There was debate on this blog yesterday about which 2nd District candidate would get the Times-Standard endorsement for Humboldt County supervisor. We learn today that candidate is Clif Clendenen of Fortuna.
Much of the T-S reasoning makes sense, as yours truly predicted. But there are two major mis-statements of fact in the T-S endorsement.
First, they write that Johanna Rodoni didn’t have time to qualify as a write-in candidate. This is false. The time to qualify as a write-in expired May 20 — almost 1 month after the death of her husband, Supervisor Roger Rodoni. The T-S reported the deadline on May 3.
Second, the T-S concludes that Johanna could get her name on the November ballot if there’s a run-off betwenn Clendenen and Estelle Fennell. Not true. The Rodoni campaign has one shot to win the seat — and that’s Tuesday’s election. Even if Roger gets the most votes but fails to get 50%+1, the November race will be between Clif and Estelle.
The T-S writes “a vote for Roger is not a vote for his widow, but for a gubernatorial lottery.” On this point the editorial board is correct. But saying so may ignite a firestorm from Rodoni supporters who clutch their “lottery” ballots with unquestioning faith that Gov. Schwarzenegger will appoint Johanna in January.
June 1, 2008 at 8:25 am
Unless the Times Standard is privy to updated election rules that the rest of us are not privy to, then their editorial board is flat wrong to write that Johanna Rodin’s name will be on the ballot in November. Johanna would have had to be a write-in candidate this June election in order to make a run-off in November. From what we all have been led to believe, is that Roger would have to receive 50+1 on Tuesday. We have all been led to believe that even if Roger gets to most votes but remains under 50%, then it would be run-off in November between Estelle and Clif.
Also, the T-S editorial cartoon today is very misleading. The T-S newspaper reported the news about the Supervisor raise incorrectly. The raise for the supervisors is not automatically included with the raise for the employees. The supervisor raise has to be negotiated separately at a later date. I would imagine that they will most likely recommend a cut in salary, due to the budget shortfall, like they did during the last budget crisis. (Last time they unanimously supported a 5% cut.)
I did not see any representation from the Times Standard newspaper at Roger’s last debate at the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce either.
The endorsement is good for Clif, but the glaring errors are not.
Go Estelle!
June 1, 2008 at 8:29 am
They also blew the reporting on the initial code enforcement meetings and misrepresented the basis of the meetings due to Roger’s faulty representation. They should have dug deeper. Or turned on KMUD’s 3-hour live broadcast.
June 1, 2008 at 8:34 am
What a mixed bag of an endorsement, sort of a back-handed compliment. These are big mistakes.
I doubt if SoHum and Fortuna voters really care who the Eureka papers endorse, but at least the papers could start by getting the God Damned FACTS STRAIGHT.
June 1, 2008 at 8:39 am
Maybe we should write the editorials, Heraldo.
We listened to the 3 hour code enforcement meeting. The T-S really has not been paying attention.
June 1, 2008 at 8:48 am
Simultaneously blowing one’s credibility while endorsing a candidate may not help the candidate, but SoHum and Fortuna voters probably don’t look to Eureka papers for political advice anyway. This shouldn’t hurt Clif too much.
June 1, 2008 at 9:16 am
True. There’s an implication that the T-S might endorse Johanna if she gets her name on the Nov. ballot. But that’s outside the realm of possibility, which is apparently unbeknownst to the T-S.
June 1, 2008 at 9:46 am
My jaw dropped when I read the editorial. I just can’t believe the TS could make two such glaring mistakes. Where have they been?
Or maybe, where have I been, to think that our local papers have a handle on the facts for any issue. Jeeez.
June 1, 2008 at 10:06 am
I can’t speak for the T-S when it comes to explaning why they wrote that “we may see (Johanna Rodoni) on the ballot in her own right” if nobody wins 50 percent + 1 vote on Tuesday. But perhaps they are speculating that if the election goes to a November runoff and Roger’s ghost is the 1st or 2nd top vote-getter in Tuesday’s election, that certain parties could sue in an attempt to force Johanna’s name added to the ballot in place of Roger’s. I’m not sure this strategy would have any chance of succeeding or if there is legal precedent for this already. Again, I can’t speak for T-S. It’s just a guess.
