Oakland Mayor's Race: Rebecca Kaplan announces run for Mayor

Today, Wednesday, Oakland At-Large Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan made official what many of her supporters were waiting for: that she's officially running for Mayor. She did this 49 minutes ago at the Joyce Gordon Gallery at 406 14th St. It was just two years ago in September 2008 that now-Councilmember Kaplan talked with this blogger about running for the At-Large Oakland City Council Seat:



Now, less than two years later, and having successfully been elected as At-Large Oakland Councilmember,  Rebecca Kaplan announces she's running for Mayor of Oakland.

What was true then in 2008 is true now, Oakland's in terrible fiscal shape and its worse today. But let's go a step further: Oakland's got a giant unemployment and underemployment problem that could sack many of the new restaurants that have opened over the past two years. Is Kaplan the person to fix all of this? Well, she just got into Oakland City Hall.

Mayor Dellums?  What's up?

While I don't think Councilmember Kaplan should run for Mayor, she's running for Mayor. Thus, Kaplan deserves all the respect and encouragement of anyone who makes such an effort.  Indeed, it's better than being strung along by Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, who has yet to say what he's going to do?  

Mayor Dellums, if you're going to run for Mayor again or not, please say so.

Kaplan keeps running..and running

It seems that every time I turn around, Rebecca Kaplan is running for something, rather than running something. When will her obvious displeasure with the place she worked so hard to get to - she ran for the At-Large Council Seat twice - stop?

Will Kaplan be happy as the Mayor of Oakland? Will she want to run for another office? Given her pattern and the fact that she's only been in her current position for just over a year, it's a fair question.

Yes, my view comes from the bias of years of backing and supporting Kaplan, only to be turned on for a difference of opinion over Oakland's Parking Enforcement Process (yes, in italics and caps), and in a way that anyone running for the office of Mayor of Oakland should not exhibit.  It was distasteful and she and her staff know it.

Kaplan had no problem calling me when she needed my help before she got the prize she wanted; now that she has it, she can't even call to apologize.

My view is that Kaplan, having got the prize she wanted for so long, forgot what it took to get there in this case some of the people who helped, and wanted something else: more power and recognition. When does it stop?

When does it stop?