Sound Politics: Venus Velazquez: On UpFront, but less than up front

October 28, 2007

Venus Velazquez: On UpFront, but less than up front

Seattle City Council candidate Venus Velazquez is on KING-5's UpFront with Robert Mak today, Mak writes:

Velazquez says she did not endanger anyone's life when she drank and drove last week...

When I asked her if she endangered people in Ballard or her passenger that evening, Velazquez give a very firm "no." I asked her about the police officer who clocked her at 50 mph down Market Street, and Velazquez pointed out it was late at night. At the heart of her response is her belief that she was not impaired--but she didn't have a full explanation as to why she refused the official breath test.

After listening again to the interview, it's not clear why Velazquez is calling the whole thing a mistake, while at the same time saying she was not impaired that evening.

Watch the video here.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 28, 2007 11:03 AM | Email This

Comments

1. This is simply incredible! The woman gets points for consistency, and that is it. For Venus to say, on TV and to award-winning journalist Robert Mak, that she did not endanger anyone's life by driving, and arguing whether it was 45 or 50 and "late at night" (because, of course, that excuses it!), is utter lunacy. Venus keeps insisting that she was not impaired. But the alcohol caused impairment is what allowed her judgment to think driving 50 MPH was not endangerment, and that not taking the breathalizer at the police station was not bad judgement.

Unless taxpayers are willing to provide a meeting room for the "City-County Council Cocktail Chapter of AA", voters will use good judgement by rejecting Venus Velazquez.

Posted by: Cocktails with Venus @ 5! on October 28, 2007 11:43 AM

2. Unless she was driving on a deserted stretch of road in the middle of the desert where there was absolutely no traffic except for her, she was putting other lives in danger by drunk driving.

For her to say otherwise is to be either in denial or just stupid.

Posted by: John Galt on October 28, 2007 12:23 PM

3. VENUS, VENUS - SUCH A PRETTY NAME FOR A DRUNK DRIVER. DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS FLAKE.

IN MY EARLY TWENTIES I DROVE ABOUT 20 BLOCKS TO GET HOME AFTER A BIG PARTY. ONLY LUCK AND THE PROTECTION OF THE LORD ALLOWED ME TO GET HOME AND NOT KILL MYSELF OR OTHERS. ALSO, DID NOT ENCOUNTER ANOTHER CAR

I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN ONCE SINCE THEN IF I CONSUME EVEN ONE BEER. I WOULD SLEEP IN THE CAR, ON THE FLOOR OR CALL A CAB - FRIENDS, THE BUSS. NO DRIVING WHILE DRINKING, NONE

AGAIN DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS RATHER STUPID DRUNK LADY, SHE IS IN DENIAL AND SPIN

Posted by: Raphael on October 28, 2007 12:59 PM

4. Who is stupider, Velaquez or those that would vote for her?

Posted by: Andy on October 28, 2007 01:13 PM

5. One of Venus's new platform items is to let drunk drivers decide if they're "Impaired" or not. This will definitely save valuable police resources for other more important things like trying to nab exotic dancers with lap dances.

Posted by: swassociates on October 28, 2007 03:48 PM

6. A great window into the mind of Progressive. Are these people mental contortionists or what? Of course Velazquez was putting lives in danger. There might have been a another vehicle or pedestrian suddenly in her path that her dulled reflexes were unable to avoid.

This is the kind of stupid defense that leaves even the most die-hard progressive supporters like David Goldstein shaking their heads.

Velazqeuz would have been better off on the Mak show simply screaming "PLEASE DON'T ELECT ME."

No contrition, no acceptance. Hedonism, in your face, Progressive style!! I think that its their arrogance more than anything else that turns off the rest of us. Venus Velazques, the New Poster Gal for Arrogant Progressive.

Posted by: Jeff B. on October 28, 2007 05:20 PM

7.
Why is it that the Liberals who purport to defend the Common Folk see nothing wrong with running them over, raping them or stealing their money when it suits their personal whims?

Is Market Street in Ballard the new Chappaquiddick?

Posted by: John A. Bailo on October 28, 2007 05:32 PM

8. What's the speed limit on Market Street? I'm not trying to excuse her; what she did demonstrates a horrendous lapse in judgment. Her defense is sloppy, ill conceived, and conceited, but 50 in a 25 is much worse than 50 in a 45.

The Admiral of Chappaquiddick, Kennedrunk, killed a woman; Gerry Studds had sex with an underage boy; Robert KKK Byrd is a senile former klansman; and Slick Willie was credibly accused of rape. The democrat voters keep (kept) returning them to elective office. The fact that Velazquez put lives at risk and is showing no remorse is of no concern to the average democrat. To them, being a homicidal drunk, a child molester, a klansman, or an accused rapist is a badge of honor.

Posted by: Obi-Wan on October 28, 2007 06:01 PM

9. We're all comfortable substituting "Jane Hague" for "Venus Velazquez" in each of these posts right?

If not, why not?

Posted by: BA on October 28, 2007 06:42 PM

10. Venus thought that because it was 11:30 that it was okay to drink and drive. Newsflash, honey--a lot of us have kids who are in their late teens who are out driving there with you. and many of them HAVEN'T been drinking, I assure you. Please think of other people's kids before you do this again, Venus or anyone else!

Posted by: Michele on October 28, 2007 07:14 PM

11. ..and folks, after all we've witnessed with various politicians or pol wanna-bes driving drunk, I think we all get it why politicians don't want to crack down harder on drunken driving in this state. Shame shame. The citizens demand better!

Posted by: Michele on October 28, 2007 07:17 PM

12. ah, legacy of Clintonism

I did not inhale. I did not have sex w that woman

Posted by: righton on October 28, 2007 07:50 PM

13. Venus lot my vote -- but, press reports said another candidate was at the party that night, yes, Tim Burgess.

Did he drive drunk as well? The media has given him a pass. He did not get arrested, but I bet he was drunk.

Food for thought. I have an absolute hatred for drunk drivers. The most thoughtless thing you might do in a modern city with all kinds of alternatives to get you home. Utterly stupid and lacking social ethics.

Posted by: Leyland on October 29, 2007 05:00 AM

14. Leyland #13:
Is there a possibility that Burgess didn't drink? Or did and took a cab? Or walked? Yes. Why didn't you weigh those options as well? Think man . . . use your brain. Based on options available to him he probably didn't do anything wrong other than be in the same room with Velazquez. Or is that a crime too?

Velazquez wants this job so bad she'd say anything to anybody to justify anything. I saw her interview and she said some of the most incredible things to justify her Dewey and doing 50 in a 30 (i.e.: The officer really wrote her for 45 in a 30, not 50, so that was seemingly OK). Mack kept her feet to the fire (good for him) but she was dodging responsibility for the action while saying she wasn't.

There is a revengeful side to me that thinks she'd be a perfect city council seat holder. The "perspective" she'd bring to that august body would make some pretty good press for a few years.

Posted by: G Jiggy on October 29, 2007 11:15 AM

15. Venus: "Dammit--I didn't endagner anyone--trust me with your vote!"

Pluto: "Dammit--I still AM a planet!--trust ME with your vote!!"

Seattle Voter: (shrugging droopy soft shoulders) "...ahhhh--whatever...."

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 29, 2007 10:40 PM

16. did any of our crack local investigative reporters camp out & get an opinion from any of our crack sup. ct. judges on this matter? hmmmmm....

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 29, 2007 10:48 PM