June 1, 2008 at 10:10 am
There’s no scientific evidence that newspaper endorsements influence voters at all. They do, however, piss people off. Good going!
June 1, 2008 at 10:12 am
That seems like a losing strategy. The laws are clear and Johanna’s name is not on the ballot. She doesn’t have standing to sue.
June 1, 2008 at 10:42 am
The endorsement is good for Clif, but the glaring errors are not.
Certainly nobody is going to blame those errors on Clif!
June 1, 2008 at 10:45 am
As human beings, we are capable of making errors. Offering an opportunity for clarification is the respecrful and appropriate thing to do, even if it does not retroactively rewrite history.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
June 1, 2008 at 10:51 am
Can’t recall exactly where I read them, but I’ve seen several local media references to “legal disagreement” about the terms of a November runoff. It maybe a repeated unfounded rumor, but its shown up again in the TS today.
Why are some of you getting into a indignant flurry of spin control and maligning the source? That’s what you accuse the conservatives of doing when confronted with inconvenient news.
Partisan Dems here should contact the TS for an explanation. I’m sure they have one. Or are you now conspiratoralists who see this as a “dirty trick”, just days before the election? Even if Roger’s name could appear on the Nov ballot, how would that affect people voting on Tuesday? Anyway, most absentee voters have already mailed in their ballots, they’re 1/3 of of total votes.
June 1, 2008 at 10:58 am
Clendenen is NOT a Democrat, Not a Native.
June 1, 2008 at 10:59 am
You will have to remember some sources, as well, speaking of spin.
June 1, 2008 at 11:07 am
Eric, certainly no one will blame the errors on Clif, but the value of the endorsement is only worth as much as the credibility of it’s source. The T-S endorsement used to be the Kiss of Death. Maybe the good ol’ days are back.
June 1, 2008 at 11:18 am
Rob Arkley doesn’t think so. The T-S endorsed LaVallee back in 2002 over Cherie Arkley for mayor, and LaVallee won by 42 votes.
In response, Rob started the Eureka Distorter, to carpet-bomb the public in the greater Eureka area with his version of the world. Despite the fact that it is reported to have been losing $500,000 a month for virtually its entire existence, he could probably accurately fly a “Mission Accomplished” banner on that one.
June 1, 2008 at 11:26 am
I blame Clif! If he’s not injecting thought-control chemicals into the apples he feeds us, then he’s using his mind control lasers on reporters to do his bidding. Eric, you’re so naive.
June 1, 2008 at 11:58 am
It’s amazing to me that people make statements and don’t even think about what they are saying. It’s a fact that it has been reported, what!! How could you possible know shit about what RA loses with the ER, or his reason for starting it, by the way he has stated another reason many times. Six million dollars a year in THE RED, for what 5-7 years. That at least 30 million dollars. If inclined he could buy most of Eureka’s 2 bit lefty appointed political folks for less and control whole city. Why can’t you make your points without always bashing someone. RA is a big boy and does not need my help to defend himself, I just get so tired of the constant blame, whine bullshit.
June 1, 2008 at 12:06 pm
*cough*
June 1, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Do the math.
June 1, 2008 at 12:57 pm
The dilemma is that he got embroiled in a money pit with no exit strategy, at least not one that involves saving face. Sound familiar?
June 1, 2008 at 1:17 pm
If he could buy lefties they would be righties, wouldn’t they?
June 1, 2008 at 1:21 pm
He seems to prefer the bullyboy approach.
