Roach's violation and a Rostra hack

CityBeat grades the campaign trail

By Dave Maass

If the San Diego Press Club wants to maintain credibility, then it must be more selective when bestowing its annual media awards.

Wednesday, February 1,2012
Turds & Blossoms

Judicial candidates tap coworkers for money, plus a Frenchie fundraises in SD

CityBeat grades the campaign trail

By Dave Maass

Here’s how not to inspire faith in a balanced judicial system: Run for judge and accept a ton of money from your prosecutor buddies.

Wednesday, January 25,2012
Turds & Blossoms

DeMaio dotes on Prop. 8 supporters

CityBeat grades the campaign trail

By Dave Maass

San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio’s pretty much running two campaigns: one for mayor of San Diego and one to support a pension-reform ballot measure. So, maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise to see this tweet from The Caster Group last week

Wednesday, January 18,2012
Turds & Blossoms

Mayoral candidates at the State of the City and Lincoln Club FTW

CityBeat grades the campaign trail

By Dave Maass

The latest installment of CityBeat's election column, Turds & Blossoms, wherein we rate campaigns and candidates and award them turds or blossoms for their latest foibles and triumphs. This week we cover the Mayor's State of the City Address and the Lincoln Club's debate live stream.

Wednesday, January 11,2012
Turds & Blossoms

AZ Secretary of State rejects San Diego presidential candidates

Only one San Diegan, green candidate Kent Mesplay, will be on the Arizona primary ballot

By Dave Maass

It’s easy to laugh at Republican presidential candidate John Huntsman for failing to get on the Arizona ballot, but we’re shoveling shit all over ourselves, too, for similarly screwing up our efforts to recruit candidates for the Arizona primary.

Wednesday, January 4,2012
Turds & Blossoms

The U-T's connections to Carl DeMaio and the Lincoln Club

CityBeat grades Steve Breen's fundraiser appearance and DeMaio's calendar holes

By Dave Maass

Not to keep harping on the Lincoln Club of San Diego County’s lame winter fund-raiser, “Occupy Christmas,” but—OK, we’re just going to keep harping.

Wednesday, December 21,2011
Turds & Blossoms

The Lincoln Club's unfunny Occupy Christmas spoof

CityBeat grades a conservative group's fundraising videos

By Dave Maass

The video, which was leaked this week, is not only spectacularly unfunny, but also nearly incoherent. The old-timey newsreel features the elves marching in solidarity with the “Commercialize Christmas” movement.

Wednesday, December 14,2011
Turds & Blossoms

Bilbray's debate proposal, Secretary of State fumbles and Project White House

CityBeat grades the Congressional race, Cal-Access, plus a little self-promotion

By Dave Maass

Rep. Brian Bilbray beat his challengers to the punch, the California Secretary of State’s campaign-finance database crashed and an invitation to get drunk and run for president.

Wednesday, December 7,2011
Turds & Blossoms

Peters underestimates Occupy and how to run for president

CityBeat grades Congressional candidate Scott Peters’ statement on the port shutdown and Tucson Weekly’s ‘Project White House’

By Dave Maass

Peters expressed sympathy for the protesters, but he was dismissive of the idea of a demonstration at the port. Peters said he’d checked and he was fairly certain there would be no protest. Boy, was he wrong.

Wednesday, November 23,2011
Turds & Blossoms

Carl DeMaio's campaign supporters back Civic Center carts

CityBeat grades DeMaio's publicity stunt and Bonnie Dumanis' questionable endorsement

By Dave Maass

We award both turds and blossoms to Carl DeMaio for his benefit for the businesses hurt by Occupy San Diego—but Bonnie Dumanis only gets turds for her latest endorsement.