A stranger to Culver City politics would have been baffled at last night’s Candidates Forum trying to smoke out which one of the four chaps and chapettes was the City Council incumbent.
Too much alike.
They were so closely bunched they could have been a double set of Siamese twins.
Meghan Sahli-Wells, Jeff Cooper, Robert Zirgulis and, yes, the incumbent, Scott Malsin, might as well have been huddled in a telephone booth for midgets, so indistinguishable were they. That is encouraging for the contenders, disappointing for Mr. Malsin.
If Mr. Malsin is unable to create more of an impact in future appearances, his presumed second term can be jeopardized.
Ms. Sahli-Wells, a neophyte, was Mr. Malsin’s match if not his superior in both substance and style. There was little to criticize about Mr. Cooper, and Mr. Zirgulis, who prefers to be known as Mr. Z, lived up to his advance billing as an outlier, an admittedly unorthodox challenger.
If their arms are almost linked qualitatively, there are significant distinctions:
Mr. Malsin: Naturally engaging, running for office is not one of his top eight talents, though it could be, with work. You could awaken him at 3 in the morning, on vacation, 5,000 miles from home, and, without warning, he would deliver a coherent campaign speech with an accent on his numerous accomplishments. At 7 in the evening, in a crowded setting, however, he stiffens into almost a cardboard figure. He possesses a politician’s sparkling personality and charm. On a good day, he could sell snow to Alaskans. He is drop-dead on knowing his material. But public communication can be an insurmountable mountain. He read his entire three-minute opening, the only one to do so. He read how sincerely he loves Culver City. He read how much he loves his job. He read what he has contributed the past four years. He read what he plans to do the next four. Credibility was over in the corner, covering its face.
Mr. Cooper: When Steve Rose is ready to retire as CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, the board can scour the planet and never uncover an ambassador for Culver City the equal of Mr. Cooper. Magically youthful, enthusiastic, charismatic, utterly ageless and the owner of a fulltime authentic smile, he brings a bouquet of assets that might plunge the ordinarily somber City Council into shock. Says an admirer: “Jeff will not lead anyone. But his instincts are excellent. He always will follow the right people.”
Ms. Sahli-Wells: In a word, solid. A pleasant surprise. She looked and sounded like the incumbent. Undoubtedly, the most impressive presenter, in both content and style. Confident, she knows her stuff and how she is going to attain her objectives. A little nervous, but she still is in the early innings of the campaign — with 2 ½ months to go, and to grow.
Mr. Zirgulis: Unlike a certain incumbent in the room, he may love campaigning for office more than God, family and country. He probably would have kept on speaking last night if they had cleared the room and doused the lights. That kind of enthusiasm can be appealing, infectious. Like a bulldog on certain subjects, he happily — sometimes annoyingly — hammers away at constantly repeated pet causes (“environmentally safe oil drilling,” “frivolous lawsuits,” “waste in the City Attorney’s office,” “eliminate red light cameras”) at his peril. Unlike his colleagues, he is a take him or leave him candidate. Either you can’t get enough of him or you push away from the table the moment he enters. No middle ground.
A Snug Race
The well-attended program at Temple Akiba, sponsored by the Culver Crest Neighborhood Assn., the first public outing for the field, provided a fascinating glance at what Culver City voters can expect this spring.
Based on last night, there is a horse race for both seats, Mr. Malsin’s, and the one being surrendered by term-limited Gary Silbiger.
Community wisdom, the hometown version of conventional wisdom, has held, from the beginning, that Mr. Malsin was a near cinch to win a second term, with Mr. Cooper and Ms. Sahli-Wells chasing the other while Mr. Zirgulis scrambled behind them.
In no way does this campaign resemble the last City Council race two years ago when there were as many have-nots as live candidates in that field of nine.
Important Footnote:
Moderators at future candidate forums should model their attitudes after Ron Ostrin’s performance last night — casual, low-key, like an umpire at a baseball game, and, crucially, non-partisan.
