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Friday, Oct. 03, 2008

Loose Lips: Never-ending election cycle stirs mayor talk

The next election is 32 days away, but Lips has learned local politicos have already turned their gaze onward to Nov. 3, 2009. That's when Merced's next mayor will be decided. Ellie Wooten, after serving two stints, will be termed out.

Word trickled out that Michele Gabriault-Acosta plans to continue the family's political dynasty. She prefers calling it "community involvement."

Her mother served as the city's first female mayor, followed by her father serving as, well, another male mayor.

Gabriault-Acosta heard rumblings that other electeds may be lacing up their jogging shoes to go for office. Not willing to be at the end of the race, she decided to throw her waffle soles in.

"I'm trying to line up support already," she said, noting that it means going to just about every meeting and event.

Now that one candidate's stumping, others will follow.

Lips decided to check in with the usual suspects when it comes to the dais' center seat.

Newbie Councilman John Carlisle quashed any rumor that he'd hunker down. "I signed on for a particular job, and I'm there to do it," he said. "I'm not looking for another job this quick."

He noted that the Merced mayor only has ceremonial duties. The title does not offer as much power that heavyweights such as San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom wield.

Rick Osorio, who lost two bids for mayor against Wooten, said he hasn't even begun to mull another run -- especially when this November election's not done.

Glad to be on the sidelines, he's watching for any tips that could prove useful. So far, he's come up empty. "I notice they're having trouble fundraising," he said.

Perhaps it's a lesson in poor-barrel politics.

He recalled that he enjoyed squaring up against Wooten and wishes he could do it again.

Wait! Lips has an idea. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg just said he'd be willing to keep serving the Big Apple if the rules were changed to let him run for a third term.

Merced should follow along and change its charter so Wooten and Osorio can have one more round.

Mr. Mustache

Last week, Lips dissected how to tell the difference between Joe Rivero the candidate and Joe Rivero the Atwater councilman. (The gift of gab, remember?)

Turns out there are other campaigners being confused with one another.

Before the big Beatles Project concert at the Merced Theatre a couple weeks back, Jim Sanders was selling T-shirts supporting his bid for supervisor against Hub Walsh, a former Merced mayor.

A Beatles Project fan walked up and said something to the effect of, "Mr. Walsh, it's nice to meet you. You may not remember me but I was at a community meeting 10 years ago."

Sanders pointed to his shirt, noting that he's not Walsh. Oops.

Lips has sympathy for this voter. It is sort of hard to tell the difference between the two. They both have mustaches. They're both Democrats. Sanders is 60; Walsh is 57. They're both supporters of "public safety" and "economic growth" -- two phrases that are beaten meaningless in elections. Lips turned to The Beatles for advice.

"You say you got a real solution/Well you know/We'd all want to see the plan."