"Christie reelected in N.J.; McAuliffe takes Va.; De Blasio wins race for mayor in New York City" by Thomas Beaumont | Associated Press, November 06, 2013
Republican Governor Chris Christie cruised to reelection Tuesday in Democratic-leaning New Jersey amid talk of a possible 2016 presidential run.
Related: The Globe's First-in-the-Nation Republican Presidential Primary
Democrat Terry McAuliffe narrowly won the Virginia governor’s race, leading what Democrats hoped would be their first sweep of statewide offices in decades.
New Yorkers chose Bill de Blasio as mayor, electing the first Democrat since 1989.
See:
Ad says NYC candidate soft on crime
Bill de Blasio poised to become NYC mayor
Looks like New York is going to have a new police chief then.
In Detroit, Mike Duggan, a former medical center chief, defeated Sheriff Benny Napoleon.
Related: Sunday Globe Special: Detroit Gone to the Dogs
Looks like Detroit has larger problems than who will be the next neutered mayor to take office. Besides, the benign dictatorship of Obama will solve all.
Alabama Republicans chose the establishment-backed Bradley Byrne over a Tea Party-supported rival in a special congressional runoff election in the conservative state.
In other, widely scattered off-year balloting, Houston rejected a plan to turn the Astrodome into a convention hall, likely dooming it to demolition, while Colorado agreed to tax marijuana at 25 percent.
That controlled demolition exercise should be fun to watch on film for comparison to WTC 7 and such -- unless the Colorado weed tax makes you angry enough to forget it.
Ah, the $weet benefits of legali$ation!
Taken together, the results in individual states and cities yielded no broad judgments on how the American public feels about today’s two biggest national political debates — government spending and health care — which are more likely to shape next fall’s midterm elections.
Still....
Let's make some broad judgments?
In Virginia, McAuliffe turned back a late-game push by state Attorney General Ken Cuccinnelli, a Republican. Both Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton made appearances for McAuliffe in the final weeks, and so did President Obama over the weekend. The Democrat also dramatically outspent his GOP rival in TV ads in the final weeks.
Related: Hillary Clinton stars at Virginia rally for McAuliffe
Also see: Chuck Schumer endorses a Hillary Clinton campaign
I guess that wraps up the nomination for Hitlery. The election is more than three years away, but you know....
Cuccinelli had sought to prove that a Tea Party-backed conservative could win the governorship of a swing-voting state. He brought big-name supporters to the state, too, including Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal — all potential presidential contenders.
Related:
"His hope was for a last-minute upset, given the lead McAuliffe has held in the polls for several weeks. McAuliffe’s lead varies widely depending on the survey, and Cuccinelli said he believes the race is tightening."
Also looks like Rand Paul won't be much of a threat due to the charges of plagiarism.
Virginia Democrats hoped they were on their way to holding all statewide-elected offices for the first time since 1970 and turning back the conservatism that has dominated for the past four years under one-term-limited Governor Bob McDonnell. The state’s two senators already are Democrats. Aside from McAuliffe, Democrats also won the lieutenant governorship. The race for the attorney general’s office was neck and neck.
Related: Sunday Globe Special: Democratic Iced Tea
I guess Tea Party lost Democratic backing.
The governor’s race had turned McAuliffe’s way last month partly because of the partial government shutdown. Exit polls found that about a third of Virginia voters said they were personally impacted by the shutdown.
Christie’s resounding victory was intended to send a message to the GOP that a Republican with an inclusive pitch could win in Democratic territory....
Yeah, yeah, I got the distorted and rigged f***ing message.
His victory showed his ability to draw support from Democrats, independents, and minorities. Much like George W. Bush did in his reelection race as governor in Texas in 1998, Christie now may have fodder to argue that he is the most electable in what might well be a crowded presidential primary field.
You want another on of him?
Later this month, Christie assumes the chairmanship of the Republican Governors Association, giving him another platform for a possible national campaign.
Christie’s victory makes him the only Republican governor considering the presidency and serving with a Democratic Legislature....
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the party’s internal squabbles played out in Alabama. Byrne, the choice of the GOP establishment, won against Tea Party favorite Dean Young.
