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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (84170)	11/5/2004 12:35:55 PM
From: Neil H	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793917

Competition is good in a democracy. If one party becomes too dominant, things usually go bad. This is for both parties. I am sure the voters in SD will live to regret this and she will be a one term Mayor, but maybe this will get their attention and the leadership will work for the city and not themselves. Write-In About to Become San Diego Mayor Thu Nov 4,10:20 PM ET Politics - AP By ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press Writer SAN DIEGO - Surf is definitely up in San Diego politics. AP Photo Donna Frye, a surfer who sports long blonde hair and refuses to get a driver's license, is riding a wave of write-in votes for mayor that could sweep aside two graying 60-something Republicans and carry her into City Hall. The surf-shop owner has capitalized on a confluence of circumstances, including a pension scandal that has shaken the city financially. The votes have not been completely tallied, but so far, the write-in ballots lead with 35 percent of the vote; Mayor Dick Murphy has 34 percent. The overwhelming majority of write-ins are expected to be for Frye, 52, who is "extremely optimistic" she will win once all the ballots are counted. Frye, a Democrat, campaigned on change in this historically Republican seaside city of 1.3 million people, the nation's seventh largest. Murphy was beset by a deepening scandal that has prompted federal investigations into whether officials hid bad news about an underfunded retirement plan from investors and taxpayers. Murphy repeatedly was forced to deny rumors that the city faced bankruptcy. Five days before the vote, talks between the city and its new auditor appeared to break down. Add to that, three of nine City Council members were indicted last year on federal charges of taking bribes from a strip-club owner who sought to ease restrictions on touching dancers. Two pleaded not guilty and remain in office, while the third pleaded not guilty but charges were dropped after he died in August of liver illness. "Everybody's sort of feeling bad about being in San Diego," Frye said at a campaign stop last week. "Right now, what we need to do in this city is lighten up a little. In fact, we need to lighten up a whole lot." Frye was a striking contrast to her opponents. She sports weathered skin, speaks in surfer-lingo and wears colorful suits; Murphy and fellow candidate Ron Roberts, a San Diego County supervisor, have a penchant for dark suits and have worked in government for years. Frye, the wife of legendary surfer Skip Frye, was elected to the City Council three years ago. She differed with her opponents on hot-button social questions. Murphy and Roberts backed keeping a Boy Scout camp in a city park; Frye supported those who say the group discriminates against gays and atheists. Murphy and Roberts opposed plans to distribute clean needles to potential drug users; Frye argued doing so would reduce the spread of AIDS (news - web sites) and other diseases. "Basically the Republicans split the vote and the Democrats all rallied around one person," said Sam Hardage, former chairman of the San Diego County Republican Party. Frye often is on the losing end of lopsided City Council votes. In 2002 she was the lone dissenter in a vote to enhance retirement benefits — one that Murphy said he regretted. She boycotts some closed-door meetings to protest what she considers a culture of secrecy at City Hall. Frye's performance on the stump was unpolished. Last week, apologizing for her late arrival before a group at the San Diego Art Institute, she choked up as she explained that a neighbor's health had suddenly deteriorated. Minutes later, she offered unusual ideas about how to spruce up the city — from playing music at traffic crossings to putting up a moving, octopus sculpture near a traffic-clogged bridge. "That was about the most rambling, incoherent thing I've ever heard her say, but it was genuine, and I think that's what people wanted to hear," said Steve Hadley, her chief of staff. And as votes were being counted Wednesday, Frye presided over a leisurely-paced news conference wearing a lei of plumerias and promising to help bring San Diego some "aloha spirit." She didn't know if her opponents had called to discuss the results because she spent the morning after the election tending to a water leak at home. "In my heart of hearts, I'm sure Murphy and Roberts have plumbing problems too, but they don't talk about it," said Hadley. "She just kind of opens her mouth and says things."

To: LindyBill who wrote (84170)	11/6/2004 9:12:17 AM
From: Bridge Player	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793917

Re: Arlen Specter Here is the text of the email message I sent to Senator Allard of Colorado: Dear Senator Allard, Please work to stop Arlen Specter from being appointed as chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate. I have taken some time to review Senator Specter's voting record, and in my opinion, Senator Specter does not support the true conservative values that were instrumental in re-electing President Bush. In addition, I believe that anyone who would work to defeat the nomination of the eminently well-qualified Robert Bork to the Supreme Court will not support the type of judgeship appointments that are vital for our federal courts. Please have your staff conserve their time and resources and do not bother to reply to this letter. Thank you. senate.gov