The First Mayoral Debate

[Ed FitzGerald]

Steve-

Thanks for your comments. Maybe I should add a little about my perspective on this.

In 1999, I was running for City Council for the first time. I got a letter telling me when the first Chamber of Commerce candidate forum was taking place. As I recall, it was at noon or something, and I couldn't arrange my work schedule to attend. Apparently, my opponent made a big deal about my not attending, but that's just the breaks sometimes.

It's still that way with the Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters. They tell you when it's being held, and you're out of luck if you can't make it.

Sometimes I think we have some local political people who take themselves way too seriously and think that they are Karl Rove or something. Just open up a gym, let people ask questions, give the candidates equal time and hand them a microphone, and just let it happen. As I told Jim O'Bryan the other day, the mayor's wife can be the moderator for all I care.

As your tag line says, it ain't rocket science.

[Bryan Schwegler]

Unfortunately, it looks like one candidate exploited their "sincere desire" by gaining an inside track on the planning process. I think that sort of compromises the neutrality and integrity of their debate. In all fairness, no candidates, or better yet, all candidates should be involved in the planning.

Ed, I'm kind of surprised that it doesn't bother you that one campaign got "several weeks" to move their schedules around. I know you are probably trying to be flexible, but YOU only got a day or two.

Stephen,
I think you're completely reading into Suzanne's comments something that isn't really there.

Her statement of "several weeks" could have also meant several weeks between when they got the invitation and 9/5 which is about 2 weeks. It doesn't necessarily mean the Demro campaign knew about it any earlier than the others. If the debate is a priority, then they do have several weeks to arrange their schedule around it since it's two weeks away.

I probably would have asked Suzanne to clarify before making these kind of accusations of something unethical. It's no secret you're not a fan of Demro, but this is a little disappointing.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Sometimes I think we have some local political people who take themselves way too seriously and think that they are Karl Rove or something. Just open up a gym, let people ask questions, give the candidates equal time and hand them a microphone, and just let it happen. As I told Jim O'Bryan the other day, the mayor's wife can be the moderator for all I care.

As your tag line says, it ain't rocket science.

Ed

As always thanks for coming in.

While I have never heard Ed actually mention the mayor's wife as a moderator. He has been the most open to debate ideas of the three groups I have spoken with. Pretty much "let's go" the other two candidates needed to know who the moderators were, what the questions were, etc.

That being said, only one group has given me contact information for their campaign head, to start the debate going.

Today we will post the rules of the debate, as I have said everyone has thought it was FAIR, INNOVATIVE, and favored NO ONE. A typical LO Project.

Here is a chance for the candidates to put their entire platform out to every voter and resident in Lakewood. I am pretty sure this will be so fair and so complete most voters will see other debates as side shows or redundant. While it seems all the candidates are worried about their schedules and time, I would ask them to consider the time of the voters, and even non voters. This will give them the time to frame their issues, ask the key questions they need to ask, and get them to EVERY VOTER in the city, at no charge.

Let's call this debate the first step towards, frugal thinking and moving the city forward. Something we would hope all the candidates are interested in.

Ed

As you mention "think that they are Karl Rove or something." Lakewood has no time or stomach for that. We have been through that too many times, the WestEnd, as mentioned earlier the overthrow of Bob Seelie, etc. The Lakewood Observer has been dedicated to bringing the city together and moving it forward in a way nothing can come close to. While members of the Observer might have favorites, the LO Project has no bias except for getting the facts to the people, and ferreting out the "Karl Roves" that would spin, doctor, or "arraigned" things to hide the facts.

When I go into the coffee shops, streets and porches around the city, all residents are looking for is a person to take the city, and us through the next four, eight, sixteen or more years. For us the residents and voters to make that choice we need truth not spin, vision not one liners, interaction not avoidance.

Ed while you and I have spoken for 5 months now about the debates, and you know how the LO Project has been on and off again about even holding debates, preferring to help community groups with funding and covering them. We now find ourselves having to hold these debates because the others have become tainted. As you said in your post, to paraphrase, "Maybe the debate put together by Father Duke, and S.S. Cyril and Methodius will tell us more about the candidates than the actual debate would." Is becoming ever clear.

While some call for Mayor Tom George to come debate these very people have no interest in talking with the voters and the residents about the simplest of questions, like, "As it was canceled and reset in 4 hours, is it still the Saint Cyril's debate?" I would imagine it is as Anna is still announcing all the changes. How much did they pay the Public Schools for use of the gymnasium? I was/am in negotiation for using a school, and would love to know if the amount is what I was quoted?

As we are writing a pretty in-depth story about the SS Cyril debate as it was the first debate of the year, we find ourselves wondering more about the whole process than what any candidate has to say. The voters I have spoken with have become troubled with this process, and suspicious. We all know that a debate is NOT the best ways to get information into the hands of voters. It is the way to take cheap shots, search for sound bites, and turn a very, very serious project into theater.

That will be gone. Hopefully from this point forward Lakewood will lead the way in "hiring mayors" the same way you would hire corporate heads, managers, and even baby sitters. Gone forever will be the "Karl Roves" of Lakewood, and the light of truth, honesty, and fair play will shine down on Lakewood.

