USF Mayoral Debate Produces No Winners or Losers

Written by Luke Thomas. Posted in News, Politics

Published on May 07, 2011 with 4 Comments

Nine of 31 candidates for mayor were invited by the University of San Francisco to engage in a formal debate, May 5, 2011. Photos by Luke Thomas.

By Luke Thomas

May 7, 2011

As debates go, last Thursday’s candidates forum sponsored by the University of San Francisco was relatively uneventful, producing no clear winners or losers, or standouts.  In fact, by most accounts, the forum did little to separate the candidates on the big-ticket issues facing the city, most notably the city’s projected budget deficits over the next few years, spiraling healthcare and unsustainable pension costs.

The BayCitizen.org website aptly described the forum as a “lovefest.”

But, as in most races for political office, in the early stages candidates are feeling each other out, testing their brand messaging, shaking hands and holding babies, dialing for dollars and waiting for polls to be published to provide the candidates the necessary intelligence to make informed and strategic campaign decisions and, yes, if necessary, to go negative.

Another factor candidates will be weighing in this year’s mayor’s race, is how to maximize the inherent opportunities provided by Instant Runoff Voting, a system of voting that permits voters to rank their top-three preferred candidates, and eliminates the need for a traditional and costly runoff election.  Candidates who employ a ranked-choice endorsement strategy with other like-minded candidates has proven effective – most notably in last year’s race for Oakland mayor – in defeating a popular frontrunner.  Senator Leland Yee and City Attorney Dennis Herrera are, so far, considered the early frontrunners in the race.

Board of Supervisors David Chiu “seemed to be most on point, but his delivery was robotic,” commented one observer.  Another audience member commented that Senator Leland Yee’s positioning on the “book-ends” of the dais was “visually unhelpful” to the most senior ranking elected in the race.  Former Supervisor Bevan Dufty seemed the most personable and relaxed of all the candidates.  Former Supervisor Tony Hall had the advantage of sounding statesmanlike, and his central position on the dais was a factor in subliminally boosting his rhetoric.  Though venture capitalist Joanna Rees attempted to distance herself from the political class, she went some distance to explain that she knows the names of a few city departments in an effort to not come across as clueless to the inner workings of City Hall politics.  Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting did his best to trumpet his achievements and used repetition to drive them home.   Supervisor John Avalos, who is the latest big name entrant into the race, focused on community activism and neighborhood empowerment. City Attorney Dennis Herrera did not seem off balance despite a recent news report linking him with alleged violations of campaign ethics laws.

The following quotes have been extracted from the candidates’ opening remarks:

Former District 7 Supervisor Tony Hall: "Throughout the course of my life in public service, Ive always been able to maintain one principle that is so important to the young people today: You do not have to compromise your ideals when it comes to serving the special interests. You can serve the common good by always standing up for the truth and doing what you know is best for your city."

Former District 2 Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier: "When I look at my own life and politics and how I got where I am, I had one defining moment in my life. People think that I am here because I have family that is rich in political history in San Francisco, but when I was a young girl, I broke my back in a ski-lift accident when I was 13, and when you are in seventh grade and you’re watching your friends get up and go to the movies together and hop on Muni, you realize for the first time in your life that the world is a different place and one that you need to adapt to and one, quite frankly, that needs to adapt to you. You look at the way you do things very differently."

City Attorney Dennis Herrera: "For forty years the right wing in this country has been talking about how government is the problem, not part of the solution. That’s a premise that I fundamentally disagree with based on my experience. I’ve seen that local government has the power to positively impact peoples’ lives each and everyday. But we need strong leadership in government and engaged citizens to work to make it happen."

Board of Supervisors President David Chiu: "I am very happy to part of a conversation about how all of us serve. By way of background, I’m the first kid in my family born here in the United States and my immigrant parents, like most immigrant parents, struggled tremendously. They sacrificed everything so that their kids could have everything and it was because of that sacrifice and that struggle that was one of the big reasons why I decided to enter public service."

