Thursday, March 19, 2009

Debatable


We will review last night's cocktail party Mayoral Debate, moderated by Johnny Cash, soon. (See Updates throughout the day, below.)

In the mean time, put up your comments and view the round-up of reviews and links (with embedded video below):

**Update at 9:30 am**

A few notes, that we'll update through the day:

* What was with the cocktail lounge setting? Each of the candidates looked like they were waiting for their wives to get back from the bathroom. 

Why not little tea-candles at each table, and a list of the drink specials?

* Jim Suttle said, 
"I think the sacredness is setting up the mayor's office as a leadership pulpit instead of a bully pulpit."
And that's cute and all -- and is meant as a dig to Hal Daub's time as Mayor -- except that he apparently doesn't understand the term "Bully Pulpit". The term was coined by President Teddy Roosevelt, who liked the word "Bully" --meaning "superb" or "wonderful". As Wikipedia says,
A bully pulpit is a public office of sufficiently high rank that provides the holder with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter. The bully pulpit can bring issues to the forefront that were not initially in debate, due to the office's stature and publicity.
The term "bully" in that phrase has nothing to do with "being a bully."  And once again, it's interesting to see that Councilman Kookypants has no idea what he's talking about.

* As I finish filling out my brackets, I got to thinking: Whose idea was it to schedule today's debate at noon?  Right on the first day of the NCAA Tourney?  These are the same people who schedule a wedding during a Nebraska football game. 

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, Jimmy Vokal got his but kicked!!! Where's the Beef Jim!!!!

Anonymous said...

Ha ha!!!!! "Where's the Beef"!!! Ha ha ha!!!!

That was so funny...25 years ago. When Hal Daub was 65 years old...

Anonymous said...

Suttle had no meat for any of his posititons. HIs plans are simplistic minded and he was absymal in his performance last night.

Vokal only talked about Downtown, North and South Omaha. Did he forget that Omaha extends past 72nd Street?? As a West Omaha Young Professional he has not discussed what he would do for my part of Omaha. Im throughly offended and will not be supporting him this election.

Anonymous said...

I think it is both hilarious and relevant that "Where's the beef" is being used to assess Jim Vokal's positions on the issues. Jim Vokal is an empty suit with no ideas. I still like the phrase, "Tainted fire money"....lol

Anonymous said...

Hey anonymous at 8:40: What was Jim Vokal doing 10 or 15 years ago???? That's Anonymous right we should vote for Jim because he's young, hip, and bald!!! So Jim, "Where's the Beef?"

Anonymous said...

There is absolutely no question that Hal Daub won last night's debate. He's the only one of the three that has any sound, concrete plans for this city -- and the skills to follow through and get them done.

Go Mayor Hal!

Anonymous said...

Man, such vitriol from the Daubbies today! Hal must not be up 20 points any more...

Anonymous said...

I think Robert Nelson lost the debate frankly. He was a horrible moderator. Annoying nad didn't know how to run a debate with respect to the candidates.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, how dare Robert Nelson try to keep Hal Daub within his allotted time!

Anonymous said...

SS, while you may enlighten us with the true meaning of the term "bully pulpit" as it was originally intended, I think most people assume the word bully in this instance to mean what we commonly know it as today; someone who acts in a cruel, overbearing, and intimidating manner. That sounds like Hal Daub to a T.

Anonymous said...

Same old Vokal Street!!!

Street Sweeper said...

If by "most people" you mean "most idiots", then you are correct.

Otherwise, intelligent people understand the real meaning of the term.

(And frankly I'm astounded that Suttle or anyone else would suggest otherwise.)

Anonymous said...

He took 30 minutes to go over the rules of the debate, he interjected ridiculous remarks and used a shock collar to tell the person he was at zero. Lets wave in his face, etc, etc.

What a jackass.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:51, have you ever actually met Hal Daub? Talked to him, hung out with him? Cruel, overbearing, and intimidating? Really? I've gotten to know him quite well in the last couple of years and seriously he couldn't be farther from that description!

Anonymous said...

Wow, Hal Daub got his but kicked!!! Where's the Beef Hal!!!!

Anonymous said...

I think it is both hilarious and relevant that "Where's the beef" is being used to assess Hal Daub's positions on the issues. Hal Daub is an empty suit with no ideas. I still like the phrase, "Tainted Past Tenure"....lol

Anonymous said...

