Watching some of the news video of the DNC (Democratic National Convention) yesterday, I cringed every time the camera panned and we could see San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria in the crowd.
I thought, OMG, I bet Gloria is touting himself on the national stage as a mayor who has solved both the housing crisis and the homeless crisis, I’m sure. And on the surface, Gloria is just the type of mayor Harris would want to showcase — if all that was true. But, of course, it’s not true.
We know that Vice President Harris and Gloria know each other – they’ve both supported each other in various campaigns. And every time he can get some face time or have his photo taken with the presidential candidate, he knows that will help him in his re-election bid for mayor.
But does she know how unpopular he is in his own hometown?
Here at the Rag, Gloria is very unpopular for his failures around homelessness and for causing a crisis in the building of ADUs without seemingly any limits. Yet, is he in fact as unpopular across the city? We don’t know, really, as the local mainstream media have not run any recent polling. How convenient.
It’s also convenient that the Democratic establishment didn’t run any candidate with solid gravitas against Gloria in the Primary. He has such a lock on the Democratic pols in this city, that no one wanted to place the city above party.
Yet, from our perspective, Gloria has been a disaster for San Diego — and unless Larry Turner, his opponent in the General Election, is able to create a miracle, unfortunately, it looks like San Diego will be stuck with Gloria for another 4 years. Woe unto us (I know many Rag readers will be voting for Turner – but will that be enough?)
But wait — here’s a possible bright spot!
Maybe Todd will be so successful at touting his imaginary record — that a new Harris administration will appoint him as some undersecretary of housing and welfare or something like that. And Gloria will move to Washington! And we’ll get rid of him by having him kicked upstairs.
Yes, that’s the ticket.
We just might be saying ‘bye-bye Todd’ in a few months. We can dream, can’t we?
Just because we can dream that doesn’t mean we should? Do we really want this self-serving, likely corrupt, disaster elevated to even higher power? What’s after that, CA Senate run? POTUS attempt? No thanks, just get rid of him the old fashioned way, no re-election.
Yes, I agree.
As we saw with that creep, Bob Filner, a former U.S. representative for California’s 51st congressional district, and the 50th, he already had a history of his creepiness but being further away from his district. As such, very few people were knowledgeable about his past.
Our takeaway from all this is the farther the politician is away from us, the less we know of their actions and hence, less they are accountable.
Come this election season, we, as taxpaying citizens, need to nip it in the bud. As you say “just get rid of him the old fashioned way, no re-election.
Best case scenario, he gets passed over by Harris and loses the election. Politically neutered, left to control his narrative alone. We can all wish but this guy likes his facade of power. And I don’t want Harris to be poisoned by this opportunist. So vote for Larry and tell your neighbor. It’s in our hands.
You’re gettin there big guy. Mom always said try it, you might like it. (wink, smile)
Be careful what you dream for. Sending him to Sacramento to help Tony Atkins got us where we are now. What makes you think sending him to Washington D.C. won’t have a more far-reaching effect ?
Cindy Marten ended her disastrous rule at the SDUSD by leaving for DC and we haven’t heard from her since.
Since the Mayor’s running around on recess playing Demo delegate, any ideas if the taxpayers are footing his travel costs?
Yeah… and who funded his “panda passage” to China?
News flash. Engineering says rehabbing the OB Pier isn’t feasible. Did we really spend money to figure this no, duh, decision?
https://timesofsandiego.com/life/2024/08/23/city-says-repairs-to-ocean-beach-pier-not-feasible-2/
This is not new news. We’ve been moving forward with a brand new pier for some time now. The Repair option is long gone.
There is one option that no one is talking about. Three-quarters of the pier is east of the fallen pier column. The lost column is about 50 feet east of the restaurant/baits hop/ restrooms. There is a lot of pier to the east of this break, surely SOME of it can be opened for the public to use.
Geoff,this was my first thought after reading the article. Isn’t this the approach on the Oceanside pier?
I know but the U-T ran this story on today’s front page as if it was all news. I don’t get it. Should the Rag also run it?
What would be the odds?…Hmmmm. Todd getting a gig with Harris, or?..The Rag endorses Turner?…LOL. We can dream!
So, an interesting statement in the article –
“But does she know how unpopular he is in his own hometown?”
A very good question posed. However, an even better one is ask: Is she aware that Gloria seeks to limit speech on city boards and commissions?
See link below.
https://www.kpbs.org/podcasts/san-diego-news-now/mayor-gloria-proposes-rules-that-could-limit-speech-on-boards-and-commissions
He doesn’t seem to want to support democracy. Very trumpian if you ask me.
Ralph, thanks — we did run that article.
BTW Ralph, thank you; I’ll be sending you a nicer thanks.
Frank no worries. I knew what was meant. And thx for reprinting that article as many folks don’t subscribe (me included) to KPBS and need to know that this administration, as well this current council, can’t seem to take criticism to the point that they will go so far as to muzzle our voices. Seems like they are becoming more like the Orange Turd every day.
Lets hope if we get rid of Gloria we can also give the punt in the ass to Atkins, Ward and Whitburn. What a glorious wish list.
Most importantly, we can’t forget the punt in the ass to the Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. He “serves” (I use the word “serves” very loosely) as my CD9 Councilmember and is loathed by many in my district (as well as by most of his fellow council members) as he has NO interest in serving his constituents; only in pushing his own personal agenda where he uses his elected seat to do so – very shameful.