Venture Capitalist Joanna Rees: "My first experience with public service started with my grandfather who, at 40, after going back to medical school to become an ophthalmologist, he drove around in a mobile van to do free eye tests for the poor. He felt he had a duty to serve his community whether they had the ability to pay or not. His action instilled in me a deep obligation to give back to my community - and no matter how busy I have been in my professional life, I’ve always served in the community."

District 11 Supervisor John Avalos: "These are very, very tough times for cities around the country, and San Francisco is no exception. The Federal government, the State government are not doing what they need to do. They are failing in their responsibility to promote the general welfare, and local government is forced to do more with less. To me, as we’re looking at the future of San Francisco, we need to make sure that we have a way that community members can help shape the destiny of our city, and by getting involved at the neighborhood level, we can make those changes happen, and as mayor, I am dedicated to making those changes happen by integrating government with other institutions around the city."

Former District 8 Supervisor Bevan Dufty: "Some of the best experiences you can have is working in campaigns. Sometimes the losing campaigns teach you a lot more than the winning campaigns do. But just going and having the opportunity to experience what we do, all of us get to go all across this city. I get to go to events in Catholic churches that I would never be in as a gay Jew, otherwise I get to go – and in fact I was at St. Anne’s last Saturday and you’d be really impressed; there was a fundraiser for Gaelic football and one of the judges was Pollo Del Mar, one of the biggest drag queens in San Francisco was one of the judges at this event, and that’s what makes our city unique."

California Senator Leland Yee: "I came to this country when I was 3 years old. I lived in a single room apartment with my mother and my sister. We didn’t have a whole lot and out of the good grace of this particular city, I am what I am now. I have been tremendously fortunate and I think all of you are tremendously fortunate and that’s why we want to give back, and that’s the kind of person that I am. I am indebted to what San Francisco has been able to do for me."

Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting: "Resetting San Francisco means asking a very simple question: Would government work better if you have more say? Not just if you have been better heard, but if you actually have more power. We have some of the best politicians in the country, many of whom are up here with you all today, but we can’t do it alone. People are going to tell you how they’ve done a good job and how they deserve your vote, but still Muni is not running well, schools are getting cut in funding, and families feel further and further behind. What’s missing isn’t us – there are plenty of politicians in San Francisco City Hall - what’s missing is you. You’re missing from the dialogue. You’re missing from the decision-making process and we need to do a better job of sharing our power."

More Photos

The mayoral candidates forum attracted as many as 300 students, supporters, campaign consultants and press to the University of San Francisco.

A moment of levity between Senator Leland Yee and Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting.

Forum moderator and USF political scientist Corey Cook.

Luke Thomas

Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.

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4 Comments

Comments for USF Mayoral Debate Produces No Winners or Losers are now closed.

  1. I really hope you will consider a better alternative to all of these career politicians.

    I can run this City better than any of them and I know what we need to do to take us forward. Check out the resume and campaign promises at my website.

    Please consider turning your back on special interests and career politicians and vote for me, Karthik Rajan for mayor of SF first, second or third on your ballot.

    We will pay less, for a better quality of life.

    Thanks,
    Karthik Rajan
    http://karthikrajanformayor.org

  2. Campers,

    Not just Adachi. How about Gonzalez too? Team them iwth Avalos and you have an IRV Progressive ticket that everyone not named Redmond or Salomon or Haaland can enthusiastically support.

    Or, my name’s not h. brown.

    Which it is

    Brandon Belt was walked 3 times in 4 at bats today..

    Go Giants!

  3. It’s a pretty disappointing field so far. When will Adachi join the race?

  4. So Dennis the Menace wants ‘engaged citizens’, just how do you encourage that when you deny them the right to vote.
    Just what kind of ‘strong leadership’ are you providing when you are ‘suspected’ of ethical violations of the campaign laws, especially when you are running for election !!
    Wanna buy some ocean front property in Nevada. Herrera can cut a deal for you.