The race was the first test of the US Chamber of Commerce’s promise to try to influence primaries. The group has pumped at least $200,000 into supporting Byrne, who has almost two decades in politics.
Then the wrong guy won because they pa$$ed.
In Houston, a coalition of local and national preservation groups as well as a political action committee had banded together to try to convince voters that the Astrodome, one of the city’s signature structures, should be reborn and not razed.
The referendum had called for creating 350,000 square feet of exhibition space by removing the interior seats and raising the floor to street level. Other changes included creating 400,000 square feet of plaza and green space on the outside of the structure as part of the project, dubbed ‘‘The New Dome Experience.’’
Houston-area leaders have said the so-called ‘‘Eighth Wonder of the World’’ would probably have to be torn down if the ballot measure failed to pass.
I thought that was something else.
In other races:
■ Big city mayors: In New York, de Blasio won handily over Republican Joe Lhota after Michael Bloomberg’s dozen-year tenure. In Detroit, Duggan was victorious, though the job holds little power while the city is being run by a state-appointed emergency manager. Atlanta, Minneapolis, Seattle, and other cities also chose mayors.
■ Colorado: Colorado voters agreed to tax marijuana at 25 percent and apply the proceeds to regulating the newly legalized drug and building schools. Voters in 10 rural counties refused to approve secession from the state. One county narrowly voted to secede, but it was a symbolic gesture.
■ Washington state: Voters weighed in on a ballot issue over mandatory labeling of genetically modified food, a contest that has drawn hefty financial contributions in opposition from the likes of PepsiCo., Monsanto, and General Mills, which last year spent $46 million to defeat a similar measure in California.
Related: California Vote Leaves Bad Taste in My Mouth
Also see: The Corn Syrup People Spoke?
I think my paper is made of the same stuff!
--more--"
Nothing about the Boston mayoral race in there?
"Martin Walsh wins Boston’s mayoral race; Lawmaker’s broad base carries him past John Connolly" by Andrew Ryan | Globe Staff, November 06, 2013
Martin J. Walsh, a legislator and longtime labor leader, ground out a tight victory over Councilor at Large John R. Connolly Tuesday to become Boston’s 48th mayor, propelled by a diverse coalition that transcended geography, race, and ideology.
Walsh rode a wave of support that spanned Boston, from his Savin Hill neighbors to African-Americans in Roxbury to liberal activists in Jamaica Plain. His victory, fueled by unprecedented spending by organized labor from across the country, places a son of Irish immigrants who grew up in a Dorchester three-decker at the head of New England’s largest city.
With all precincts reporting, Walsh captured 52 percent of the vote to Connolly’s 48 percent. The two candidates were separated by fewer than 5,000 votes, making it the closest mayor’s race in decades.
When Walsh takes office Jan. 6, it will mark the end of the 20-year tenure of Mayor Thomas M. Menino, whose announcement in March that he would not seek reelection unleashed a generation of pent-up political ambition.
Walsh took the stage at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel to chants of “Mar-ty, Mar-ty!” The huge crowd packed in tight toward the stage, with scores more on balconies adorned with banners from organized labor. The mayor-elect kissed his longtime girlfriend, Lorrie Higgins, and addressed his supporters.
“For this kid from Taft Street in Dorchester, you’ve made Boston a place where dreams come true,” Walsh said. “Together, we’re going to make Boston a place where dreams come true for every child, for every person, in every corner of this city.”
In a race that lacked substantial policy differences, Walsh won as an affable everyman with a compelling life story. The 46-year-old spoke often about his immigrant roots, his battle with childhood cancer, his brush with a stray bullet that grazed his leg after a night of drinking, and his struggle as a young man to overcome alcoholism. Walsh made up for a dearth of detail when discussing policy with a genial personality that helped build trust, a trait that won key endorsements from black and Latino leaders.
Most crucially, the election marked the dawn of a new era in city politics....
--more--"
Also see:
John Connolly was outspent and out-organized
The Walsh Era begins
Walsh shows he’s more than just the ‘labor guy’
Bostonians should join Walsh in promoting growth, harmony
The Walsh Era begins
Walsh shows he’s more than just the ‘labor guy’
Bostonians should join Walsh in promoting growth, harmony
Related:
The petition worked.
