Did you hear…Gregor’s in again.
That’s three consecutive wins for the 50-year-old mayor and his band of Visionistas.
Yep, the 2014 election campaign is done.
Sadly, that means no more enlightening mayoral debates, no more informative he-said-he-said stories or rambling voice messages from candidates using the type of colourful language clearly ripped off from a mob movie script.
Or, possibly a pornographic movie.
Yeah, it was that bad.
Anyway, for all those folks still nursing an election hangover, I’ve got just the fix to get you through the rest of the week. As I’ve done after elections, I’ve compiled a list of the best/worst/bizarre/inexplicable events of the campaign.
Here goes:
Worst location for a press conference: No question, that goes to the NPA. The party called us media types to a pier at Crab Park, which happens to be located close enough to a helicopter pad that when mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe spoke, we heard “whoosh…chop, chop, chop…whoosh…chop, chop, chop…” Clearly, a great press conference location, badly run.
Worst spot for a reporter to cover a mayoral debate: At the back of a cafeteria at Langara College. A certain Vision candidate and volunteer yakked the whole debate, even during their guy’s time at the mic and after a steely glare from yours truly. Seriously, I was seated at a table, laptop open and busily scribbling notes right next to the chatty duo. Did they think I was doing my taxes? Karma update: The candidate didn’t get elected.
Best use of chopsticks by a member of the media: OK, it came two days after the election. But here we were on Monday, waiting on the False Creek Flats for Mayor Gregor Robertson to arrive when a television camera dude prevented a potentially stinky and slippery situation. Right there, in the grassy patch set aside for the mayor to stand was a pile of dog crap. So the camera dude just happened to have some chopsticks and neatly used them to pick up and drop the frozen nuggets into a plastic bag. Yes, with chopsticks! Are you reading this, Mr. Mayor?
A man who certainly knows he’s on camera award: Hands down, Fraser Ballantyne. Other than Christy Clark, I’ve never seen a politician smile like that for so long during a press conference. And at a newser in Kerrisdale, Ballantyne went on a crazy thumbs-up frenzy. He resembled an aged Arthur Fonzarelli as he repeatedly pressed his thumb in the air as Courier shutterbug Dan Toulgoet attempted to get a photo of mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe, who was not raising his thumb. Wait a second…was Ballantyne photobombing LaPointe?
Best use of accoutrements by a mayoral candidate: Meena Wong. COPE’s leader wore Batman cufflinks while on the hustings and brought a plush toy tiger to the Courier’s Q&A livestream at Creekside Community Centre. Adam West would be proud. So would Tarzan.
Most unexpected guest at Vision Vancouver’s victory party: Vancouver-South Conservative MP Wai Young. Not only did Young show up at the Wall Centre, she crashed a media scrum as reporters fired questions at Vision Coun. Geoff Meggs. “Looking forward to working with you on Broadway line,” she told Meggs after introducing herself to the media. Meggs: “That message brought to you by Wai Young.” Hang on a sec, did she just say the feds want to work with Vancouver on a Broadway subway? Are you reading this, Mr. Mayor?
Best example of voters with amnesia: Independent mayoral candidate Bob Kasting, who delivered good quip at some of the mayoral debates, made it quite clear Nov. 6 that he was pulling out of the race to endorse the NPA’s Kirk LaPointe. Still, he received 1,682 votes Saturday. First thought: Either he’s got a lot of kids, or people are not informed. Second thought: People are not informed.
Best/worst negative attack ads: Google, What’s Howell Having for Lunch? Election edition. Can’t say much more because pursuing a lawsuit.
Best election coverage by a newspaper: C’mon.
Best time for a city hall scribe to take some time off: Right now. See you at the inauguration.
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