Signs That Duncan Could Be Back Soon

By Ann E. Marimow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 10, 2006

There were several signs in recent days that County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) is preparing to make his official debut since pulling out of the governor's race seven weeks ago to seek treatment for depression.

First was the return this week of his extended family's campaign blog -- "Duncans for Doug" -- which had been inactive since the announcement on June 22. Duncan's sister Nellie Lide of Rockville writes, "Sorry we haven't posted since Doug left the race. We've been kind of down about the whole thing too." She confides, "I'm probably going to still write-in Doug's name on primary day. Some of us have a hard time accepting reality."

On a lighter note, Lide shares for the first time the family's ersatz music video, at http://www.duncansfordoug.com , that is a play on the "Saturday Night Live" skit "Lazy Sunday," starring Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg .

The Duncan version is called "Lazy Duncans" and stars the county executive's brother Glenn Duncan and his friend, Joe Barrett , eating their way through Maryland last spring as they rhyme to a hip-hop beat wearing "Duncan for Governor" T-shirts.

Glenn -- who resembles his brother, only beefier -- raps about when "Dougie" is governor and jokes "with my look-alike mug I won't drop a dime." The stars poke fun at Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr . (R) and Duncan's former Democratic rival, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley . Standing in front of one of O'Malley's "Believe" signs, Glenn Duncan shakes his head "no" and Barrett waves his arms as if to say "no way."

Duncan does not appear in the family movie, and the blog posting discloses, "I don't think he's even seen it. Doug now supports Martin O'Malley for governor -- but in the tape we do make fun of him (after all at the time he was our brother's opponent in the primary)."

In another sign that Duncan is easing back into public life, he has been spotted at several restaurants. There he was Monday afternoon in downtown Rockville, looking casual in a lime-green polo shirt as he lunched outside at Giuseppe's Pizza with college-age son John Duncan . On Saturday night he dined in downtown Silver Spring at Ray's: The Classics, the eagerly anticipated new restaurant.

Duncan said Monday that he has been working from his county office several hours a day, a couple of days a week. He's feeling better, he said, and plans to have hip-replacement surgery in September.

Council Can-Can

Neighbors for a Better Montgomery, a political action committee, is broadcasting some campaign satire on its Web site, but not everyone is laughing. The animated movie stars "The Endless Gridlock Team," a not-so-subtle play on the "End Gridlock" slate of County Council candidates from the 2002 election.

Council members Nancy Floreen (D-At Large), Michael Knapp (D-Upcounty), George Leventhal (D-At Large), Steven A. Silverman (D-At Large) and Michael L. Subin (D-At Large) are portrayed as marionettes whose strings are manipulated by a black-hatted developer.

The five puppets dance a kick line routine as they sing, "We do exactly what we're told to 'cause we sold our souls to get some campaign cash."

"They called themselves the End Gridlock Team, but take a look at what you've seen. The roads 'round here are so jam-packed. Us kids are stuffed in learning shacks. Police and fire stretched so thin." And the finale: "So now that it's election year, it's time to boot them out of here!"

Drew Powell , head of Neighbors for a Better Montgomery, said the cartoon, viewable at http://www.neighborspac.org , was designed by a "concerned citizen" who was inspired by the group's Web site, which tracks campaign contributions from developer interests. He would not reveal the person's name.

"We didn't want it to be mean or disparaging in any way," he said, "but something that's accurate and entertaining."

Those depicted in the cartoon, however, were not entertained. Floreen said she is proud to be part of a group that is a "can-do council," adding, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a substantive debate with actual facts" on transportation funding, affordable housing and land conservation.

The cartoon represents "negative campaigning," she said. "People just dump on you and really malign people who are working hard for a very large county with very complicated problems."

Silverman, a candidate for county executive, said he has not visited the site. "I would prefer to have a discussion about the issues and not encourage the politics of personal destruction," he said. "I'm not going to get into [what is] nothing more than name-calling. It's disappointing."

Straw Primary at Fair

The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee will test the political winds in the crowded Democratic primary race to replace retiring Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D) at the county Agricultural Fair that begins tomorrow in Gaithersburg. Milton Minneman , the committee's communications director, said all fairgoers are welcome to participate in the straw poll at the Democratic tent from Saturday through Aug. 18. The results of the unscientific survey will be read on Aug. 18 at 8 p.m.

Candidate Forums

The District 18 Democratic Caucus will hold a legislative candidates forum Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Armory, 3710 Mitchell St., Kensington. Richard Madaleno is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for state Senate. Dana Beyer , James Browning , Alfred C. Carr , Daniel E. Farrington , Noah Grosfeld-Katz , Ana Sol Gutierrez , Jane Lawton and Jeff Waldstreicher are vying for the Democratic nomination for three separate seats in the House of Delegates.

Congressional District 4 Democratic candidates will face off on foreign policy, with special attention to the Middle East, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. next Thursday, Watkins Mill High School, 10301 Apple Ridge Rd, Gaithersburg. For more information, call 301-570-0923.

Staff writer Robert Barnes contributed to this report.