June 1, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Andrew Bird Says:
June 1, 2008 at 10:06 am
Andrew there is no need to try to give the TS an excuse here. They flat out got it wrong and they got it wrong because they are incompetent. The failed their readers. They failed the voters. This is just one more example of their incompetence. That is the only excuse. Incompetence. It is very easy to try to come up with an excuse because the errors are so profound but the TS has shown time and again that they are a 4th rate newspaper. High school newspapers are more accurate.
June 1, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Someone went off their meds.
June 1, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Its not a news flash that the T-S makes some content errors.
It still seems novel, however, to see the T-S endorse the best slate of candidates for the Bd of Sups races. It doesn’t seem that long ago when the T-S’s endorsements were tilted the other direction, offering a contrary voting indicator.
I guess Leo hasn’t moved over to the left side of the editorial page.
June 1, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Pardon me for asking, but who is this Johanna Rodin the first commenter is writing about?
June 1, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Did the first commenter make a “glaring error” in referring to Johanna Rodoni as “Johanna Rodin?” (Don’t mind me, I’m actually trying to be obnoxious and problematical. How’m I doing?)
June 1, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Good start anon.
June 1, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Actually, 426 illustrates why it was easier to for the Rodoni supporters to urge a vote for Roger as opposed to a write in for Johanna…
Any mispelling of her name would make a vote for her null and void…
I think we will see a run off…
GO ESTELLE!
June 1, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Any mispelling of her name would make a vote for her null and void…
That’s not true. From Elections Code section 15342:
Any name written upon a ballot for a qualified write-in
candidate, including a reasonable facsimile of the spelling of a
name, shall be counted for the office, if it is written in the blank
space provided and voted as specified below:
June 1, 2008 at 6:23 pm
and to think a fucking skanky motherfucker like you would NOT be contesting what is and is NOT a “reasonable facsimile”…….
Uhhhmmm, right, counselor….
Go Estelle!
June 1, 2008 at 6:32 pm
If Roger’s ghost gets the most votes but not enough to win outright Tuesday, which I think is likely, am I the only one who believes his supporters, backed by special interests with deep pockets, are not going to just sit still and let Clendenen or Fennell have the seat? They will explore every legal option available to get a Rodoni on the ballot in November. Perhaps that’s what the T-S’ qualifier regarding Johanna is about, leaving the door open for any future possibility.
June 1, 2008 at 6:47 pm
You’re so dramatic Andrew. Every legal option? Unless it’s possible to write in a name in November, there is no legal option.
June 1, 2008 at 7:00 pm
‘yo’
you are giving estelle’s supporters a bad image. if you really do support her and want to help her win, you should think twice before making such harsh personal attacks, and then saying ‘go estelle.’ i know enough about all three candidates to say that i don’t think any of the three – estelle, clif or roger (johanna is not really a candidate) – would have wanted their supporters to take this approach.
by the way, “rodini” would certainly be counted as rodoni, no matter who tries to contest it. the voter’s intent would be pretty easy to discern – “rodini” is a whole lot closer to rodoni than it is to clendenen or fennel, and those two aren’t even write-in candidates anyway. now if we had two write-in candidates with very similar names, i could see how there could be a problem.
but in this case, eric is clearly right and you are embarassingly wrong in your assertion that any misspelling would negate the vote.
perhaps the obviousness and embarassment of your wrongness is why you chose to lash out in such a childish and obscene way. i often see the same thing when kids or teenagers get called out, and are overmatched – they resort to insults and obscene name-calling, ‘cuz that’s all they’ve got.
sound familiar?
you’re not helping estelle any with your comments here. but if you’re trying to make her supporters look bad, then you’re doing a pretty decent job.
June 1, 2008 at 7:01 pm
and to think a fucking skanky motherfucker like you would NOT be contesting what is and is NOT a “reasonable facsimile”…….
Somebody’s cranky.
June 1, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Unless it’s possible to write in a name in November, there is no legal option.
According to the elections department there won’t even be a space on the ballot to write in.
