Laura Chardiet has been granted the most interesting vantage point in the Nov. 3 School Board election.
She is a little in and a little out of the race.
She scarcely drew a breath between the day she announced she would not seek a second term on the School Board and when she became campaign manager for the joint entry of Anne Burke and Scott McVarish.
What kind of adjustment did Ms. Chardiet make in morphing from high-profile incumbent to off-stage handler?
No adjust at all, she insisted. “I am used to being a leader, used to organizing things,” Ms. Chardiet said.
“I am a very collaborative person. I don’t feel that everything has to go a certain way.
“Since there are two candidates, a manager has to be flexible. Anne and Scott do work well together, though.”
In Ms. Chardiet’s case, what is the role of a campaign manager?
“Basically, you are keeping a lot of plates spinning,” she said.
“You are providing your best perspective.
“Everyone who runs for office tends to feel they won for a certain reason. It almost is like a ballplayer who has a lucky pair of sox.
“Depending on who you talk to, a candidate will feel she or he won because of a great campaign, say, of precinct walking,” Ms. Chardiet said. “Others will feel they won because of a great mail-in campaign or a great phone bank team.
“Every elected feels they won because they were able to do something better than the other candidates. They knew the issues better. Or they performed better at candidate forums.”
Ms. Chardiet said she is sure “I bring my own prejudices” to a campaign.
Who decided Mr. McVarish and Ms. Burke would run a unique-to-Culver City joint campaign?
“We all know each other and we are friendly. We had a common background in getting the (school improvements’) bond passed. And we knew we would have the same pool of volunteers for both campaigns. Together, we realized it would be more economical, both for time and for money, to run a joint campaign.”
