There’s a funny phenomenon in the alt-weekly world. Example one: The “Ask a Mexican” column is written by Gustavo Arellano, who is also the editor of the OC Weekly. His column came in a few hours late this week (not a problem), but in the email, he apologized saying something like “‘Best of’ time here, sorry.” Example two: I’m on the digital committee for the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and one of my fellow committee members took a little bit longer than normal to reply to an email. When he finally got back to everyone, the postscript to the email? “Sorry for the delay, ‘Best of’ here.” Well, it’s ‘Best of’ time here, as our signature issue hits the stands next week on Thursday, Oct. 16.
My use of the “it’s ‘Best of’ time” excuse? That I forgot to tell readers of the Weekly that Best of Tucson is coming out on the aforementioned 16th and not last week on October 2, as I had mentioned on the ballot and I think in a previous Editor’s Note. Sorry about that. Also, if you sent me an email or left a message on my voicemail in the last week or so, I probably haven’t gotten back to you. Sorry about that too. Two hundred blurbs plus our regular issue is a bit of a bear, but it’s definitely worth it.
In other news, this week’s our endorsements issue, and yes, probably surprising to no one, it’s mostly co-signs for the Democrats running. Yes, the Weekly usually runs left of center ideologically, but I cringed a bit when a half-endorsement for Ethan Orr was about as much love as we gave Republicans in the forthcoming election. Just for the record, not that anyone will believe me, in this case, we endorsed the Democrats because they’re the right people for the job. Doug Ducey wants to turn the state into an experiment for conservative principles that have already proved a failure in Kansas, Mark Brnovich is going to sue the White House and waste Arizona taxpayer dollars in the process, and does anyone want to see Diane Douglas in charge of Arizona’s public schools? Get better candidates, Arizona Republican Party, ones less tied to the ideologies of Cathi Herrod and the Koch Brothers and we’ll endorse them. Maybe.
So, it’s possible our endorsements are more validations for the way you’re inclined to vote anyway if you’re generally a Democrat and something to think about if you’re usually voting Republican. It’s a well-researched article regardless, but if you don’t care for it, just go ahead and blame “Best of” on my behalf.
This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2014.
I can agree on the Cathi Herrod angle. She and her group are among the most evil in Arizona. She spouts Christian principles but is about as un-christian as one can get.
As for the Koch brothers, the favorite whipping boy of Reid and the Democratic Party machine, they are actually some of the smaller players in the political donation game, despite rhetoric to the contrary. They pale compared to Soros, Bloomberg, and the like.
I remember once, I made a lovely looking beef stew on a cold winter day, but one of the spices I used had gone bad, so it was the best of time and the worst of thyme.
Arizona Republican are insane. Way crazier than about any place outside Alaska.
Just when you think you could almost support one, they open their mouths.
I had no quibbles about your statewide endorsements. My criticism was about your lack of an endorsement for the candidate running against Eva Dong in the Sunnyside Unified School District race for school board.