Just because The Seattle Times has friends in high places doesn’t mean their friends are always popular. Over the years, The Seattle Times has endorsed a long list of conservative losers who were later rejected by voters (thank goodness). But we often get asked, “What are these losers doing now?” Here’s a roundup of The Times’ biggest losers, and what they’ve been up to since their rejection by the voters.
George W. Bush
"Bush has emerged as the superior candidate. Much about him is unknown and much about him remains untested in national office..."
What The Times said:
Times Editorial
“Bush has emerged as the superior candidate. Much about him is unknown and much about him remains untested in national office…
“Bush was elected twice in a large, multicultural state with aspects that mirror much of America. The Texas governorship is sometimes a muted office, but what emerges about Bush in public forums is his natural embrace of diversity and education. He is not an artificial man. His most intense and free-flowing talk arrives when the topic is classrooms. During the debates, his passion for education for all students overwhelmed Gore’s bureaucratic approach to education reform.”
Election Results
In Washington State, Al Gore beat George Bush 50% to 45%.
What is he doing now?
Former President Bush bought a house in the posh Dallas suburbs. He has been seen golfing (as he did frequently during his presidency) and attending many Texas sports events. Honing his many skills acquired during 8 years in office, he made his debut as a motivational speaker (charging up to $150,000 per event, by some accounts) after publishing his memoirs.
Susan Hutchison
"Susan Hutchison is a political outsider and brings a host of fresh ideas of how to tackle the budget. Because of this potential, she earns the endorsement of The Seattle Times."
What The Times said:
Times Editorial
“Susan Hutchison is a political outsider and brings a host of fresh ideas of how to tackle the budget. Because of this potential, she earns the endorsement of The Seattle Times.
“The county must act more like private-sector businesses if it is going to close the $56 million gap in the general fund in 2010 and more in the future, and create responsible, sustainable budgets instead. This means the number of people working at the county, union and nonunion, will be reduced. It also means union contracts and health benefits are going to need to be revisited. Not when they expire, but now.”
Election Results
Dow Constantine beat Susan Hutchison in a landslide, 59% to 41%.
What is she doing now?
After losing the county executive race in 2009, Susan Hutchison returned to the private sector as Executive Director of the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences. The Simonyi Fund provides grants to arts, science, and education programs, and whose founder is famous for being the second Hungarian space tourist in history. Susan’s not giving up on politics – despite being named Washington’s Sarah Palin for her iron grasp of details, she’s been mentioned as a possible challenger to Sen. Maria Cantwell in 2012.
Mike McGavick
IRONY: "The nation's democracy is at stake as giant media companies continue to calcify the country's strong need for independent voices... We believe McGavick's independent mind would be useful in untying the knot of media consolidation."
What The Times said:
Times Editorial
IRONY ALERT: “The nation’s democracy is at stake as giant media companies continue to calcify the country’s strong need for independent voices… We believe McGavick’s independent mind would be useful in untying the knot of media consolidation.”
Election Results
Maria Cantwell beat Mike McGavick 57% to 40%.
What is he doing now?
Mike McGavick is now the CEO of XL Capital, an international financial management company headquartered in Bermuda. As if this cushy gig didn’t scream “1%” quite enough, he is also a founding member of the Washington, D.C.-based Wild Geese “Old Boys” rugby club.
Dino Rossi
"Dino Rossi should be elected governor Nov. 4 because he can best be trusted to erase the state's huge projected deficit without raising taxes."
What The Times said:
Times Editorial
“Dino Rossi should be elected governor Nov. 4 because he can best be trusted to erase the state’s huge projected deficit without raising taxes.
“There are other reasons to support Rossi, starting with the Democratic Party’s control of the bureaucracy in Olympia for the past 24 years. No party should be given power for that long — but some of the Republican nominees over the past two decades were simply not credible. Rossi is. He is the best Republican candidate for governor in a long time.”
Election Results
In 2004, Christine Gregoire beat Dino Rossi by 134 votes after a hand recount. In 2008, Christine Gregoire beat Dino Rossi 53% to 47%. In 2010, Patty Murray beat Dino Rossi 52% to 48%.
What is he doing now?
After being rejected three times by Washington voters, Dino Rossi still hasn’t given up on politics. In February, he joined the Romney campaign in Federal Way for what was by no accounts a rousing speech decrying the estate tax. More recently, Dino has taken to Facebook to encourage his dozens of supporters to protest the Affordable Care Act. From what we hear, he is excited about expanding his real estate business to Newt Gingrich’s proposed moon colony.
