Extra

About the Planet's endorsement of Nanci for the District 2 council seat...

It was published after the candidates' sell-gathering at the lovely South Berkeley Community Church on Fairview on the evening of October 5, the one many attended.

If I had known nothing about either D-2 candidate who showed, I'd say that the first to speak--Cheryl Davila--made specific points from a focused platform. She got deserved applause--several times.

The second--Nanci Armstrong-Temple--impressed me as a civic figure in the making, a grande presence, almost Earth-motherly. Then she opened her mouth and nothing came out. Hesitation and gulps of silence at this stage of her campaign are not encouraging. And why she's never mentioned the Thomas Paine award presented her last March, I'll never know. She did receive applause, and should. The two progressives attempting to unhorse the incumbent have run mutually non-hostile campaigns for a key seat, without one being overtly hounded as a spoiler.  

Frankly, aside from all other races, and recalling the change that came over Warren Widener once he became mayor in '71, I'm holding my breath over Ben in D-3, who's noted he already has a collegial majority for his housing priorities on the Council. Could we see a conceivable 7-2 split on painful matters? 

Last, I've finally figured out who Capitelli reminds me of: Larry David.