So, does anyone have any insider scoop on Darren Bates' big press conference yesterday?

Anonymous said...

Oh, federal labor officials began an inquiry into union finances – a probe that Omaha fire captain Darren Bates made the centerpiece of a Wednesday press conference in which he criticized McDonnell.

However, An accounting firm's analysis appears to clear Omaha Fire Chief Mike McDonnell of any financial wrongdoing while he was fire union president. The analysis came after the inquiry began.

It was in the OWH today.

Anonymous said...

Uh, thanks, reader. I read that myself. I'm wondering if anyone has any INSIDE scoop? You know. The juicy stuff?

Anonymous said...

The OWH says Daub mentioned getting rugby at the new downtown stadium.

Will the Leavenworth Street blog make fun of this suggestion like they did with Suttle? No, they won't because this site is bias and pretends its not.

Daub's kooky ideas - rugby at the new downtown stadium

Anonymous said...

kooky pants Daub

Street Sweeper said...

Rugby -- let's say a Rugby Championship or something other than just the GOATS showing up on Sunday morning -- wouldn't be a horrible idea, assuming the NCAA would let you rip up the outfield sometime after June.

Now have the US Catholic Cardinals playing Rugby against the European Catholic Cardinals -- on ice skates -- and you've got yourself a Jim Suttle idear.

Anonymous said...

Nothing New must be dreading collecting unemployment on April 7th. Get a real estate license and you can sell office space with your boss!!!!

Gosh I didn't know "Where's the Beef" can make somebody so cranky!!!!

Anonymous said...

How did Lee Terry vote on the bill that will tax the bonuses paid to the AIG people?? OWH on-line reported about the passing of the legislation, but it didn't say how any of our Nebraska reps voted.

I am so mad about this. Lee Terry better have voted against this bill. The Congress screws up in the first place and allows the bailout money to go through, but NOW they want to go back and correct their OWN mistake by punishing those AIG people whose household incomes are over $250k? What if the government decides next some type of compensation that YOUR family is getting is not to their liking?? I don't like this slippery slope at all.

Like it or not, the AIG people had contracts that said they were entitled to these bonuses. If the government wanted to put stipulations on their bailout money, they should have done so when they passed the bill last Fall. They didn't have the foresight to see this coming? Too bad.

Anonymous said...

I just found that Lee voted "No" on this legislation. While I usually dislike Lee VERY much, I'm glad he voted this way. Just fyi -- Lee and Adrian Smith voted "Nay," while Fortenberry voted, "Aye." I'll be interested in hearing Fort's rationale on this one.

Anonymous said...

What about getting a MLS team to play in the new stadium?

Anonymous said...

At 1:40pm, if my eyes don't deceive me, Street Sweeper defended Daub!!!

Join us, Sweeper. Step over from the dark side.

Anonymous said...

That picture of Jim Vokal tries to make him look like an alien. I am sure there were better pictures of him to use.

It is unfair to pick out the worst possible photo to make a person look bugeyed and strange.

Anonymous said...

Same Old Hal.

That guy will say anything to get elected. He's been running for office his entire life.

Street Sweeper said...

If you're talking about the top picture -- that's the best sitting group shot we got. I think he looks fine -- from a blurry video capture view.

Any other pics of him are on the videos, over which I have no control.

If you have better pics from the events, please feel free to send them to us. We always are looking for more photos.

Anonymous said...

Regarding pictures of Vokal, the man is ugly looking, and in my opinion, he is ugly both inside and out. Let's see how long this post is up before it's censored. This blog is taking on a "Public Pulse" character.

Street Sweeper said...

Don't worry, your vindictive comment will stay up. (And it is the RARE occasion that we delete -- and readers know that.)

Do you have something worthwhile to say with your comment? HOW is Vokal ugly on the inside?

Anonymous said...

Isn't it nice that Suttle claims he wants to put more of the city services online.

So, Mr Suttle, are you going to claim authorship of the fact we are already in the process of redesigning the City of Omaha website to allow citizens to find things better? Your idea? HA! It was the Douglas-Omaha Technology Commission's initiative to do it, not you.

Was it your idea to put the Erosion Control system for Public Works online? No.

Was it your idea to digitize information between Public Works and our garbage collectors? No.

Was it your idea to design a permitting system in conjunction between the Public Works department and the County engineer? No.

Stop claiming you are going to put more services online, Suttle. It is already in the process long before you even filed to run for mayor.