, or plans for the Port of Seattle.

I can understand your reluctance to print this Noemie. I've taken a huge amount of personal abuse as the result of bringing this information to light. While Gael herself may be charming and articulate, she has hired (with SAIC money) some full-bore political hacks (see: Argo Strategies) to attack the messengers in this case.

So Bravo for standing up to those who would make these choices for us. As you suggest, this is a poster-case for campaign finance reform, and a view into how a race proceeds when one candidate picks up early support from the Party king-makers and usual suspects. Kudos and thanks for speaking out.

jeffuppy

by jeffuppy on Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 01:11:26 AM PST

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Thanks, Jeff by noemie maxwell, 08/06/2007 09:17:26 AM PST (none / 0)

unquestioning? ignore? by N in Seattle, 08/06/2007 09:40:09 AM PST (none / 0)

You're the one doing the smear by noemie maxwell, 08/06/2007 09:57:32 AM PST (none / 0)

let me say this by N in Seattle, 08/06/2007 12:00:12 PM PST (none / 0)

wow.... by willisreed, 08/06/2007 10:41:47 AM PST (none / 0)

a chuckle, and a not-chuckle by N in Seattle, 08/06/2007 09:22:50 AM PST (none / 0)

You say: by jeffuppy, 08/06/2007 10:35:57 AM PST (none / 0)

WTF? by willisreed, 08/06/2007 10:43:10 AM PST (none / 0)

I was actually referring to Jason by jeffuppy, 08/06/2007 11:02:55 AM PST (none / 0)

Jason also volunteers for his legislative district by microveldt, 08/06/2007 11:37:05 AM PST (none / 0)

You're splitting hairs, N by ivan, 08/06/2007 10:41:42 AM PST (none / 0)
um by wrog, 08/09/2007 01:16:07 AM PST (none / 0)

Thanks Neal

I wish I had all the power and intrigue that Jeff seems to think I have. Wouldn't that be nice! I also wish I had the free time to do all the devious and calculated anti-Jeff smear tactics he purports. If I had that free time, I might hit the gym, since I have packed on 20 lbs this campaign season. But I digress.

Jeff - Can I have an example of my evildoing ways? I promised your brother that I wouldn't 'go there' and as far as I can tell, I have kept my end of the bargain. If you have evidence of something to the contrary, by all means, share. Otherwise, lay off the grand statements.

Simply put - we have a race to win. And there are nearly 1 million voters to connect with, so you can imagine how I figure out how to best use my time. It isn't sitting in the sandbox with Jeff Uppy and Chris Cain, I can assure you that.

And I know there are several public campaign types who hate the influence of money on elections. I don't disagree, but until we have that system in place, we have to play in the system we have. And the system we have requires us to raise enough money to contact nearly 1 million disillusioned, disaffected voters. If you have a campaign plan that shows how we do that on $0-$20,000, please send it to me.

We won't attack Jack Block Jr - he and I had a gentleman's agreement at the 36th District that we wouldn't do that to another Democrat. In fact, we talked about focusing on Bob and firing him from his job. He has since crapped on that notion, but that's ok. That's politics, I guess. We could go nasty on Jack Jr...but you know what? That doesn't get Bob un-elected. So we plan to stay focused on the task at hand.

Noemie - I disagree with you on your piece. I think it is conjecture, and, you know what? That's ok. You're a great progressive and the party is better served with you in it. It's clear you have your candidate. You admitted to Gael you came in with a bias on this and you're allowed. Folks who disagree with you can start their own blog. We are still sort of a free country.

Ivan - I respect you immensely. Wish we were on the same side here, but that's ok. We'll agree on some other outstanding candidate in the future no doubt. My only wish is that you'd stop accusing 'the handlers' of being elitist. It sort of insults my 10 years of work for all sorts of pro-union, pro-blue collar Dems I have worked my tail off for over the years.

In summary, we here at Tarleton HQ welcome the scrutiny. It's why we met with Jeff Uppy and talked with Noemie and we answer all questions on this subject. There is no "there" there, so to speak. Gael is not a 'shill for SAIC'. It's hard for me to even take that seriously given she left the company PRIOR to the majority of what Vanity Fair purports. Also, while she WAS working there, she was in Russia - not San Diego or some other place twisting arms to get government contracts. She was in Russia. Remember, it collapsed post cold war. And there were some good post cold war Dems that went to actually help the Russian people rebuild their country and keep them (and us) safe.

SAIC is a company that had 45,000 employees. Gael was one of them. It wasn't a company of 45,000 neocons. Many of them came in during Bush I and the Clinton Administration and left shortly after Sept 11th when the drumbeat to war was pounding hard - just like Gael did. She didn't like the direction the company was taking, so she left. If that doesn't show the quality of someone's character, I don't know what does.

