Should Zuma Dogg Endorse Either Christine Essel or Paul Krekorian, or neither?

Let's face it, no one is thrilled that the two BIG MONEY candidates are in the CD 2 City Council run-off set for December 8th between Paul Krekorian and Christine Essel, but the People are going to have to make a decision. And the easiest thing to do is NOTHING because you don't like either one. But whether you are a councilmember or community member you have to make a decision and VOTE based on what is presented before you. And vote you must. So a decision must be made.

NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING PUBLICLY REGARDING MY OPINION BETWEEN THE TWO...

BUT...

IF...

I feel there is one candidate I feel can be worked with SOMEWHAT in the spirit of the community, trying to give the people a few bones here and there and only be an 80% phony, instead of 100% phony...then I'll be happy to let people know one of the candidates is better than the other from the point of view/criteria I will be evaluating from.

And I know both candidates have their own different baggage. AND I WASN'T SEEKING TO PUSH A CANDIDATE.

BUT, as someone who has created a high profile for myself through "relentless persistence*" (*LA Weekly), I have a little more access and leverage perhaps to try and get in there an hold one of these turkey's feet to the community bonfire -- AND, if ZD feels one of the candidates will at least be constituent friendly while they are screwing us on all the big picture stuff with the other 14 councilmembers...I'll let everyone know.

So what forced me to have to think about this, is that Christine Essel just called and bothered me when I was watching "Jonas" on cable to ask if she could count on my support.

I said, "Hell no! You can't COUNT on it.., but if you strap yourself into the Zuma Dogg interogation chair and make it through my intense candidate filtration process, then I would probably WANT to endorse and push your candidacy and make sure you are the next councilmember.

Baggage aside, I know people like Christine as a person and people who know her for years have nice things to say about her, and in her industry if she was a witch (like Wendy) people would be TOO HAPPY to expose that.

Paul is nice, too, and people like him -- so neither are nixed based on surface personality.

Even though I haven't spoken with Paul today, whether he reaches out to me, or not...I know a lot more about him ANYWAY, because he is an Assemblymember and I have a sense for how he operates and performs in office. (And I also base my decsion on additional community feedback which I will be asking around for.)

So for now, if ZD talks to Chris and she starts saying things that makes me happy and I half way believe her...I'll let you know.

ZD

LATE NIGHT UPDATE: I called Chris last night, cause I wanted to start the interrogation process, right away. And she was willing to meet for coffee right then, but I wasn't close by, so we'll meet soon...BUT, I at least wanted to say I DID end up grilling her for a long time, anyway...and I can at least say I know a lot more things I like about her, NOW, from just talking to her on the phone than in the forums, where everything is a sixty second answer on a specific issue, and you don't REALLY get to KNOW the candidates. So not judging on anything but a personal level of her career and ability level...I DO think she offers some OUTSTANDING qualities and I am willing to say that, for sure.

So after speaking with her about herself on why she wants the job; her career; how she hooked up with Wendy; and whatever else came up...SHE MADE IT TO THE NEXT ROUND. So at least I like Chris as a person and feel she must really be FANTASTIC in many ways to have a career as hers, moving up the ranks as a female executive (starting in the 80's when women weren't exactly EMBRACED in that career -- and she told me she WAS the only female in her field.) And in Hollywood at Paramount...they don't play. It's not like it's public taxpayer City of L.A. money...it's REAL PEOPLE'S MONEY.

THE REAL QUESTION WILL BE A LOT OF OTHER STUFF THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS CONCERNED ABOUT...but I feel better about Essel and although she may be a little bit of a carpetbagger, at least she isn't "Empy Vessle" Essle, that's for sure. She's SMAT...not like everyone says. I would probably be pressuring her to let me copy her homework in school. (Math homework at least.)

Something else that will be important to ZD is if she goes on Kevin James' KRLA radio show, especially now that Doug isn't on the air and no one else will be covering the election. She took a lot of heat from Kevin for NOT going on his show during the first round...BUT I SPOKE WITH CHRIS ABOUT THIS AND URGED HER TO "DO IT" BECAUSE THAT IS AN IMPORTANT INDICATOR TO ME. So she told me she will speak with Kevin James today (Thursday) about it...AND I HOPE HER STRATEGIST DOESN'T TALK HER OUT OF IT. Kevin ASSURES me and everyone that he is going to start with a clean slate and not be unfair -- and I know Kevin and he just wants a good debate between the two candidates and he isn't going to burn Chris with unfair treatment because she didn't go on his show, last time. So I hope she does it!

So I know that you are probably already annoyed that I said something nice about Chris Essel, and it's not even about her as a candidate, but after a ROUGH first round for her, I at least wanted to say that she impressed me in some ways that didn't come out in the campaign, about her personally.

IT WAS BRUTAL OUT THERE AND THESE CAMPAIGNS ARE NUTTY AND PEOPLE HAVE A NUTTY MOB MENTALITY...AND ZUMA DOGG TRIES TO FUEL THAT...BUT WE HAVE A RUN-OFF...SHE'S IN IT...AND SHE'S NOT THE EVIL ESSEL I WAS HOPING SHE WAS. Guess I can't hold Wendy's endorsement of her against her...YET!