Shriver candidacy adds new wrinkle for local race
Propped up by his political connections, wealth and well-known family, Santa Monica City Council candidate Bobby Shriver has dominated the headlines this election season.
That’s much to the dismay of his opponents, who have watched Shriver, 50, garner national attention while they have been brushed aside. Shriver’s candidacy has been covered by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, Fox News Channel and local news stations, to name a few.
Patricia Hoffman, a first-time council candidate, said when the LA Times recently called her regarding a story about the Santa Monica election, the question asked of her was what she thought about Shriver.
“Bobby Shriver’s entrance of the race changes the calculus... it’s no longer a small town election,” Hoffman said, adding in the 25 years she’s been involved in local politics, a celebrity has never run. “It’s turned into a major political event.”
Family ties
Shriver’s candidacy also has become a major news event in recent weeks as the Kennedy family has shown up in Santa Monica to stump, precinct walk and help with his campaign. Shriver’s uncle, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, was in town Thursday to attend a breakfast event at the restaurant Back on Broadway.
Shriver said he realized while canvassing in Santa Monica that people were confused on his party affiliation, partly because he is the brother-in-law of Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
6ED,“I walked around, and people were asking if I was a Democrat because of Arnold... like we must have drank Arnold Kool-Aid or something,” he said, adding his uncle’s presence locally will hopefully clear up that misnomer. “I think having Sen. Kennedy say I’m a Democrat helps.”
That kind of exposure no doubt hurts Shriver’s opponents, even though his candidacy draws attention to local issues and the election.
“I’m not upset he’s getting exposure,” said City Councilman Herb Katz, who is running for reelection. “Yes, I would like to be the center of attention, and if I could call uncle Teddy I would, but I don’t have an uncle Teddy.”
Other opponents have referred to Shriver’s staged press events and meet-and-greets with residents as the “Bobby Show.” Many of them are growing tired of the coverage, but apparently the citizens of Santa Monica aren’t.
“He’s the heavyweight in town, the 10-ton elephant... and suppose if he were doing very poorly — if he couldn’t string a sentence together — it wouldn’t work, but the point is that he’s doing fine,” said Bob Stern, president of the West LA-based Center for Governmental Studies. “A wealthy person and a well-known person have an advantage. Bobby Shriver gets the prize because he is both.
“I think it’s unfair (Shriver’s getting more press), but I’m sure your readers are more interested in him,” Stern added. “Life is unfair.”
Shriver has provided plenty of fodder for journalists in the hope that they will pick up on what he stands for in his campaign.
A little more than two weeks ago, Robert Kennedy Jr. was in Santa Monica stumping for one of his closest cousins at a luncheon at Lares Restaurant on Pico Boulevard. There, Bobby Kennedy promoted Shriver’s commitment to the environment, among other things.
A Kennedy at your door
Shriver’s mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of Sen. Kennedy, has been in town on and off since her son’s campaign began. She attended Shriver’s campaign kick-off event at his campaign headquarters on Santa Monica Boulevard in September. She also has been walking precincts with him.
“Life is unfair.”
When Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 83, knocks on Santa Monicans’ doors, a look of disbelief comes over them almost immediately. “Hi, my name is Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and my son Bobby is running for City Council. May we expect your vote?” is her rehearsed line. Residents obediently nod their heads, and then the follow-up question comes: “May we put a lawn sign on your yard?” Another nod comes, “Yes, ma’am.” Shriver, hammering signs into the ground, follows behind his mother.
During the first day of precinct walking, Shriver attempted to give his mother some pointers before knocking on doors. She interrupted him and reminded Shriver that she has canvassed before, particularly for her brother, John F. Kennedy. She commented that it was the only thing they let women do then, said Shriver’s finance, Malissa Feruzzi.
Shriver’s sister, Maria Shriver, first lady of California, also attended her brother’s campaign kick-off party and has walked precincts with her daughters.
On the issues
But Kennedy family members aren’t the only ones canvassing for Shriver — about 25 homeless veterans regularly hit the streets and man the phones for Shriver. His down-and-out supporters come from New Directions, a long-term drug and alcohol treatment program that provides housing, job training and a host of other services. Shriver recently met them when he visited the VA property in West LA to investigate whether the three empty buildings and 550 acres there could be used for more organizations like New Directions.
B72,“I’m going to work on the homeless issue,” Shriver said, adding surrounding cities can help pay for facilities in West LA. “I’m going to get those VA buildings... I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’m going to.”
Shriver’s stance
Shriver’s challenge has been to get past his family name and effectively tell Santa Monica citizens what he stands for — beyond his widely publicized tumultuous relationship with City Hall over his hedges. Shriver and hundreds of other residents last year were threatened with letters from City Hall that said they would be fined thousands of dollars if they didn’t trim their shrubbery. The bureaucracy of City Hall and the current administration’s handling of the situation propelled Shriver into running for local office.
Since then, Shriver has thrown himself into local politics. He doesn’t apologize for not being as knowledgeable on the intricacies of local issues as his opponents, some of whom have been involved in Santa Monica politics for decades.
“I’ve learned a lot in three months,” Shriver said, adding he’s relying heavily on a broad cross section of community members to help educate him. This includes both sides of the city’s contentious political landscape — business interests and Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights, a liberal group that has dominated the City Council for decades.
His supporters include educators, school supporters, SMRR members, local employee unions, homeless veterans and the chamber of commerce, to name a few.
But some have criticized Shriver for acting “elitist” during candidate forums, such as when he told a group of citizens concerned about jet pollution and noise at the airport that he knew many of the people flying in and out of Santa Monica. His solution was to ask them to simply fly to Burbank.
Shriver said if one looks at the past 20 years of his life, it proves that he can build consensus and get things done. Shriver co-founded and serves as chairman of DATA, a foundation to alleviate AIDS and poverty in Africa. Shriver also chairs the California Recreation and Parks Commission, and serves as director of the Crossroads at Antigua Foundation, a drug and alcohol treatment center. Shriver has raised more than $60 million for the Special Olympics through his “Very Special Christmas” albums.
“What I’ve done in the past 20 years is what I can do for Santa Monica,” he said.
“What I’ve done in the past 20 years is what I can do for Santa Monica,” — he said
But how his past accomplishments translate into solving local problems is unclear, some opponents say.
“He really didn’t have defined opinions on the most important issues facing the city, and I’m troubled by the fact that he is only coming to his opinions... recently,” said Mayor Richard Bloom, who is running for reelection. Bloom added that if Shriver’s frustrated that his campaign platform is being glossed over, it’s up to him to change that.
“Having the relatives fly in may be the wrong approach,” Bloom joked. “But me doth protest too much.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 15, 2004. Read the original PDF.