And our broad base of support isn't blind progressives who are following her around like blind sheep. What was the term? Slobbering? That sort of insults the Washington Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Progressive Majority, 13 Democratic Legislative Districts, The Stranger, The Seattle Times, The Muni League, SEAMEC, and the King County Dems (where she received the endorsement 37-1). By the way, Jeff Uppy was peddling his piece prior to the endorsements of most of those listed above...so folks HAD this information in front of them during decision making time. And you know what? It's not persuasive. If it was, we'd see more evidence of it.

Gotta get back to work. Nice reprieve though. I probably won't have time to jump back on here for a while, so if you have follow up comments or questions, please call me 206.579.0644 or email me at jason@argostrategies.com. Since I am a big powerful evil political hack, I have a blackberry and I can get back to anyone right away.

And yes, please vote for Alec Fisken. He rocks.

And Gael too. She rocks as well.

by jasonbennett on Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 10:34:53 AM PST

* 45 none 0 *

OK Jason by jeffuppy, 08/06/2007 10:59:50 AM PST (none / 0)

"put up"? by N in Seattle, 08/06/2007 11:43:20 AM PST (none / 0)
OK, I had to check one more time... by jasonbennett, 08/06/2007 11:49:06 AM PST (none / 0)

I did not speak in favor of Jack by jeffuppy, 08/06/2007 12:43:09 PM PST (none / 0)

Insults

The word I used, "unquestioning" is a word that has an objective meaning -- an attitude that avoids questioning. Some of the comments on this post reject the idea that anyone has a right to publicly question the SAIC-related donations. That is unquestioning behavior.

If you wish to feel insulted by this objective term, there is nothing I can do.

The words used to respond to my post here, on the other hand are subjective. Hit piece, smear, etc. I was personally scolded and demeaned and my motives were not only questioned but diminished -- right out of the gate. Talk about innuendo.

I have had a difficult time doing my PCO doorbelling this time around -- after many other times. People are not only occasionally hostile, but sometimes threatening. Yesterday I cut short for the first time in three years my PCO rounds and simply returned home and cried for a good half hour at the unkindness -- and also the troubles expressed by my neighbors. If progressives can't treat each other with the most minimum respect -- then I can't take the hostility and sadness that I encounter trying to do outreach. It's not just the responses here. In general, I've encountered so much unkindness from progressives.

Your words have consequence.

by noemie maxwell on Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 12:36:24 PM PST

* 56 none 0 *

Totally unfair! by jaybolt, 08/09/2007 10:45:39 AM PST (none / 0)

What he said and more n/t by gibney, 08/09/2007 11:26:05 AM PST (none / 0)
More by gibney, 08/09/2007 12:51:49 PM PST (none / 0)

Agreed. by DWE, 08/09/2007 01:15:51 PM PST (none / 0)

JBolt, Gibney, DWE by noemie maxwell, 08/10/2007 08:43:50 PM PST (none / 0)

Who's banging up Noemie?

How did this become about Noemie's hurt feelings?

Honestly, I don't see these insults to her on here. In fact, to say that responders on THIS piece are attacking her is a bit of a fabrication. Is she incorporating her doorbelling experience into this piece? Are people at the door insulting her regarding THIS piece or something else? If something else, don't link the two.

Folks on here are strongly disagreeing with her. It appears some don't feel she's completely objective. Looks like she even admitted her bias toward Jack. I believe that's their (and my) prerogative to feel the way they (we) do. Just like it's her prerogative to vote for Jack and feel the way she does about Gael.

So what!? She got push back on an article that folks disagree with. Buck up and move on. If you don't like push back on a story you write, get out of the blog kitchen. If Gael doesn't deserve to be left unquestioned, why doesn't Noemie?

Besides, there are lots of other stories out there we can all agree on.

by 34 PCO on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 11:00:45 AM PST

* 75 none 0 *

I think we can say, by DWE, 08/09/2007 12:16:53 PM PST (none / 0)

More information re: publicly funded campaigns by DWE, 08/09/2007 12:51:32 PM PST (none / 0)

Empathy by jaybolt, 08/09/2007 02:57:20 PM PST (none / 0)

How we treat others is important politically by noemie maxwell, 08/10/2007 07:34:45 PM PST (none / 0)

The point is, 34PCO by noemie maxwell, 08/10/2007 07:27:20 PM PST (none / 0)

Didn't mean anything against you by willisreed, 08/10/2007 11:38:54 PM PST (none / 0)

"Reeks," is it? by ivan, 08/11/2007 09:52:18 AM PST (none / 0)

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