Saturday, February 12, 2011

"Coffee With Caitlin" Today And Next Saturday

If you'd like to get to know more about 46th Ward aldermanic candidate Caitlin McIntyre, please come to Awake Cafe (736 W Irving Park) between 4pm-5:30pm today and next Saturday, February 19th.  It's a great opportunity for residents to enjoy a cup of coffee and chat with or ask questions of the candidate.

11 comments:

  1. Oh Gawd,

    What's next Java with James?

    Mocha with Michael?

    I won't go on.

    I should go and ask her why she is running.

    It's likely either just a lark or she was encouraged to run to take votes away from that other Celtic Themed Lass Molly.

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  2. I dunno if it's a lark, IP. I think Cat's got an honest desire to do something positive in the ward.

    Her platform, although cheerfully altruistic, comes across as short sighted as best, incomplete at worst and a shade naive, overall (which puts her on par with most of her rivals).

    The ward needs a strong representative in Council who can actually 1) make their platform ideas bear fruit and 2) effectively assist in the management/legislation of the entire city - not just this ward.

    It's going to take a lot more than a big heart and good intentions to clear off the massive pile of crap the current crop of ignorant chair moisteners plopped atop this city.

    I'm not sure if Cat's got the chops, but I'll give her some credit for getting involved.

    Having said all of that, I'm a little curious as to why she'd use the same skyline pic of Uptown on her wesbite that Northside Action For ... um ... Justice uses on theirs.

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  3. Caitlin didn't get a lot of face time at the forums, so I like this idea.

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  4. This is good for Caitlin since I haven't been hearing alot about her on Uptown Update. She is young and looks like she has alot of fresh ideas. But Befekadu Retta's campaign has been picking up steam and I've actually seen him around twice this week. I wonder why Uptown Update is not covering his campaign. He has been endorsed by Alderman Mary Ann Smith,
    Former Alderman Marion Volini and
    Former Committeeman Mike Volini. He has event on the 20th.
    http://www.rettafor46thward.com/events_retta_46th_ward_alderman.html

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  5. It's a two-fer, since she manages the coffee shop, and if nothing else since she seems to give out the cafe's name and address pretty frequently, its free advertising.

    I've never been there -- anyone know if the coffee is any good?

    @IrishPirate - you might be on to something.

    @yo -

    "It's going to take a lot more than a big heart and good intentions to clear off the massive pile of crap the current crop of ignorant chair moisteners plopped atop this city."

    Can John Kass quote you on that? Hilarious.

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  6. Uptown Lady,

    I'm sure if Retta held a "Coffee with Befakadu" gathering UU would post about it.

    Now if his campaign is picking up steam I haven't seen any steam rising. I have yet to have a volunteer from his campaign buzz my door. The two pieces of literature I received from his campaign were both addressed to "postal customer" and seemingly identical.

    As for the 48th Ward "has been" types endorsing him I'm not overly impressed. The 48th Ward is seemingly run as a family business. They keep passing down offices to various family members or connected types. Notice how Harry Osterman seemingly hasn't endorsed anyone? Perhaps Harry doesn't want to piss off the eventual winner of the 46th ward race.

    Said winner isn't likely named Retta.

    Just today on my block there were seemingly Cappleman, Phelan and Baskin volunteers out. However, I'm guessing the young guy with the Baskin button was actually being paid to be out. I could be wrong.

    On one block, mine, there are five buildings with campaign signs in windows. Four different candidates are represented on those signs. None of them named Retta.

    That doesn't mean much as there are relatively few signs for any candidate outside of business windows.

    Now with nine full days left till the election it's time for Retta to step up his game. Maybe he can go borrow a HUMVEE from the Army National Guard, festoon it in campaign signs, and ride atop it down Broadway while wearing nothing but a Cubs hat and a strategically placed fez. That'll get him some publicity. He can show Don and Molly how to take a pic with a government vehicle in the background.

    xoxoxoxoxoxo

    IrishPirate

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  7. Why isn't Emily knocking on doors?

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  8. While I have been advised not to respond to comments that suggest my candidacy is only a ploy to steal votes away from certain other candidates, I would like to dispel rumors of that nature once and for all.

    My decision to run was based on the encouragement of family, friends, neighbors, and people I have worked with here in the 46th ward.

    I hold a great deal of respect for my fellow candidates and my campaign is not designed to sabotage their efforts.

    Furthermore I contend that only a small minority of voters choose to vote for a candidate solely based on gender, race, sexual orientation, or ethnic origin. I have spent a lot of time over the past few months speaking to a broad array of residents from every walk of life and every part of this ward. Overall I have been impressed by their interest in and understanding of ward issues; they have asked great questions and we have had substantive discussions.

    I vehemently reject the notion that the people of the 46th ward will chose their next alderman for superficial reasons.

    I am encouraged by comments that reference city council and its dealings on this site. Discussion of neighborhood issues has definitely taken precedence over city council issues at all of the aldermanic forums thus far. I would love to discuss these issues with anyone who has doubts about my knowledge or abilities. Feel free to contact me: caitlinamcintyre@gmail.com or come speak to me in person at the café.

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  9. Well, hot damn! The young candidate's got some fire in her belly, after all.

    +1

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  10. Caitlin,

    Your campaign webpage consists entirely of a short bio and about 10 paragraphs on crime. You seemingly have not raised enough money to form a campaign committee and if you have volunteers and an organization I have yet to encounter them.

    So yeah, I question your campaign.

    I vehemently reject the notion that you're a serious candidate.

    That being said have fun with it. You're on the ballot you, might as well enjoy the "campaign".

    Now if you don't believe having an Irish sounding name isn't helpful when running for office take a look at judicial races in Cook County. Each election we experience some lawyers changing their names in hopes of garnering votes.

    With 11 candidates on the aldermanic ballot a whole lotta uninformed voters will pick a candidate by perceived race, gender, or ethnicity. Like me it ain't purdy, but it's real.

    There are thousands of registered voters in this ward who hardly know an aldermanic race is going on. Some of them are probably planning on voting for Tunney or looking forward to Rahm as their next alderman.

    Oh well. Enjoy the ride because it ends on the 22nd.

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  11. I wonder why Uptown Update is not covering [Retta's] campaign.

    Sure we have. We promoted his appearance at each of the aldermanic forums, including the one-on-one forum at Mercy Housing. (We even promoted the forum that supposedly never happened, sponsored by Voice of the People.) We linked to his questionnaire on the UNC site, we linked to all the candidate questionnaires for the Sun-Times and Tribune. We ran the photo he sent in of him submitting his nominating petitions.

    He has been endorsed by Alderman Mary Ann Smith, Former Alderman Marion Volini and Former Committeeman Mike Volini.

    Yes, we mentioned that. Yesterday, in fact.

    He has event on the 20th.

    We don't promote fundraising events. With eleven candidates, even with some of them not accepting campaign donations, UU would have nothing but fundraising items in it, if we did.

    If Retta did a coffee/forum, as Caitlin did, or sponsored a drivers seminar, as Cappleman did, we'd promote it if he sent us information on it. We did miss one event he sponsored and sent to us, and I feel bad about it... his Stop the Violence seminar in December. It wasn't intentional; it got buried in our in box (as things do) and by the time we opened it, the date had passed. We get a lot of email some days, and things do drop from sight, and sadly that was one of them.

    He is free to send us any events he'll be appearing at, as are any of the candidates, and anything election-related. But we don't do fundraisers.

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