Endorsement Time

The KC Star botched its endorsements horribly this morning, and not only because they backed a couple candidates whom I don't support. They did a butcher job on one of my favorite local politicians, in favor of one of their journalistic buddies. So, here come my endorsements for the season.

District 1: Scott Burnett, without a glimmer of a doubt. Scott is one of the hardest working men in local politics, always thoughtful and dedicated to the citizens of his district. All of them. I've known Scott for more than a decade, coached one of his children in Brookside soccer, visited his house, and seen him out in the community. I've seen him stop what he is doing to listen to the concerns of a constituent, even when the constituent was rude, or scattered, or simply venting about matters far beyond the jurisdiction of a county legislator. Scott is what all our local politicians should strive to be - good-humored, interested, and dedicated.

The Star would have you toss him aside because a free-lance journalist is running against him. I've never met the guy - I have nothing bad to say about him. I'm sure he is a fine free-lance journalist (for the National Catholic Reporter, which is actually kind of cool), and his website has some touching attempts at poetry (the English major in me is a harsh judge of weak poetry), but he brings nothing to the table to suggest that he could serve the people of Kansas City's first district with the level of distinction that Great Scott has.

The despicable aspect of the Star's endorsement of their part-time journalistic buddy, though, is that they claim that "he has also been the target of ethical investigations that are not yet concluded." Bullshit. This is simply a bullshit charge that the Star should be ashamed of making. The charge relates to Bob Stringfield, the nutcase who started a fight with a fellow legislator, and it has already been dismissed by the Jackson County Ethics Commission. Bob Stringfield sent the already-dismissed charge on to Jefferson City, where the ethics commission has ignored it for months. For the Star to act like there is any validity to the charge is outrageous and dishonest.

District 1, at-large: Theresa Garza. Theresa is a bright, dedicated Hispanic woman who will bring diversity and integrity to a seat which has had neither while Bob Stringfield has been there. The Star supports an aide to Stringfield, claiming that "he knows what it would take to reduce the disruptive personality clashes in the Legislature." HAH! They are talking about a man whose boss started and lost a freaking fistfight at a meeting of the Legislature!! Theresa Garza may not generate sensationalist headlines for the Star, but she will be a great addition to the legislature.

District 2: Eugene Standifer, Jr. The Star got one right. The fact that his opponent is a convicted felon made it easy for them.

District 3: Wendy Dye. I don't know her, but the incumbet, Denny Waits, has been unimpressive and divisive.

District 4: Dan Tarwater. When Tarwater first ran for his seat, I worked on his opponent's campaign, and I don't regret it in the slightest. Tarwater was a Waris protege, and the campaign featured all the dirty tricks and misconduct you'd expect from a scumbag like Waris. In the 12 years since that election, though, Tarwater has grown and matured. He is an even-handed legislator who quietly works for the good of his district and the County. He's good enough that Stringfield took a swing at him . . .

District 5: Neal McGregor. The only Democrat in the race. The Republican candidates are both, well, republicans. 'Nuff said.

District 6: The Kansas City Star Editorial Board, write-in candidate. Nobody worth a damn is running in this district, so the Kansas City Star Editorial Board should be as good as anyone else. And, given their lousy crop of endorsements this time around, they should be forced to serve with the ineffective and dysfunctional legislature they are wishing upon us.