I hope Walsh's tenure works out better than the Toronto experience:
"Apparent video of mayor smoking crack cocaine recovered; Charges unlikely, Toronto police say" by Ian Austen | New York Times, November 01, 2013
OTTAWA — The Toronto police have recovered a video showing Rob Ford, the city’s mayor, apparently smoking crack cocaine, the force’s chief, William Blair, said Thursday.
The video was recovered by technicians on Tuesday from deleted files on a computer seized during a series of drug- and gang-related arrests this year.
In May, the blog Gawker and The Toronto Star both reported that they had been shown the video several times by a man who was trying to sell it. A subsequent attempt by Gawker to buy the video failed, and Ford has repeatedly denied using crack and said no such video existed.
While Blair did not describe the video at a televised news conference, he confirmed that the mayor appeared in it and that its contents were “consistent with what has previously been reported.”
The police chief said there was nothing on the video that could lead to criminal charges against Ford, but added, “As a citizen of the city, I am disappointed.”
During a brief meeting with reporters, Ford ignored questions about why he had previously denied the existence of the video. “I have no reason to resign,” he told the reporters at City Hall in Toronto. “I’m going to go back and return my phone calls. I’m going to be out doing what the people elected me to do and that’s save taxpayers’ money and run a great government that we’ve been running.”
He added, “I wish I could come out and defend myself, but unfortunately I can’t because it’s before the courts.”
The recording, and a second video that Blair did not describe, did lead to the arrest of Alexander Lisi, whom Ford had described as a friend and who acts as the mayor’s driver from time to time.
He's the guy who hooked him up!
Lisi has been charged with extortion, although the police declined to give details of the charge or name the extortion victim. The Toronto Star has reported that Lisi tried to recover the video on Ford’s behalf following the initial news reports of its contents.
He's the guy who hooked him up!
Lisi has been charged with extortion, although the police declined to give details of the charge or name the extortion victim. The Toronto Star has reported that Lisi tried to recover the video on Ford’s behalf following the initial news reports of its contents.
Over the past few months, it had appeared that Ford was recovering politically from the suggestion that he used crack.
Translation: Media had been taking it easy on him.
--more--"
"Toronto’s mayor admits to using crack; Says that he was drunk, and that he won’t resign" by Rob Gillies | Associated Press, November 06, 2013
TORONTO — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford acknowledged for the first time Tuesday that he smoked crack ‘‘probably a year ago,’’ when he was in a ‘‘drunken stupor,’’ but he refused to resign despite immense pressure to step aside as leader of Canada’s largest city.
I don't know what would bother me more, the crack-smoking or the drunken stupor.
Ford said he loves his job and ‘‘for the sake of the taxpayers, we must get back to work immediately.’’
Loves his perks.
Allegations that the mayor had been caught on video smoking crack surfaced in news reports in May. Ford initially insisted the video did not exist, sidestepped questions about whether he had ever smoked crack, and rebuffed growing calls to step down.
I guess the LYING bothers me the MOST!
The mayor was forced to backtrack last week after police said they had obtained a copy of the video in the course of a drug investigation against a friend of Ford’s.
I don't know what would bother me more, the crack-smoking or the drunken stupor.
Ford said he loves his job and ‘‘for the sake of the taxpayers, we must get back to work immediately.’’
Loves his perks.
Allegations that the mayor had been caught on video smoking crack surfaced in news reports in May. Ford initially insisted the video did not exist, sidestepped questions about whether he had ever smoked crack, and rebuffed growing calls to step down.
I guess the LYING bothers me the MOST!
The mayor was forced to backtrack last week after police said they had obtained a copy of the video in the course of a drug investigation against a friend of Ford’s.
‘‘Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine,’’ Ford told reporters earlier outside his office. ‘‘There have been times when I’ve been in a drunken stupor. That’s why I want to see the tape. I want everyone in the city to see this tape.’’
Really?
Really?
Later, in a prepared statement, Ford said he had ‘‘nothing to hide now.’’
No? How many other times has this happened, and don't give us the old "only once" bit.
No? How many other times has this happened, and don't give us the old "only once" bit.