June 1, 2008 at 7:07 pm
In her interview with the T-S Ed Board, Johanna said this:
“The reason that we made the decision to not have me as a write-in candidate was a matter of time. Since Roger’s death occurred five weeks before the election was going to take place, we had to make a decision quickly, and a write-in campaign is a very difficult to do.
Probably if we would have had 60 to 90 days, we would have considered a write-in campaign. But since it was such a short time period, we didn’t think it was doable to educate the voters.”
The Times-Standard wrote this in today’s editorial: “It was too late for her to file as a write-in.”
Yes, maybe the wording was off a little. But the T-S’ statement here does convey the important point: It was too late for a write-in candidacy. It could have been clearer that it was the decision of the Rodoni campaign, rather than because a legal deadline had passed.
Regarding whether Johanna’s name could appear on the November ballot, the T-S wrote this: “if the 2nd District race goes to November, we may see her on the ballot in her own right.”
In her Ed Board interview, Johanna said this: “We’re just going to get through June 3, and then we’ll look at the options for November.” Hmmm. Take it for what it’s worth.
One more statement Johanna made to the T-S Ed Board that should have been noted in Heraldo’s earlier thread about the possibility the governor could appoint Nancy Flemming to the seat of Roger’s ghost wins outright on Tuesday: “I would be the natural one for him to re-appoint. But there have been no promises by the governor that that will happen. He could pick somebody else just as easily as he could pick me.”
Considering this statement by Johanna herself, it is irresponsible and dishonest for the Rodoni campaign to represent that a vote for Roger is a vote for Johanna.
June 1, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Probably if we would have had 60 to 90 days, we would have considered a write-in campaign. But since it was such a short time period, we didn’t think it was doable to educate the voters.”
Just how dumb do they assume the voters are?
June 1, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Really says something about how they view their constituency.And the write-in hoopla is hogwash.It’s very easy to start up a write in campaign,20 signatures I believe.Really stupid that they didn’t go there as Johanna would stand a much better shot at making it to the runoff.
June 1, 2008 at 8:29 pm
mresquan @ 7:59:
johanna would also have had a great deal more democratic legitimacy if she won in her own right with a write-in campaign, rather than being appointed by the governor after her husband’s name won.
June 1, 2008 at 8:49 pm
“Considering this statement by Johanna herself, it is irresponsible and dishonest for the Rodoni campaign to represent that a vote for Roger is a vote for Johanna.”
You do have trouble seeing and dealing with the truth when somebody speaks, don’t you. All you Progs trying to diss Johanna on how she’s dealt with Roger’s death and his campaign aught to be tarred and feathered and run out of town for being such number one a-holes.
June 1, 2008 at 8:54 pm
But I understand your frustration knowing that your Prog candidates Clif and Estelle will both be losing to the better candidate Johanna on Tuesday. Still, common courtesy to the wife of a well-respected Humboldt County Supervisor would be a nice surprise from Progressive activists.
June 1, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Steve:
I appreciate Johanna’s honesty with the T-S Ed Board. But her statement contradicts what her campaign is representing.
June 1, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Maybe there is some truth about Nancy Flemming wanting the appointment. It wouldn’t be any big deal for her to move to the second district. Heard she has been hanging out at the Avalon lately.
June 1, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Every day, late in the afternoon. Started after Roger died.
June 1, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Every day, another lie.
June 1, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Every business day?
June 1, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Wow Steven supports our Zionist governor from SoCal making his decisions for him.
June 1, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Johanna isn’t a candidate.
June 1, 2008 at 11:34 pm
No, weekends too. It’s a busy world.
June 1, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Makes sense that Johanna would decide not to run a write in campaign. And certainly time was a factor in that decision.
Imagine the difficulty of communicating with all of Roger’s supporters who would be faced with a choice between writing in Johanna and selecting Roger on the ballot in such a short time frame. Any lack of clarity or failure to communicate would have split the “Rodoni” vote. Perhaps if Peter Camejo were governor the Rodoni campaign might have made different choice. As it is I’m sure the campaign sees an Arnold appointment as preferable to either Clif or Estelle.
