Thursday, November 4, 2010

JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: There Will Be No Recount In The Chanda Smith Baker Versus Rebecca Gagnon School Board Election Results...

Jacksonian Democracy stock photo and blog post by John Hoff

Word on the street is that, contrary to widespread expectations, there will be no recount in the close school board election results between Rebecca Gagnon and Chanda Smith Baker. The margin to trigger an automatic recount is one half of one percent. For a recount of results with a greater margin, the candidate must pay for the recount.

Word is Chanda Smith Baker's campaign...

...does not have the funds to pay for a recount, and therefore must accept the results of the election.

Commenters on the Northside point to "division within the black community" as the reason for Chanda Smith Baker's narrow defeat. For example, word is that perennial also-ran James Everett actually supported Rebecca Gagnon, a candidate who knew so little about administrative issues that she just kept answering "more parent involvement" as a catch-all phrase to cover her ignorance. Everett himself ran in the primary for the school board election but--as usual--couldn't drum up enough support to justify the waste of ink that having himself on the primary ballot caused.

Since James Everett and Rebecca Gagnon appear to have absolutely nothing in common except human DNA, it appears Everett only supported Gagnon out of spite for Chanda Smith Baker, who had the backing of moderate voices in the North Minneapolis community, something to which Everett is allergic.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Word on the street". That's what you base your articles on?
Pretty poor journalism. A credible writer would gave facts before printing a story.
Rumors, innuendo, theories appear to be the norm for this blog. No wonder you get sued.
And just so you know. While a dead person can't sue for libel. The effected family members can sue for other reasons. Better get your facts before you start rumors, unless you can afford a decent attorney. Just sayin.

BTW - no one ever said there was going to be a recount. Not much of an exclusive.

Johnny Northside! said...

"Word on the street" is pretty much a phrase I use for a creditable source I'm not naming, and when the information is actually known among more than one creditable source. If you know something different about whether there will be a recount, please feel free to add to the discussion.

The original talk of a recount was in the MinnPost article I linked to in the first story. So the fact there will be no recount--and, please, if you know different please say so--is an exclusive by bloggy exclusive standards.

By the way, since you didn't bother to read the linked article but see fit to criticize in such an ill-informed way, I will say "Pretty poor reader-ship" on your part.

Anonymous said...

This is a bit persnickity, but I think you mean "credible" source; if the source were "creditable" you would be crediting them, not maintaining their anonymity.

Thank you for your attention.

"Better writing for a better world."

Johnny Northside! said...

You are correct and thank you for drawing my attention to that.

Johnny Northside! said...

BTW, I was just checking my inbox and it's jammed with emails from the Minneapolis Issues list with the title "Baker Gagnon Recount."

Anonymous said...

LMAO! U r Hilarious Johnny boy! You obviously have walked "Gingerly" around The James Everett issue for sometime now. Somewhere this year you grew some testicles! GOOD for You!!! However there is a reason that No one else even mentions me. If you want to debate about Northside issues let's book sometime on MTN or a Public forum? I have $200 that says you WONT SHOW UP OR ENTERTAIN THE REQUEST (cowards hide on there own blog) By the way I spend $50 on my run for school board and got 3200 votes I obviously Leveraged them right! All my candidates did well. As for Ms. Smith Baker she is a brilliant and strong Black Women I grew up with her looong b4 u go chased out of North Dakota. If you want to know why I didnt support her candidacy....ASK HER. I suggest we do a Debate show called Johnny and James Let's start on the 15th of this Month? I will call your bluff Lil Homie! You studder when you see me no eye contact when we have spoke, Hell you drive by and snap pictures of me from your car? Some One obviously told you about the "Political Boogie Man" I like you. Just dont mention my name...We always need coward azz Computer bullies to make the world interesting. STAY IN YOUR LANE BEFORE I MERGE WITHOUT A TURN SIGNAL BUSTER! NORTHSIDE 4 REAL! NOT A CARPET BAGGER PUNK!

Johnny Northside! said...

The James Everett issue? There's a James Everett issue? No, James Everett isn't even relevant. And I'm not interested in giving you any creditability by debating you, so I guess you win your bet and you can pay yourself...if that's actually you, who can say who is who on the internet?

Johnny Northside! said...

But I will say this to James Everett, wherever he is:

What I'm hearing about you not supporting Smith Baker is that she's a moderate and you are a nut case, and you can't stand to see her form of sensible moderation in Northside politics, so you were even willing to show support for somebody like Gagnon rather than Smith Baker just out of crazy spite. It's sad how you would turn your back on your own community out of crazy spite and your own lonely form of radical politics, or because of consistent lack of attention to your own repeated failed campaigns, (which are utterly irrelevant) or for whatever reason.

It's just sad.

Johnny Northside! said...

And while I have you on the line...

Would you PLEASE explain why you capitalize certain random words in your missive? I mean words like "gingerly" and "public," for example? Also, has anybody taught you the difference between "there" and "they're" and "their"?

Anonymous said...

Like I said COWARD! Just wanted to see if you had any real strength outside of your blog. You are amusing. Let's talk about your stint in politics in North Dakota sometimes ? Just a little bit? please? have blogged about that before? I am glad you showed everybody that a "punk" is not is not just waterlogged wood. Somebody tell Johnny boy to take me up on my debate offer. Your fans would LOVE to see that!

Kale Severson said...

I would like to see that debate! I have public space and will provide refreshments if both parties are willing...

Question? From one white guy to another, how can you question a black persons "Blackness"?

Johnny Northside! said...

What's to stop you from debating right here? It's in the public eye and it's a lot more permanent than the dumb radio format you suggest, and it fits nicely with my schedule.

But, really, you should get a blogspot profile so not just anybody can come here and pretend to be you. In fact, until that happens I don't think I want to post your comments. I wouldn't want somebody to pretend to be James Everett who isn't really James Everett.

Many decent people on the Northside think one James Everett is already too many.

Johnny Northside said...

Kale,

Could you please link to the blog post or quote the comment where I supposedly questioned a black person's blackness? Because I have no recollection of ever doing that, and no desire to do that, and I don't think I'd know how to do that.

But I see your comment for what it is: race baiting.

NoMi Passenger said...

@Kale Severson, where did anybody question any blackness? Can you point me to that part?

Also, @ the commenter purporting to be James Everett - John has run for political office 2 times and he won 1 time. What is your win to loss ratio?

But really, an internet pissing match does no good for the community as a whole. James, you go do your thing, whatever that is. And I'm sure John will spend the time that he is NOT dinking around at MTN studios calling 311 on slumlords and 911 on thugs and hookers. And then of course telling us all about it here on JNS.