Let's clarify, Scottie. I wrote that a story was floating around that Francis had sought a written guarantee from Frye. And if you had kept reading, you would have come to understand that the point was, in fact, no point, that B.S. rules the day, that important issues continue to be swept aside. Appreciate the plug, though...

Posted by JLamb | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 11:48 am

I dont have any idea why ANYONE would think Colonel Sanders will be re elected, or that it is in ANY way a done deal. Sanders has not DONE A SINGLE THING to fix the financial problems this City is facing-zero, nada nothing. I said it 6 months ago-SANDERS IS NOT GETTING RE ELECTED. That is a fact. You heard it here first, from me, you can stick a fork in Sanders because he is done.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 12:23 pm

JLamb: I thought the tidbit about Francis' request was an interesting piece of news from your column and I was anxious to verify it. I didn't realize I was supposed to ignore it as merely a tile in the larger mosaic you laid out (nicely, by the way -- good to have you back). Had you wanted me to ignore that juicy bit, perhaps a sentence like "whether this story is true or not doesn't matter" might have done the trick for us slower types who thought that really was how "the story goes."

Posted by Scott Lewis | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 12:29 pm

Scott: Don't get breathless already. You'll have plenty to chase. Deep breaths, cubby. And thanks, nice to be back...

Posted by JLamb | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 1:09 pm

At this point, Sanders is almost a lame duck. His office is in disarray, his promise of honesty and competence has been shown to be worthless, and the city is fundamentally no better off than before his election. If Francis is in, he'll beat Sanders easily. Denise Ducheny may be our only hope for sound reform and truly good government (as opposed the fallacy of trying to run government like a private business).

Posted by Larry | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 3:22 pm

I couldn't disagree with Larry more. Let's hope Francis takes note of the thumping Romney took in Iowa last night. Happily, money alone cannot ensure electoral success. Once the audits are completed and the city's labor unions bow on bended knees yelling "Uncle!," Sanders will remind voters why he deserves to be re-elected. We all wish for speedier reforms, but let's remember how deep this hole out of which we are climbing is. I believe Sanders deserves four more years to get us up and over the rim.

Posted by two cents worth | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 4:42 pm

Wishing it were so does not make it so. You two seem to be living in some parallel universe where logic is illogical, et cetera. Frances, had he any patience or good sense whatsoever, could have been Mayor in 5 more years. Now he will never be Mayor. I would have supported him, had he proven to be something other than what he has shown himself to be - another rich guy who just wants to have the status of mayor. He and Navarro can commisserate together after the election. I'd include Peter Q. Davis, but at least he has proven over the years to be a civic minded rich dude who was running for us, not for himself. Frances is just plain weird, and most of us will never vote for him now. Oh, and mental note: don't bother reading that Lamb fellow - he apparently doesn't like that.

Posted by BBH and Larry | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 4:44 pm

I never endorsed or said Francis would be Mayor-so do not put words in my mouth. All I said was Colonel Sanders is not going to be Mayor, he is done, finished, over.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
January 4, 2008 11:10 pm

I don't believe that Sanders has accomplished anything. That isn't an exaggerated statement, what has he done? That being said, this electorate has demonstrated a propensity to continually elect and re-elect orchestrated do nothings. The majority of people in this town are very comfortable with the Goldings, Murphys, and Sanders types. So, unlike other Voice readers, I believe that Sanders is very re-electable. San Diego voters have been buying the Sainz-Shepard-Kittle "all is well" spin for more than a decade. Last time Sanders ran as the transparent outsider. It was false, but it worked. Get ready for part two of Jerry's "What me worry" campaign. If Francis runs he's going to have to pull-in the upset right wing and the disgruntled populist types. More power to him, or anyone, willing to give it a shot. Sanders deserves to be defeated.

Posted by Dale Peterson | reply to this comment
January 5, 2008 4:38 am

Here's an off the wall idea. Scrap my idea on having the auditor an elected official. Yup, that's right. Let's have our next mayor continue to appoint this important position. But the incumbent Mayor and anyone running against him or HER, will have to state who they will appoint during their election process. Here's the brainy idea...I say Diane Shipione should run for mayor and appoint Pat Shea as Auditor. Now that would give some great debates and two people the public could actually trust. Unless....Councilwom Frye could find the energy and be up for the challange and take on running for Mayor one more time? And who could she appoint as Auditor? Hmm....how about Diane Shipione? I said it was off the wall....

Posted by Norman | reply to this comment
January 5, 2008 7:25 am

two more cents: Sanders deserves?? On what grounds? His management decisions have been awful, staffing is pure cronyism (and a throwback to the Golding days), campaign promises went forgotten, abandoned or unaccomplished (remember the line: "gee, I didn't realize how bad everything was"). It's not that he inherited such a deep hole, but he hasn't even begun to climb out of it. You hit his defense point correctly: "I've instituted some changes and these will take time to prove savings." Sadly, his BPR didn't produce a lick of savings in the budget and Managed Competition, according to every city that tried it in the 90s, AT BEST resulted in no change but often resulted in greater costs to the city because of additional management oversight of contracts and the bilking of private contractors after the deal is signed.