Sloppy writing isn’t helpful, but bad judgment is worse. The TS made a good call by endorsing Clif.
June 2, 2008 at 7:08 am
The T-S couldn’t even find Fortuna Blvd when they came to Fortuna for “coffee”. The didn’t send anyone to Rodoni’s campaign kickoff or the chamber debate, either. The T-S is blind, deaf and dumb.
Go, Estelle!
June 2, 2008 at 7:14 am
“coffee.”
June 2, 2008 at 7:16 am
Sorry, that may be too subtle for a blind, deaf and dumb person.
Periods and commas always go inside closing quotes. Other punctuation marks go inside if they apply only to the quoted matter, outside if the punctuation applies to the full sentence.
June 2, 2008 at 7:41 am
Andrew, you are nit-picking in order to politically bash Johanna’s campaign. Why don’t you just do the right thing and lay off negatively second-guessing Johanna’s decisions which, if you were at all sensitive, were very hard ones to make so quickly. She’s doing the best she can, all of us voting for her know that we have to vote for Roger and wait for the Governor to appoint Johanna when she wins tomorrow.
The likelihood of Arnold appointing someone other than Johanna is slim to none but as most of us know who keep up with the election status so you and fellow Progs waving the Nancy Flemming red-herring is a pretty feeble attempt to diss Johanna’s campaign.
June 2, 2008 at 7:52 am
Just as even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day…
June 2, 2008 at 8:21 am
An American 12-hour clock maybe. Just about the rest of us operate on 24-hour time.
June 2, 2008 at 8:46 am
why hasn’t the times standard busted cliff on his tired old line that he is for sustainable agriculture and communities when his practices are the opposite from what he says?
he sprays his apples and his whole trees with some heavy duty chemicals which leech into our water table.
He also pays mexican workers to PICK his apples and pays them below minimum wage. He also makes them be the ones that spray the poison on his trees.
Please tell us HOW THIS IS PRACTICING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE and SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES?
June 2, 2008 at 8:49 am
CHECK THIS OUT THEN
Friends off the Eel River are no longer associated with cliff, his manager bill thorington or susan cambell.
If the T-S did it’s home work and just dug just a little it would have found out why Nadananda and FOER have dissassociated with these people.
So much for cliff being a “bridge”.
June 2, 2008 at 8:55 am
Why don’t you tell us the reason 8:49 instead of just bashing Clif?
June 2, 2008 at 9:13 am
The anonymous slime machine is out in full force this morning.
June 2, 2008 at 9:14 am
Steve Lewis: “The likelihood of Arnold appointing someone other than Johanna is slim to none…”
Johanna Rodoni: “He could pick someone else just as easily as he could pick me.”
Two conflicting statements. Who should we believe?
June 2, 2008 at 9:24 am
Can anyone enlighten us on the disassociation of Friends of the Eel and Cliff, or is this just a baseless slam by an anon?
June 2, 2008 at 9:39 am
Does Johanna agree with Roger,s Humboldt pot guidelines?
June 2, 2008 at 9:50 am
Johanna will do whatever her handlers ask of her
The puppet of all puppets
June 2, 2008 at 12:16 pm
“He also pays mexican workers to PICK his apples and pays them below minimum wage.”
This is false. I asked Clif about this and he told me he pays his worker above minimum wage. In fact, either Clif said it or I read it that the guy who works for him is buying a house in Fortuna.
And Andrew, you’re still reaching for it, trying to give Johanna a black eye by throwing out a red-herring that even your fellow Prog Eric disagrees with as he too, said the likelihood of Arnold choosing someone other than Johanna is remote. But do try your last ditch efforts to sling slime at the person who’s going to win tomorrow.
June 2, 2008 at 12:17 pm
The moment we’ve all been waiting for: Eurekev’s 2nd District election prediction.
Roger will get 46%, and Estelle will get 29%, and Clif will get 25%.
