Everybody Hates Chris: The District 6 Election
Thank you, gentlemen, your time is up! This week's episode: Everybody Hates The Debate.
It was pretty crowded in the Koret Auditorium for the League of Women Voters District 6 candidates' forum -- even though we were one short of the full eight (Davy Jones was a no-show). The seven candidates were crammed all together at two tables, and due to the tyranny of alphabetical order, Rob Black and Chris Daly were forced to sit right next to each other and studiously avoid eye contact.
There was too much excellentness at this event for us to even begin to summarize it adequately! So we're doing it Best of the Bay style, after the jump.
Picture generously loaned to us by Pat Murphy of the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, photos by Stephen Dorian Miner. Thanks, Pat and Stephen! Don't launch an investigation against us, Chris!
Most futile pre-debate announcement: Moderator Cheryl Jennings of ABC 7 news pleading with people to "keep it a nonpartisan environment" and to remove all election gear (see right). The guilty clanking of green beads as people took off their Dalywear was pretty entertaining to hear, but about half of Team Daly defiantly left them on, which triggered a fight later, when Jennings repeated her request, a Team Black member of the audience shouted that Daly should take off his beads too, and Jennings was forced to say, "He's different. He's on the panel," leading to a round of clapping and of boos (and a lone dissenter shouting, "What about my First Amendment rights?").
Best Chris Daly moment (nonverbal): Chris visibly yawning during Rob Black's answer to the second question.
Best Chris Daly moment (verbal): When he said that the SFPD's refusal to endorse foot patrols in the districts was because of "the POA not wanting to work." Chaos in the audience! Hoots and hollers! You should've seen the look of panic in moderator Cheryl Jennings's eyes as the crowd erupted! When they release the video of the debate, it's at around 6:53 p.m.
Most unfair moment: When Rob Black got reprimanded by Cheryl Jennings for interrupting Chris Daly -- after Black had patiently put up with getting booed and hissed at through all of his answers without complaint.
Rob Black's answers in a nutshell: I'll fight crime; I worked for Jimmy Carter; I've been endorsed by Newsom.
Chris Daly's answers in a nutshell: I'm on the budget committee; I've been fighting for housing and health care for the last six years; no, you shut up.
Everyone else in a nutshell: George Dias -- If I'm not elected in 2006, I'll be elected in 2010. Matt Drake -- I'm an engineer turned lawyer. Viliam Dugovic -- I love San Francisco; what was the question again? Manuel Jimenez -- My car's been broken into eight times. Robert Jordan -- I'm Happy, from the seven dwarves.
Best line of the night: Rob Black: "Please don't break my jaw." (to Robert Jordan).
Best audience participation: The mysterious signs that someone in the audience was holding up to face the panel, that got beleaguered Cheryl Jennings very upset. What did they say? We tried really hard to read them but didn't see anything other than the word "evictions." [update! Picture of the sign above, as held by Ryan Chamberlain, of the anti-Daly group SFSOS.]
Best Chris Daly shoutouts: (tie) 1) When he pointed out all the anti-Daly people in the audience, like Ken someone from the Building Owners and Managers Association, and a rep from the Restaurants Association, and 2) when he thanked everyone he recognized in the audience instead of giving a one-minute closing statement and ran over, forcing exasperated Cheryl Jennings to shout, "THANK YOU SUPERVISOR, YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR, YOUR TIME IS UP." Oscars orchestra, where are you when we need you?
Best closing moment: When Daly started shouting after the debate ended, "If anyone wants to see the unethical mailers linked to the Republican party, I've got them all up --" and they cut off his mike as he was saying "here."