Former councilmember and current mayoral aspirant Lorri Galloway sent this e-mail to her supporters:
Dear Friends and Family:
My campaign for Anaheim Mayor 2014 has been in the news lately. After a PBS story aired last night, I am heartsick because I have allowed negativity to be the focus, which is something that I abhor, and I have often been on the receiving end of it Truthfully, I am honored to be in a country where someone like me has the opportunity and freedom to run for such an office. My faith in God tells me that the blessing will be in the journey, not in the victory or defeat. I just sent this apology to the Mayor of Anaheim, Tom Tait.
Dear Tom:
With all of my heart, I sincerely apologize.This has spiraled into something that is negative and was never my intent. What has been said by me is hurtful and not the message I wanted to get across. The worst thing about any of this is that I know I’ve lost your friendship and my heart is broken over that. The truth is that I do believe you have made courageous moves in standing up for what is right and you are a good and wonderful and kind man. I’ve said that in all my interviews but that is not the message that writers and TV people want to hear from me; they want drama and they focus on the negative. They didn’t want to hear about my wanting people to have a different choice. Regardless, my team and I will step back and get on the track that I set from the beginning which has no place in attacking you. Again, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me for allowing this to happen. From my camp, it will not happen again.
You and I have spoken many times about believing that this is much bigger than you or I. I still believe that.
Sincerely,
Lorri
Lorri Galloway really has the thread the needle to move her campaign forward on the basis laid out above. If you seek the mayorship and offer yourself as an alternative to the incumbent, the inescapable implication is you believe the incumbent is either ineffective or taking the city in the wrong direction and that you will be superior in either case. Otherwise, your candidacy is vanity and ambition.
A cynic might see this e-mail as a second act in a larger strategy. First, get maximum public exposure for charges that Mayor Tait is isolated and ineffective and must be superseded for the good of the cause, and then deflect the blowback with a publicly private apology. The original charges remain in the political atmosphere like radioactive fallout, and the subsequent public remorse appeals to people’s forgiving natures while to some extent short-circuiting criticism of Galloway for making the charges in the first place (“Hey, I said I’m sorry!”).
Was there a PBS Socal story? Would like to see if Rick Reiff / David Nazar were beating up on girls again.
I believe Mayoral Candidate Lorri Galloway when she said reporters focused on the negative and not the positive side of her message of voters wanting a different choice. I look forward to a campaign minus any hurtful comments between Lorri Galloway and Mayor Tait. They are both excellent candidates and the blessing of the journey will be inspiring as Anaheim Ambassador Lucile Kring leads the field with integrity and grace.
There is no end to which political candidates will go, say, or do to be elected.
Michael is right — Lorri G wants to win, and knows she has to beat the incumbent in order to succeed. Who is she fooling?
“Tait is a terrible leader.” – says Galloway
“I am sorry I told the truth.” – says Galloway
She and Tait just get more odd.
She said the media wants “drama”….well she certainly knows how to give them what they want.
I am sure Tom Tait can see right through her little stunt. And besides, he is no stranger at losing supporters.
Who in their right mind, besides someone so desperate to be Mayor, would apologize for something hateful they said about a “friend,” and then send out a political piece about it – and I thought Tom Tiat was shameful.
All this craziness, and the real campaigning hasn’t even started.
WOMAN, IF YOU CANT STAND YOUR GROUND AND BACK UP WHAT YOU SAY, THEN DONT SAY ANYTHING AND CONTINUE TO BE A WANT TO BE, BECAUSE WE WINNERS ARE ABOUT TO RUN RIGHT PAST YOU…. WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH ‘WANTS TO BE SOMEONE YOU AREN’T’. IF YOU BACK DOWN ON THIS WHAT ELSE WILL YOU BACK DOWN ON? ISN’T THERE ANYONE WORTHY RUNNING FOR MAYOR IN ANAHEIM? ANYONE BESIDES PEOPLE WHO RUN THIER MOUTHS AND THEN APOLOGIZE…………