The Callen Report
By Kate Callen
- Are you surprised that so many of your 2020 supporters are sitting out your 2024 campaign?
- Do you understand why the picture of you perched on a golden throne has exposed you to ridicule?
- Is it true you’ve already set the record for ribbon cuttings, proclamations, dedications, celebrations, and other “victory lap” photo ops by a San Diego mayor in a single term?
- When you cut the ribbon at the 2022 opening of North Park’s “climate action” 30th Street bike lanes, were you driven to and from the event in your city-issued gas-guzzling SUV?
- Given how much street parking has been removed for bike lanes at your directive, do you worry about the optics of parking your SUV on a sidewalk in a red zone outside City Hall?
- Was Douglas Hamm, the Little Italy developer who would profit substantially from your Kettner and Vine proposal, completely unknown to you and all your developer friends when he sent a “cold email” pitching the project?
- Do you ever regret being so effusive when you made the 2016 motion as Council President to approve the 101 Ash Street deal?
- Do you find it infuriating that people still want to know the whole truth behind 101 Ash?
- Are you aware that pictures showing you with heavy face makeup remind people of Donald Trump?
- Is it fun to watch subservient City Councilmembers do pretty much anything you tell them to do?
- Does it creep you out when Stephen Whitburn stands next to you at press conferences like a potted fern?
- Did you know that when your mind-bending “Todd Gloria Is Back!” video went viral and turned you into a national meme, a Yale law student told his family in San Diego that he felt embarrassed for his hometown?
- When you and challenger Larry Turner show up at the same event, why do your flustered aides try to position you as far away from him as possible?
- Do you think you might gain a modicum of respect if, at the next event, you walked up to Turner, shook his hand, and wished him luck?
- If you dodge general election debates the way you dodged primary debates and with the same excuse (the events somehow don’t make it onto your schedule), is there a risk you will look like a scared bunny?
- How much time do you spend actively fantasizing about being President of the United States?
- Do your White House fantasies include musing about what your Secret Service code name might be?
- Did you ever think being a real mayor would be so friggin’ hard?
- If you are re-elected in November, do you think your lame-duck second term will be any easier than your first?
- If you lose, what on earth will you do next?
Nailed it! Thanks, Kate, for the laugh and for your perfect aim!
Such a shame it is not still running as Todd would make a good candidate for “This Is Your Life.’
Thx Kate for this very-well written send off on the Mayor’s first term. Question 21: For the sake of truth in advertising, can the Mayor please drop his “For All of Us” campaign motto? (And please spare us the “Todd Squad” shout outs.)
Took the words right out of my mouth!! We have gone without representation long enough. He needs the boot. ?
Todd Gloria sitting on a golden throne? The answer to #20 is obvious, as he will do what all corrupt government officials in San Diego do and find a juicy job with a real estate developer or the Chamber of Commerce.
Or take over from Colin Parent as boss of YIMBY developer lobbying group Circulate San Diego.
How about this question: How are you dealing with all the thinly veiled homophobia directed at you?
Hopefully, you are not referring to this piece because I did not detect any homophobia, thinly veiled or otherwise, in her story.
CARL, is that satire?
What homophobia was expressed? Splain.
As someone who voted for Pete Buttigieg, I find it ridiculously sad that anytime someone says anything bad about Todd Gloria, they are accused of homophobia. Is that really the platform Todd Gloria wants to stand on, “Vote for me and if you don’t you must be homophobic.”?
No, we don’t like Todd Gloria because he clearly took a bribe to award the Midway Rising project, because our homeless and crime problems are out of control, because he wants to do away with single family homes and build apartment complexes in every back yard, and because he lies through his teeth at every chance he gets.
I think it’s fair to say that no one who makes that accusation truly believe it themselves. It’s simply a tactic to paint his detractors in a negative way. Couple in the fact his own supporters don’t really like him as a person. They support him because of something they personally want.
Excellent Kate! The hood ornament mayor of SD AKA T-Glo or Toddles seems to behave as if he does have a throne, and the snap of his fingers gets things done or undone. The people of SD do need a STRONG mayor, but we got the WRONG mayor. Have the people of SD got their fill of the so called strong mayor form of government they voted in a few years ago???? Maybe to go back to a City Manager form of government would give the council reps the incentive to listen and respond to their constituents. It would be nice to take away so much power from the Mayor appointing, firing and hiring Dept. Heads. Reinstate the fact they are all working FOR the people.
larryturnerformayor.com
Thank you, Kate. Nothing could be done to improve this list. You made my day, week and month with this one!!
I would only add… #21 How does it feel to be seen as a SMARMY man, Mayor, and resident of San Diego and do you not have ANY shame?
Satire… Toad moves into a $4 million, six-bedroom single family house in a Sacramento suburb of Fair Oaks. His golden throne rejuvenated by none other than Phat Nixon’s very own Jester of Gold Spray Paint, Stephen Miller. With Ego-Rivera in tow. The circle of life.
Taxpayer rental?
Holy crap Kate, you nailed it or should I say you nailed him?
What are the chances he’ll answer even one of your 20 questions? My guess would be z e r o.
Great writing Kate!
Get ready, homeless shelter contract 4.0 is in the works
This is perfect. Thank yoi, Kate!
We have politicians wanting to study TJ brown trout. Is there something in the water that makes politicians do this? As well as journalists purporting everything as a crisis? Housing = crisis. Sewage for decades= crisis. Infrastructure= crisis. Homelessness= crisis.
https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2024/06/24/lawson-remer-introduces-policy-to-better-study-health-impacts-of-tijuana-river-sewage-crisis/