Ah, the Peter Principle. As idiotic as it is, the Peter Principle is beloved the world over. By those waving good-bye.
Who the hell will ever be able to solve the homeless “crisis”? Its here to stay, especially in warmer climes. This land is your land, this land is my land…
As a (D) Democrat and resident of San Diego, I find it disheartening to see Mayor Gloria receiving national attention at events like the Democratic National Convention, while the reality in our city tells a different story. It is apparent that Gloria is leveraging these opportunities to enhance his public image and garner support for his re-election bid. However, his performance as mayor has been far from commendable.
Mayor Gloria has consistently touted his accomplishments in combating homelessness and solving the housing crisis, yet the results on the ground paint a starkly different picture. The issues of homelessness and inadequate housing solutions persist, and Gloria’s policies seem to have exacerbated rather than alleviated these problems. His handling of the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) situation, in particular, has led to a crisis that appears to be without effective resolution or oversight.
The lack of recent polling and media scrutiny only serves to shield Gloria from accountability. It is troubling that the local Democratic establishment has not presented a viable alternative in the primary, allowing Gloria to maintain a firm grip on his position despite his failures. This lack of competition raises questions about the commitment to addressing the needs of our city over party allegiance.
The frustration felt by many San Diegans, as reflected in local forums and community feedback, cannot be ignored. We are faced with the unfortunate reality that, unless a dramatic change occurs, San Diego may be subjected to another four years of ineffective leadership under Mayor Gloria. I, for one, will be voting Turner.
Yep, T. Gloria has got to go. Vote him out.
Well put – you nailed it!
He’s wants the HUD director job.
Please no. Just hope he loses in November.
Gloria will land on his feet – probably working for a developer.
No, todd would never last working for a developer, todd is politician through and through. He would never last in private industry. If he loses – WHEN he loses – he will come back seeking another office. But, it looks like his best bet for now is having the Democrats win in November. He is a perfect face for the people left of center with all the labels he carries. Hopefully, they will find something inconsequential, and cheap, to give him.
this mayor has had his eyes on a bigger prize from day one. His positioning on local issues with no consideration of the longer term consequences for many involved is typical of how politicians adopt what might be the current “politically correct” position to advance their career.
I lived and worked (as a wire service reporter) in D.C. for over a decade. Todd would not survive six months there. They would eat him alive.
Lived’ and ‘worked’ in D.C.? Cute — past tense. Todd actually worked at the White House during the Clinton administration and is still leading today. Sounds like the only one who couldn’t survive there long-term was you.
You should try running for office again.
While searching for information about Mayor Gloria’s upcoming inauguration, I came across an absurdly petty and vindictive piece written by Frank Gormlie, a bitter old resident of OB. Let’s be clear: Mayor Gloria has done an incredible job, especially considering he stepped into office during a global pandemic. That’s precisely why he was reelected—by a strong majority, no less.
To Frank and the rest of the sour, perpetually disgruntled commenters: Mayor Gloria’s resounding victory shows he has the support of most San Diegans, not that it would matter to people as miserable as you. If you despise this city so much, why stay? San Diego would be far better off without you.
Dear readers: Here’s an example of someone who doesn’t like the Rag. Yup, the Rag has opposed Gloria for 4 years and I guess we’ll be doing it another 4, unless he’s run outta town on a rail. We don’t think Gloria had a “resounding victory” and nearly half of SD voters went for a guy with no name and no money.
But thanks Zoe for reminding us that Gloria has such a grip on the mindsets of many Dems in this city, that no one of substance in terms of name recognition and resources ran against him in the Primary. Grassroot Dems must shake off the corporate domination of the party in this city.
“Resounding victory?” Have you looked at the vote results?
Another comment from someone behind an alias.
Don’t you just love these ‘resounding’ victories, ‘overwhelming’ landslides, and ‘massive’ mandates from the people that these folks constantly go on about?
It’s almost an embarrassing use of the English language that they don’t understand. Do they even understand what a ‘squeaker’ election is? It’s like these commenters don’t actually look at the vote totals that were counted and just run off at the mouth about what they ‘feel’ like it should be.
It’s like Trump, he did NOT crack 50% of the popular vote AGAIN this time around, The majority of voters did NOT vote for him. But, like this commenter going on about Gloria, Trump knows what ‘The People want and that’s whatever flaky idea he gets in his head…and he’ll be letting the Jan6 Brownshirts out of prison in 40 days. His own violent cult followers running about loose as a Fascist militia.
Gloria has more in common with republicans, like most San Diego mayors have had during my life, along with the wealthy neoliberal Democans that infest the DNC now, than he does with those voters that still actually hold democratic values in their hearts. The Mayor isn’t quite a MAGA, but economically he sure sounds like one.
sealintheSelkirks
The redefinition of English words that is so common today reminds me of a novel I once read…
Humm, with this current mayor and council I always equate them to what we all learned reading Animal Farm (written by by George Orwell, first published in England in 1945) where “some animals are more equal than others”??
or this one (fits classic Gloria and Elo to a tee) –
“Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure. On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?
Yes, I totally concur. One almost wonders if Fraud Gloria and the Orange Turd also play on the same bowling league.