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by David Safier

I wonder if the City Council election results would have been different if Trasoff and Uhlich came out strong and early against Prop 200. I know the smart money consultants said, Play it safe, you can't be against increasing police and fire protection. But what if they didn't "play it safe" . . .

First, a digression.

During the last presidential primaries, the Dem nomination came down to three choices, all intelligent, all personable, all reasonably qualified. With an unpopular R president, the election was ours, so long as we didn't do something really stupid.

The smart, careful, cautious folks said, for God's sake, don't nominate the black guy! The country isn't ready for that yet, and when his last name rhymes with Osama? Why don't we just give up and cede the election to the Rs?

The white woman? This isn't the time to risk everything by trying to break new ground.