Annapolis Capital Punishment

As if you really cared....the answer is a flat out NOBODY. Yup. Nobody for mayor. Why?

For starters, who solved the Market House debacle? Nobody!

Who filled the ranks of our police department? Nobody!

Who completed the police department renovation ? Nobody!

Who fixed our ailing bus system? Nobody!

Who lowered taxes? Nobody!

Okay, you get my point. Were I purely a cynical miscreant, I would go on and on....but being a different type of miscreant, I stopped there. However, I will endorse only one candidate--"Nobody."

It is not appropriate for me to endorse anyone, and while I have information and knowledge, does anyone really care who I or anyone else supports for mayor? It's your vote, not mine. The big issue is maintaining some distance from the candidates, especially since I am going to be writing about this in the coming months. I know all the announced candidates, so let us begin with the assumption that I have a bias (no kidding?) but that I will do my best to be fair. I will simply try to maintain my constant state of being an equal opportunity exploiter. I'll try to expose their strengths and weaknesses and mediate what I see, know and hear about the candidates. You and the candidates may not like what I write, but if you find any inaccuracies or falsehoods, write me a letter--but not anonymously. You know my take on that. If you disagree or want to rebut what I say, go right ahead. I welcome it.

But remember this--being mayor is an awesome responsibility. Anybody who wants to lead our city and oversee $81 million in public funds, and 600 public servants deserves our respect for placing themselves squarely in the public eye and for devoting themselves to a challenging and sometimes difficult campaign. They are wiling to step up and be noticed--positively or negatively. It takes great fortitude. If we respect the office, we must respect their candidacy. They will have my respect, but they will also have my jaundiced eye and poison keyboard ready--each and every one of them. All I can promise is that I'll try to be fair.

Already we have hosted Sam Shropshire (D), Dave Cordle (R) and Trudy McFall (D) at our weekly Sip N' Blogs as well as two Republican aldermanic candidates, Scott Bowling and Greg Stiverson. We have mayoral hopeful Wayne Taylor (D) on board for next week (if he's not too angry with me for the post about his web-site) and I'd like to get the other candidates as well--once they have officially stood up and said "I am running for mayor" so hopefully we'll have Josh Cohen (D), Zina Pierre (D), Chris Fox (I), Mike Pantelides (R--where "R" you?) and we even had Frank Flyntz (R) as a guest, though not featured speaker. Gil Renaut (D) should know the door is open. To the above candidates, which Thursday morning can you attend?

I am not hiding the fact that I am hoping that all these candidates will advertise on CP so how can I in good conscience endorse anyone? Both Trudy McFall and Gil Renaut advertise through Google, which places ads on CP based on their own formula. Those candidates do not contract with or pay CP directly, and ad revenue accrues to CP only if readers click on their ads. In those cases, I believe that similarly, a charge is placed against the advertiser. However, I may opt to block such ads and insist that the candidates advertise directly with me--and without any compunction on my part. Josh Cohen has already contacted me about advertising. See--I have nothing to hide--so why should any readers or commenters? After all, I am equal opportunity exploiter.

(p.s. The above also goes for any local race)
(p.p.s. I will happily attend parties, announcements and fundraisers--in the interest of reporting the news of course...which means I cannot make a donation or buy a ticket of course)

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