Authorities have said the video, which has not been released publicly, does not constitute enough evidence to charge the mayor with a crime.
Isn't using the stuff a crime?
Police have said they want to talk to the mayor, but his lawyer so far has declined.
Isn't using the stuff a crime?
Police have said they want to talk to the mayor, but his lawyer so far has declined.
But he has nothing to hide?
Police spokesman Mark Pugush said Ford’s acknowledgement of crack use will be passed on to investigators. Several Toronto city councilors called on Ford to step down, and Canada’s justice minister urged him to get help.
The controversy has drawn comparisons to the 1990 arrest of then-Washington Mayor Marion Barry, who was videotaped smoking crack cocaine in a hotel room during an FBI sting operation.
Now they are too busy setting up patsy terror plots or partying themselves.
Barry served six months in federal prison on a misdemeanor drug possession conviction but later won a fourth term as mayor in 1994.
Now they are too busy setting up patsy terror plots or partying themselves.
Barry served six months in federal prison on a misdemeanor drug possession conviction but later won a fourth term as mayor in 1994.
Municipal law makes no provision for the mayor’s forced removal from office unless he is convicted and jailed for a criminal offense.
City Councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong, a member of Ford’s executive committee, said he would put forward a motion asking Ford to take a leave of absence.
Councilor Jaye Robinson said the mayor needs to step aside and address his problems.
‘‘We have become a laughingstock of North America, if not the world,’’ Robinson said.
Canadian Justice Minister Peter MacKay said it was ‘‘a sad day for the city of Toronto.’’
‘‘As a human being, I think the mayor of Toronto needs to get help,’’ MacKay said.
Ford told the Toronto Sun newspaper that he would not be taking a leave of absence.
‘‘I feel like I got 1,000 pounds off my back,’’ Ford told the paper, which is sympathetic to the mayor. ‘‘I felt like I had to say it. It is what it is. I feel two inches high right now, but I needed to deal with it. I am not going to quit or take a leave.’’
Ford has been dogged by allegations of bad behavior since becoming mayor three years ago, promising to end what he called wasteful spending at city hall. His campaign galvanized conservatives in Toronto’s outlying suburbs, where initiatives like downtown bike lanes were considered excessive and elitist.
They don't like the Citibikes?
They don't like the Citibikes?
The crack episode is not the first time Ford has been forced to admit drug use. During the campaign, he acknowledged after repeated denials that he was busted for marijuana possession in Florida in 1999.
That isn't that long ago, but who cares about pot anymore?
Ford apologized over the weekend for excessive drinking. He said he should not have been ‘‘hammered’’ drunk in public when he appeared at a street festival in August, calling it ‘‘pure stupidity.’’
Especially when you are the mayor.
That isn't that long ago, but who cares about pot anymore?
Ford apologized over the weekend for excessive drinking. He said he should not have been ‘‘hammered’’ drunk in public when he appeared at a street festival in August, calling it ‘‘pure stupidity.’’
Especially when you are the mayor.
The mayor has also been accused of making an obscene gesture from his car and texting while driving. In 2011, Ford angered the city’s gay community by declining to attend Toronto’s gay pride parade, breaking with tradition observed by three previous mayors.
Oh, look jwhose toes he stepped on! Doesn't excuse the conduct, just shows why it is in the agenda-pushing paper.
--more--"
NEXT DAY UPDATE:
"Toronto mayor rejects latest call to step aside" by Rob Gillies | Associated Press, November 07, 2013
TORONTO — Deepening the crisis, Rob Ford’s long-time policy adviser resigned....
Ford arrived at City Hall just past noon on Wednesday but took a back stairway to his office to avoid a crush of media.
The mayor later blew a kiss to the media as he gave a tour of his office to school children.
I don't like the idea of him being around school kids.
More than 200 people protested outside City Hall.
“Hey hey! Ho ho! Rob Ford has got to go!” they chanted.
Councilor James Pasternak said the controversy consuming Canada’s largest city cannot go on. He said several city councilors asked Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly to approach Ford and “orchestrate a dignified exit.”
Kelly met with Ford and suggested he take a temporary leave until later this year or early next year, but Ford rejected that idea. Councilor Frances Nunziata, also a Ford ally, said they are all frustrated Ford will not step aside temporarily.
