Karen Bass, Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman entered tonight’s mayoral debate with goals for what might be their only time together on stage.
As the incumbent mayor, Bass had to deal with weather conditions from his opponents while trying to sell voters on his eligibility for another term, despite the 2025 disaster.
As a reality TV star with no political experience, Pratt needed to show that he could contribute to things instead of AI fan videos and name-calling – “Karen Basura” – has taken to social media.
Raman’s work was perhaps the most difficult. As a City Council member whose two previous campaigns were supported by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, he needed to convince Pratt’s curious voters that he was more conservative than Bass. But to others, she needed to appear liberal enough to shake off the mayor’s support and emerge as a progressive lioness who will cheer on Democrats in a year when GOP incumbents like Pratt must answer for the disaster that is President Trump’s second term.
Only one of the three failed.
At times, Raman was speechless trying to answer simple questions. The moderators kept telling him that he was passing his time. Answering a yes/no question about whether non-citizens should be allowed to vote in city elections, the council member went on and on, until the president decided.
While Raman offered some policy proposals, he also played a card out of Trump’s arsenal. He said that Pratt and Bass were working together against him – an unpleasant situation that appealed to the audience. He became even more frustrated, so that when Bass was allowed time to deny it, he said dejectedly, “I haven’t been given that in this many arguments.”
Raman, who had endorsed Bass’s re-election before throwing in his hat at the last minute, came off as ignorant, touchy-feely and unmotivated.
The punch line of the night was Pratt dismissing Raman as a “random councilman” – which is how the LA political world reacted to his entry into the race. He was so upset by Pratt’s speech that he continued to cry about it to a KNBC reporter after the debate.
The shocking thing about Raman’s flop is that she should know how important it is to present well to the television audience, as her husband is a screen producer. His voice was low, when he needed to be affectionate.
No one had to remind Pratt of that. He was answering tough questions for the first time on the big stage, in front of an audience that only knew him as the Angry LA White Guy he enjoyed playing.
You are very successful.
At best, Pratt comes off as a brash brat who has enough fun to call himself “humble” without coming off as obnoxious. He dominated the conversation without coming off as commanding, even interrupting Raman at times to let Bass speak. At one point, he even said “Excuse me” when he took too long and the moderators cut him off.
He was vague, except that he would do better than others and would prioritize public safety above all else. Instead, he was the one on stage using anecdotes to sell himself, citing conversations about abused animals, inner-city workers afraid to eat out and film producers hiring local gang members to protect their films.
As a TV personality turned influencer, Pratt knows that storytelling is more effective than drowning an audience with statistics, as Bass and Raman do.
But evil Pratt was fiery at times. He drew rebuke from KNBC anchor and debate moderator Colleen Williams when she called the mayor “a spectacular liar.” Using high-pitched words to taunt Bass and Raman he came off as childish and perhaps sexist. And when it comes to immigration raids last summer that terrorized Southern California, Pratt seemed concerned when Bass pointed out that 70% of those arrested have no criminal records – the use of statistics that came.
Bass also had to be himself – measured, strong and in a hurry to defend his record, without having to defend himself. He wasn’t exactly motivated, but he didn’t have to be. The city’s powerful labor unions have backed him, along with much of the Democratic establishment.
Raman and Pratt are right in thinking that Bass is the old guard of a defeated city – but the old guard didn’t get there without knowing how to win.