John Campbell will write a letter to the editor explaining that he has found all the qualities he is looking for in a candidate……except life. He’ll support Nixon in November.
Two of the big losers after tomorrow: Steve Lewis and Rose. In other words, not much will change.
June 2, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Eurekev – I actually have Roger just a bit lower and Clif and Estelle just a bit higher, but it’s just a gut feeling probably greatly affected by hope. Still, I have done some phone banking for Clif which has made me hopeful.
June 2, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Lets not forget that the Lieutenant Governor is John Garamendi, a Democrat.
If the Rodoni name wins tomorrow, Humboldt county should put out a big welcome, inviting Arnold to drive up here over Hwy 36 some evening.
June 2, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Eurekev, I take heart because regardless of who wins, on Wednesday Steve and Rose will wake up to being themselves. Now that’s really losing.
June 2, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I think Clif and Estelle are both fine candidates.
Who knows, maybe Johanna is too. It’s too bad they chose to go the deceptive path, where a dead person receives endorsements as the ideal candidate, instead of having her run on her own merits. Her honesty in the T-S interview about the ultimate appointment from Ahnode was surprising.
June 2, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Kev, you and Andrew show you’re both just another couple of Prog ghouls out to to dig dirt up in someone’s grave to vandalize it. You guys just do it with words.
June 2, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Dead guys really are the best candidates.
June 2, 2008 at 1:51 pm
What the hell is a Prog?
June 2, 2008 at 3:04 pm
A Prog is Stevie Lewis’ simple juvenile minded attempt at a put down.
June 2, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Yeah Jane,
Questions:
If the name wins, who makes a victory speech?
How do the losers convey their congratulations?
Will the election night bash be a seance?
Will the appointee use an ouiga board to know how to vote the proper “ideals and values”?
June 2, 2008 at 5:29 pm
A Prog is a political frog that croaks when genuine progressive Democrats show up. Progs are phony Democrats who have totally forgotten that the Democratic Party stands for the People, all of them, especially the working class. Progs represent a tiny but very vocal and aggressive elite special interest group–Prog political manipulators such as “Heraldo” and the group he/she/they/it represent–Humboldt Watershed Council-Ken Miller-Richard Salzman-Local Solutions.
June 2, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Why do you think “Heraldo” doesn’t tell us who it is? Richard Salzman connection is why.
June 2, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Your prophecy meter is on the fritz again, Steve.
June 2, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Heraldo, you’re credibility is zip. You’re a professional liar now and nothing you say means anything outside your little circle of Prog activists like Richard Salzman.
June 2, 2008 at 8:13 pm
You see, Herald, when it comes down to it, nobody is going to stand up for you except your fellow Progs because the rest don’t know who they would be standing up for. You’re just an electronic phantom.
June 2, 2008 at 8:56 pm
the second paragraph of steve lewis’ 12:16pm post is very interesting, as steve himself was the one who shamelessly flogging the same “below-minimum-wage” rumor about clendenen’s orchard a few weeks ago, by repeatedly asking whether it was true, but without any effort to actually find out from the candidate or the campaign.
then someone (or several people, actually) challenged him to just call clif up and ask him, rather than just repeating the question in a “obama is a muslim?” way.
to steve’s credit, he apparently took up the challenge, actually dialed his phone, spoke with clif and put the rumor to rest. he posted what he found out from clif – that the longtime employee was paid well above minimum wage.
also to his credit, steve stepped in here at 12:16pm today to again quash the rumor and report on his call with clif.
this is instructive of how many, if not all, of the anonymous rumors, “questions” and attacks would instantly disappear if the people pushing the rumors and asking the questions actually took five minutes to check the facts, in this case to talk to the candidate they oppose. usually it turns out that the candidate, while still not your cup of tea, is not such a bad human being after all.
especially in a situation of local democracy, like here in the county, there is no reason whatsoever to raise questions about an opposing candidate’s integrity or to push a rumor, when the facts are usually just a few phone calls away.