I don’t know if Sara Palin look-alike Tina Fey could stand in for Seattle City Council candidate Bobby Forch (he’s a 53-year-old black man), but man did Forch, who’s running in the crowded Position 8 race for Richard McIver’s open seat, go off on some discombobulated sound bite mash ups last night that were ripe for a Fey send up.
At last night’s 46 District Democrats candidate forum, the candidates were asked to say what they thought were the biggest issues in North Seattle (the 46th District). Forch—a 20-year resident of the Central District—seemed caught off guard, and resorted to an incoherent speech that seemed like a hodge podge from his candidate training sessions.
According to my notes, Forch began by saying that “transportation” and “connectivity” and “jobs” were the big issues “for us” (as opposed to the North End) and then said this:
“Getting people back to work, getting our economy back to work with those dollars, advancing some of the major projects to get people moving and to secure our economy…”
Later, when asked what his vision for transit oriented development was, Forch got stuck in another Palin-like jag, saying he supported “a wholistic network” explaining that he wanted “good east-west connections and north-south connections…to get an infrastructure linked up to these spots through the city.”
I’m being a bit unfair. And reading it back now, Forch, who works on mega projects at the Seattle Department of Transportation, doesn’t read as loopy as he actually came across. (And he was actually downright captivating when he was asked about the lack of funding for education). But his desultory answers were some of the odder scenes at last night’s forum.
More to come, as I mine my notes.
For example, when asked if they supported developer impact fees on large multi-family housing projects to fund schools (a leading question in touchy, single-family-oriented North Seattle), candidate Mike O’Brien, also running for McIver’s seat, scored last night’s “Best answer of the Night” in my book.
Position 8 Candidate Mike O’Brien
Sierra Club guy O’Brien refused to play to the crowd, and emphatically said “No,” explaining that impact fees would drive up the cost of housing, which he said was the root cause of Seattle’s woes, including issues with our schools.
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Nice to see a candidate not play to the crowd and stick to his beliefs, excellent work Mike.
I agree that Forch was a little loopy, he lost me after his first 2 minute answer. I think Mike should move from position 8 to 4.
Mike O’Brien is an articulate, fair-minded individual. His answer as noted here is typical of the candidate. He will tell you what he believes, not what you want to hear. Seattle could use more politicians like Mike!
I like Forch and O’brien. Both would serve the council well.
Good on Mike. He’s been a fair-minded strong player, so far. That’s that we need: canidates and electeds who are willing to define and stick to their principles, political expediency notwithstanding.
I agree that Forch was a little loopy, he lost me after his first 2 minute answer. I think Mike should move from position 8 to 4.