You, Me, Us, Now

Hanna is scarred from election night 2016. Mike knows full well that you win some, you lose some. If you're listening to this pod, you already know the end result—but let's talk about how you get there. Where do you party? What do you do? Who do you let see you when the results come in?

In the last week of a campaign, you're going to need strategy, field, and a message. You're also probably going to need to figure out how to get into the headlines. Today, we talk about earned media, social media, and all the other media you might need. 

A state of the race update, plus some pointers on transparency and mistakes. Last time, we talked about what to do at a forum—but we also talked about what not to do. Say you did the thing you're not supposed to do...what next?

Worried voters aren't hearing your message? Mike has advice for getting it out there (and getting it right).

Primary candidates have busy schedules—and almost every night, there's a forum or panel. What do organizations hope to achieve when they get the candidates in a room, and can candidates make sure they don't blow it?

Some people call it the "money primary," but Mike calls it the "perception primary." Candidates need a little cash on-hand to get their message out, but sometimes, a person's donor lists are as telling as their campaign promises.

Polls have begun making news headlines, but what do they really mean? Mike and Hanna dive into the methods and impact of polling, then talk about whether or not endorsements matter (spoiler: kind of!).

Politics in a city can fall into some well-established grooves, as the interests that care about city government work to find their candidates and shape them. What does that mean to candidates coming in who challenge the status quo? 

You think you are getting into one thing, and it turns into another. Mike and Hanna talk about the changing dynamics of the race, why it changed, and the new candidates.

Candidates only get two times when they are guaranteed coverage - announcing and election night. Mike and Hanna have some fun talking about the prep that goes into it, and what it feels like to face the media at the front of a campaign.

Here we go! Why get in, what does the family think, and other considerations before announcing.

We’re back, with irregularly scheduled updates on Mike’s 2017 run for Mayor of Seattle. Joined by the inimitable Hanna Brooks Olsen, we will be talking about what it’s like to campaign for office. Stay tuned for more episodes.

After everyone goes home, who are the folks who show up to clean the building? On Justice for Janitors Day, Mike interviews two long time janitors about how they chose the job, and the challenges janitors face. The boom times in Seattle don't extend to janitors - their average pay is $30,000 a year. And the workloads keep going up. Every night Amir cleans hospital square footage equivalent to 42 homes. How does that make them feel? Give a listen. Plus, Mike talks a little bit about his own experience as a janitor.

A kid from upstate NY, with a video camera slung around his shoulder, decided to do his own public access cable TV show about how fun it was to bike around New York City. Which led to the phenomenally influential website "Streetfilms.org" that highlights walking, biking and transit innovations from around the globe. Mike and Clarence talk biking, the power of film, and whether Mike was followed around by a black SUV with his mayoral security watching him. Indeed, whether he actually biked anywhere! Two bike weirdos compare notes.

One day, Sonja decided to head down to City Hall to testify in favor of apartment buildings for the people who hadn't yet moved to San Francisco. She was a schoolteacher who had moved to the Bay Area from Philadelphia for economic opportunity and was shocked by the reflexive opposition to new housing. In the podcast, Sonja talks about why urban housing matters, but it's even more fascinating to listen to Sonja's intuitive, fearless, and funny take on how to organize on a controversial issue. And this YIMBY thing is taking off. She's been covered in the New York Times, activists are organizing in other cities, and there will soon be a National YIMBY Conference.