Oakland Mayor's Race: Sierra Club Forum Has Excellent Turn Out

Don Perata's first Oakland Mayor's Race Forum

A full turn out for the Sierra Club Forum saw Former Senator Don Perata make his first appearance in an Oakland Mayoral Forum.

Thanks to New Media, this blogger learned that Larry Lionel Young Jr. was surprisingly polished candidate for someone who's campaign started late and is stil not really visible. Perhaps the TV cameras will help.

Marcy Hodge has to ask if she's really taking this who deal of running for Mayor of Oakland seriously beyond filing, because she did not participate in the forum.

One person observed that Don Perata was a "major thud," as was Joe Tuman, which is hard to believe, but apparently my source expected more detailed responses from both of them. Terrance Candell was said to have performed much better than my past criticism would imply for future forums.

Greg Harland was said to have done "OK," and thoughtful on environmental issues, though my source's view of Harland is entirely clouded by his dislike for Harland's position on cutting police salaries. Don Macleay was given higher marks for presentation than in past forums.

Unfortunately, Councilmember Jean Quan, again, attacked Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. For some reason, Jean has to publicly demonstrate some kind of annoyance with Rebecca that's goes beyond logic in a campaign.

I was also told that Arnie Fields was there "in body only," and that's about it. I'll have to take that up with Arnie directly.

Many of the candidates had their groupies; Kaplan's headed over to her sports policy talk event afterward, or at least many of them did.

In all, it was the first forum of the Oakland Mayor's Race to include Don Perata.  To which we say, "What took you so long."

Developing... Stay tuned.