When are we getting video cameras to be like Cornelius? That's awesome.

"Cornelius Swart reporting..."

Yes!!

Thanks Matt.

So my question is how do you recover credibility... When the lead politician for the name change walks out of a controversial negotiation..why not just dismiss the whole process? What's left of the Pro-Chavez position?

Well, I think Potter's actions today explain a whole lot about how the whole project and process got to this messed up level in the first place...

Wow. Stunning.

My guess is that in this situation one attempts to recover credibility by playing the martyred clan as deftly as possible. Were I scripting it, it would go something like this:

"The racists served the head of San Cesar to King Yelojurnalist, then crucified the mayor."

I would not guarantee that would work -- it is indeed an awkward situation. Tom should have just thrown them a good, old fashioned "Shut up Irwin!"

Wait, I am guessing that Weak Week didn't have any reporters present at the time? Amy Ruiz mentioned that there were three from the O there earlier, but they don't seem to be running any stories on this tonight.

I suppose they are all waiting to see what the Sentinel and Mercury do.

I guess there is a Tribune story, and just in time for tomorrow's edition. Was Jim Redden actually there?

Okay, answered my own question -- Jim Mayer's first sentence on the O city hall blog is lovely:

"Declaring that he was not a "voting member of the council anymore," a red-faced Mayor Tom Potter walked out in the middle of a city council discussion this afternoon about renaming North Interstate Avenue after labor leader Cesar Chavez."

Come on, was he really "red faced?"

Mark: He really was red faced. And I wouldn't know a WW reporter if I saw one... but didn't see any notebook-wielding types that I didn't recognize.

Wow!
Good to know that our mayor is a "professional".
I'm ashamed to have voted for him.

He looked po-faced to me, not red-faced. But I was watching the streaming vid feed from City Hall. Maybe in person he was red-faced.

What's left of the "pro-Chavez position"? Whatever credibility the Chavez Committee has left. Sten and the others will try to nurse Potter's cred along, but after the walkout it's gone, let's face it. (And why shouldn't it be? Realistically, Potter's a lame duck, on his way out, old news. Sten and Saltzman have more to gain by working with Adams, not with Potter.)

Tom's a nice man -- I supported him, I like him, I respect him. But in terms of Realpolitik, I'd say stick a fork in him.

He's done.

See, now he is accusing "a majority of the council" of being racists, or of "disrepecting the hispanic community." Next step: blame the journalists.