Supergirl vs. Linus in contest for attorney general?

By Stuart Eskenazi
Seattle Times staff reporter

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"If you were a cartoon character, which one would you be, and why?" The written question came from within the audience of Seattle Rotarians, one of only two queries during an event advertised as a debate but truncated into more of an oddity.

"Linus," answered McKenna, because the Peanuts character is serious but with a sense of humor, and others seek him out for advice.

"Supergirl," answered Senn, who revealed she was barred as a girl from reading comic books and had to sneak over to a friend's house to peruse the pages of "Superman."

Before the moment of levity, or embarrassment, or whatever, both candidates introduced themselves to the hundreds who had gathered in a downtown hotel ballroom for the weekly luncheon of the Rotary Club of Seattle, a service group composed of some of the region's most prominent business, professional and civic leaders.

Senn, a Democrat, emphasized her 27 years as an attorney, saying she has practiced the same types of law the Attorney General's Office does, including environmental, energy and utility.

"As insurance commissioner, I was a client of the Attorney General's Office," said Senn, who held the post from 1993 to 2000.

McKenna, a Republican who has been a lawyer since 1988, said many of the issues he has worked on as a member of the Metropolitan King County Council are similar to those that face an attorney general, such as criminal justice, the environment and taxes.

"I've practiced law and I've made law," said McKenna, who has represented parts of the Eastside on the council since 1996.

The second question, which was not cartoonish, focused on how the two candidates would refrain from politicizing the office.

Senn said that although some have portrayed her insurance-commissioner tenure as controversial, "that's the nature of being a regulator."
 
Senn said her battles with insurance companies were fought so that terminally ill people and others with pre-existing conditions would receive health coverage.

In his closing statement, McKenna read from an Olympia newspaper editorial that is particularly damning of Senn, noting that 16 of 17 daily newspapers in the state have endorsed his candidacy.

"What they're looking for in this race is someone who can administer the office in a fair, nonpartisan manner," he said.

Stuart Eskenazi: 206-464-2293 or seskenazi@seattletimes.com