Posted by Tom S. | reply to this comment
January 5, 2008 8:53 am

Sanders doesn't deserve re-election, but he'll get it. People don't trust Francis (and his policy ideas are even more damaging despite whatever spin his infant institute would tell you). No, Sanders will get re-elected because no Democrat besides Frye has the chutzpah to stand up and put their neck out there, and Frye has realized that San Diego voters are easily dupe-able (and why should she take a beating a 3rd time? For our enjoyment?) Voters are under the guise that everything is great, will eat anything a big flashy TV ad and campaign booklet feeds them, and refuse to spend 10 minutes thinking critically and asking questions about what is real and what is smoke-and-mirrors. They want better news about government, not better government. Sanders' PR team capitalizes on this, and that's why he'll be re-elected: because the of the voters.

Posted by Tom S. | reply to this comment
January 5, 2008 9:03 am

I met Steve Francis when he needed signatures last election. I asked him questions, and his answers made him seem to be a candidate I could support. So, I signed. As soon as campaigning started, he changed his tune.He said the total opposite during the debates than what he said to me. Two-faced? Who knows what he would really do if he got elected. I hope we don't find out.

Posted by Fran | reply to this comment
January 5, 2008 10:25 am

BBH and Larry -- does this mean you're a couple now? Congrats! But your team writing ended confusingly. Like what? I like lotsa things....

Posted by JLamb | reply to this comment
January 5, 2008 12:59 pm

JLamb: try a course in reading comprehension. The writer "BBH and Larry" wasn't either BBH or me. No wonder CityBeat is such a worthless rag. Their reporters can't read.

Posted by Larry | reply to this comment
January 6, 2008 11:31 am

Oh great, the letters' posts are now being used by reporters from VoSD and City Beat for mutual stroking. Please spare the rest of us this embarrassment. Back to the 2008 race for Mayor of San Diego: If Alan Bersin really were a Democrat (and not just in name only) and really were motivated by the notion of community service (as opposed to ego-gratification and the lure of yet another public paycheck) he would announce as a candidate for Mayor rather than City Attorney. We've got a good City Attorney in Mike Aguirre, but we have a disaster for Mayor in Jerry Sanders. Anyone would be an improvement, and Alan already knows a lot of Sanders' friends and staffers from the old days at City Schools. Plus, as Mayor he could personally try to take over the public schools, the way Villaraigosa did in L.A.

Posted by Fed Up | reply to this comment
January 6, 2008 1:30 pm

that wasn't a "team" post, that was addressed to BBH and Larry - it wasn't posted by them. And that last line was regarding the weird response you had to Scott's quoting from your piece.

Posted by Hey, JLamb . . . | reply to this comment
January 6, 2008 2:12 pm

Steve Francis is a poor mans Mike Huckabee, the populist who rambles on like a crazy old woman in a nursing home. He has squandered his political reputation by blasting the same people in town who actually seemed to mind his aroma. "I WANT MY MONEY BACK FRANCIS!!" Tom S. has it right, no matter what feeble minded policies he develops in his institute or in his head, they still come from STEVE FRANCIS!!!! People see through his secret keeping ways and egocentric persona. He keeps selling himself and San Diegans continue to walk by waiting for his expiration date to come up. They say out with yesterdays trash you hoolagan. Let’s just ask ourselves what happens when he loses? Will the institute still exist? Will he leave town? Will he pull a Howard Dean scream? As Scott has so clearly stated, "Ooooh, I just can't wait to find out!!!"

Posted by Steve Huckabee | reply to this comment
January 6, 2008 9:00 pm

If I recall, Steve Francis hails himself as the healthcare savior (exaggeration). Unfortunately he has spent the last few years positioning for a mayoral run instead of doing us a public service and working on solving the healthcare issues. Nothing but a politician at heart. Disgusting!

Posted by Walter | reply to this comment
January 7, 2008 10:42 am

Sanders may not have accomplished a damned thing, but he'll be re-elected unless he has a very strong liberal contender. Ducheny actually might -- might! -- have a shot, but Francis sure as heck isn't going to be the one who will beat Sanders. If anything, he'll just split the vote to allow a liberal contender to win. Francis is about as unlikeable as a fellow can be. Why would anyone think he'd be able to beat lovable ol' Jerry? Francis would at least need the support of the local business establishment, and that's still with Jerry -- and will remain there as long as his office remains under their thumb. And he will.

Posted by Political junkie | reply to this comment
January 7, 2008 11:11 am

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