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Mayoral Skill

Published: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 7:05 PM PST



This little thing that keeps getting played out in This Just In is quite amusing. Read this and then this. Politicians should just learn something once and for all: If you make a mistake, say the wrong thing or change your mind, just admit it and move on. But if you try over and over to either spin it, pretend it didn't happen or just plain try to justify it, you look worse and worse each time.

I'll always remember watching former Mayor Dick Murphy fight to defend his record. Rather than ever admit a mistake in his handling of city finances, he continued to put up reason after reason why he had made the best decisions possible. And each time that evidence emerged that those reasons were wrong, it was a bigger deal than it ever had to be. I wonder what could have happened if Murphy had ever said something like "yes, we made mistakes. I will work hard to make them right."

It didn't happen.

And mayoral hopeful Steve Francis is following that playbook dealing with a much smaller issue here.

He made the point of introducing himself to the media and San Diego with a five-paragraph letter starting "Dear Neighbor..."

And he claimed in this opening salvo that our neighborhoods are suffering from a rise in crime. The facts suggest otherwise, but Francis and his team keep trying to save the sentence.

They should save it once and for all or admit they got a little ahead of themselves. We all do it.

At some point you just have to be able to admit you're wrong. This is hard for mayors and mayoral wannabes, but yet, to me, it's the most important skill for their job.

-- SCOTT LEWIS




10 Comments so far on this story...

If Francis wants a shot in this race he better not rely on his Institute's policy wonks who twist and turn facts and figures all day long, and who have never had any real world experience.

Posted by Dukestir Wilkes | reply to this comment
February 6, 2008 7:24 pm

No surprise. He wants so badly to win he will lie for it. More to come, I'm sure.

Posted by Ronald | reply to this comment
February 6, 2008 8:21 pm

I don't know. This from Stuart Henry, "However, it is a standard practice for conservative politicians to try to whip up fear about crime as a means of getting support for their "get tough on crime" policies.", tells me he may not be exactly unbiased towards the candidate.

Posted by Larry | reply to this comment
February 7, 2008 7:09 am

Francis wants to be the mayor so bad he can taste it. He wants people to believe he is different but he is showing the same ole stuff... deny and deceive.

Posted by They never learn | reply to this comment
February 7, 2008 7:35 am

This skill is apparently a difficult one for ANY politician...not just Mayors or perspective Mayors. Admitting you made a mistake takes courage. Even Senator Clinton seems to find this impossible regarding her vote on Iraq!!!

Posted by CrazyLegs | reply to this comment
February 7, 2008 7:43 am

Amen. Just get it over with and move on to the next important issue.

Posted by Sforte | reply to this comment
February 7, 2008 8:10 am

Focus on our Mayor, I am not an Oaf. He's so busy wining and dining our governor and the Indians and forget or chooses not to mingle with his San Diegans to find out what they need, want and feel. That sir is WRONG! Let's pay attention to the pension crisis and our pot holed streets. Start picking on Sanders and get him to show something for all the years he is in office and all that nice retirement money all the taxpayers have to work so hard for. You can't build up Sanders by putting down his competition.

Posted by Norman | reply to this comment
February 7, 2008 8:17 am

Scott Lewis for mayor!

Posted by Write-in | reply to this comment
February 7, 2008 11:47 am

Let me start by saying I would not vote for Steve Francis for Dog Catcher in Maine let alone Mayor of San Diego. BUT... he is correct in his assertion that crime is UP!!! The "reported" crime is down because the SDPD has changed its reporting and does not have the officers to respond to petty crimes and no longer report certain crimes as felony's. The reporting of crimes related to "Homicide" has changed so it appears murders are down. Before everyone shoots at Francis listen to what he is saying. I don't agree with 99% of what comes out of his group... but he is correct here. Talk to ANY community and ask them if crime is up or down in THEIR community and they will tell you it is up. Why? They know what is happening in THEIR community. REPORTED crime is down... NOT crime itself.

Posted by Sparky | reply to this comment
February 7, 2008 4:12 pm

Francis is showing himself to be a tried and true politician who will say anything to get elected. Remember, he served in elected office in Nevada many years back so he's a veteran at this. His populist pandering should be an offense to anyone who is paying attention and cares about the facts. While Francis is to be commended for his success with AMN, I'm left feeling like I need to take a long hot shower to get rid of the stench whenever I see or hear him speak.

Posted by He'll Say Anything | reply to this comment
February 8, 2008 7:57 am


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Scott Lewis on Politics

The Scott Lewis on Politics blog, abbreviated cleverly as SLOP, is a collection of observations, insights and the occasional scoop on public affairs in San Diego. Please feel free to e-mail Scott at scott.lewis@voiceofsandiego.org.


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