“There’s nothing we can do. He’s the only one who can make the decision,” Nunziata said.
The dictator of Toronto?
************************
There is no clear path for critics to force Ford out. Municipal law makes no provision for the mayor’s forced removal unless he is convicted and jailed for a criminal offense. Ford has not been charged.
“He has stubbornly refused to listen to everyone across the city to step down,” Councilor Janet Davis said.
Nelson Wiseman, a professor at the University of Toronto, said the province of Ontario could conceivably step in and put Toronto under trusteeship because municipalities are under provincial jurisdiction. He said the chances of that happening are “slim to none,” though it might be possible if Ford is charged with a crime and city councilors plead for Ford to step aside in a motion.
Premier Kathleen Wynne of Ontario has said she is concerned that Ford’s personal issues make it hard for the city to carry on normally. But she said it was up to police, the courts, or the mayor to take action.
Councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong, a member of Ford’s executive committee, is putting forward a motion that would ask Ford to take a leave of absence.
Another councilor is putting forward a motion that could strip some of his powers.
“The right thing to do is for council to take a clear position,” Minnan-Wong said. “I remain concerned that there’s more information that’s going to come out. I’m troubled by that and that it will hurt this city even further.”
Voters may have the final word on Ford’s future. He has said he plans to run in the October 2014 mayoral election.
Police said they obtained the video in the course of a drug investigation into Ford’s friend and occasional driver, Alexander Lisi. The mayor has called on police to release the video.
--more--"
Also see: New video shows Toronto mayor threatening to kill
NEXT DAY UPDATE:
"Toronto mayor rejects latest call to step aside" by Rob Gillies | Associated Press, November 07, 2013
TORONTO — Deepening the crisis, Rob Ford’s long-time policy adviser resigned....
Ford arrived at City Hall just past noon on Wednesday but took a back stairway to his office to avoid a crush of media.
The mayor later blew a kiss to the media as he gave a tour of his office to school children.
I don't like the idea of him being around school kids.
More than 200 people protested outside City Hall.
“Hey hey! Ho ho! Rob Ford has got to go!” they chanted.
Councilor James Pasternak said the controversy consuming Canada’s largest city cannot go on. He said several city councilors asked Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly to approach Ford and “orchestrate a dignified exit.”
Kelly met with Ford and suggested he take a temporary leave until later this year or early next year, but Ford rejected that idea. Councilor Frances Nunziata, also a Ford ally, said they are all frustrated Ford will not step aside temporarily.
“There’s nothing we can do. He’s the only one who can make the decision,” Nunziata said.
The dictator of Toronto?
************************
There is no clear path for critics to force Ford out. Municipal law makes no provision for the mayor’s forced removal unless he is convicted and jailed for a criminal offense. Ford has not been charged.
“He has stubbornly refused to listen to everyone across the city to step down,” Councilor Janet Davis said.
Nelson Wiseman, a professor at the University of Toronto, said the province of Ontario could conceivably step in and put Toronto under trusteeship because municipalities are under provincial jurisdiction. He said the chances of that happening are “slim to none,” though it might be possible if Ford is charged with a crime and city councilors plead for Ford to step aside in a motion.
Premier Kathleen Wynne of Ontario has said she is concerned that Ford’s personal issues make it hard for the city to carry on normally. But she said it was up to police, the courts, or the mayor to take action.
Councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong, a member of Ford’s executive committee, is putting forward a motion that would ask Ford to take a leave of absence.
Another councilor is putting forward a motion that could strip some of his powers.
“The right thing to do is for council to take a clear position,” Minnan-Wong said. “I remain concerned that there’s more information that’s going to come out. I’m troubled by that and that it will hurt this city even further.”
Voters may have the final word on Ford’s future. He has said he plans to run in the October 2014 mayoral election.
Police said they obtained the video in the course of a drug investigation into Ford’s friend and occasional driver, Alexander Lisi. The mayor has called on police to release the video.
--more--"
Also see: New video shows Toronto mayor threatening to kill
Speaking of bad conduct:
Related: Putting Out Filner's Fire
Time to bring you full circle jerk and climax this post.