As Mayor Tom George has opened the doors in city hall, The Lakewood Observer, all of us, will together turn on the lights to the city, for a clean, intelligent look.

Thanks again, you have added much to this discussion.

.

[Dee Martinez]

Head spinning and one question:

Is there any debate currently scheduled that all 3 candidates have agreed to participate in?

All I need to know at the moment.

[Grace O'Malley]

Jim, you're exactly right about debates. They are opportunities for sound bites and nasty digs at an opponent, nothing more. Thats why some candidates are chomping at the bit to "debate."

It would actually be somewhat amusing to see two current council members attack the current mayor about the state of the city as if they had no responsibility for any of the claimed ills of the city.

It would be funny to see them claim credit and place blame at the same time!

[Gary Rice]

There's an old saying about Truth being the first casualty of war. I wonder whether that's the case with this election?

I too, would like to know more about these alleged and unproven behind-the-scenes machinations that seem to be causing so much turmoil on the 'Deck, and in our community.

Are there too-enthusiastic supporters who are creating grief, not only for the citizens, but perhaps even for their own candidates?

Are there, on the other hand, candidates out there with an end-justifies-the-means mentality?

At this point, even though I have a Political Science honors degree, I can make no sense whatsoever over the rotten-apple smell that seems to permeate this race. Even though I actually have no sense of smell, I can virtually taste it. Something just does not seem right to me.

This "back room" type of stuff, if indeed it exists, must cease.

I think that the three candidates need to come forth about the St. Cyril's issue and let the public know what really went on. If this is any indication of the future of Lakewood politics, we may not have much to look forward to.

[Bryan Schwegler]

There's an old saying about Truth being the first casualty of war. I wonder whether that's the case with this election?

I too, would like to know more about these alleged and unproven behind-the-scenes machinations that seem to be causing so much turmoil on the 'Deck, and in our community.

Are there too-enthusiastic supporters who are creating grief, not only for the citizens, but perhaps even for their own candidates?

Are there, on the other hand, candidates out there with an end-justifies-the-means mentality?

At this point, even though I have a Political Science honors degree, I can make no sense whatsoever over the rotten-apple smell that seems to permeate this race. Even though I actually have no sense of smell, I can virtually taste it. Something just does not seem right to me.

This "back room" type of stuff, if indeed it exists, must cease.

I think that the three candidates need to come forth about the St. Cyril's issue and let the public know what really went on. If this is any indication of the future of Lakewood politics, we may not have much to look forward to.

Outstanding post Gary and I wholeheartedly agree. Thank you for putting it so elloquently as always.

[Gary Rice]

Bryan! We both agree again, and we both supposedly support different candidates!

You are fantastic Bryan! At the end of this, we do want Lakewoodites to get back together again, and maybe even get back to "Kumbayah". This type of thing can hurt campaigns more than help. Let the three candidates agree on a debate time that they can all be part of. THEN, let us all know about it.

Or

I write for the paper. Why can't the three candidates also do that? Give 'em all a half page in the Observer, and let em' rock and roll.

Give us their vision, their hopes, dreams, plans. Don't let 'em do the fudgy generalities garbage, or snipping and snapping at each other's heels.

To all three of you candidates:

You want our votes? Earn them.

Don't assume people's minds can't change either.

You'd be surprised what candor can do.

[Bryan Schwegler]

Bryan! We both agree again, and we both supposedly support different candidates!

You are fantastic Bryan! At the end of this, we do want Lakewoodites to get back together again, and maybe even get back to "Kumbayah".

Absolutely. As passionately as all of us may disagree with each other at times here on the Deck, it just goes to show the deep love of this city we all have. We each want the best for Lakewood, we just may disagree at times how to get there .

It's this cadre of empassioned people that is what makes Lakewood unique. And no matter how divisive a topic is in the end, we always mend the fences.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

in the end, we all want what we think is BEST for this city.

[Jeff Endress]

And so, while it might be interesting to deal in the political spin zone, in a Stuart Woods kind of way, what do we gain of substance? I mean I'm sure that Stone Barrington would be all over the conspiracy theories......but, of course, those are just entertaining "who done its". Here in the real world, all the brouhaha about who did (or didn't) do what with regards to scheduling (or not) a debate at which all/some/none of the candidates had input (or not) and will be present (or not) because they did/did not have adequate notice and are/are not already booked and have agreed/not agreed to participate in a debate with a known/unknown format before a recognized/anonymous moderator, sponsored by a Church/non-resident/concerned group, doesn't really get us to the main event of actually finding out the vision for Lakewood of each candidate. It's really a shame that the whole debate over a debate and the questions of who is willing or unwilling has upstaged the real issues. It's sort of like going to a three ring circus to watch the high wire act and getting marooned on the midway discussing whether the bearded lady's hair is real...

Jeff

[Kenneth Warren]

At squareOne explorations, Stephen Calhoun looks at LO Deck’s thread on “The First Mayoral Debate.â€Â￾

“….The debate about the prospective mayoral debates in Lakewood provides a fascinating view of citizens discussing meta-structural and structural aspects of the format. Check it out……

Dr. Puck, the Observer of the LO Observer, has more nice things to say about the LO Project in the post.

Source:
http://squareone-learning.com/blog/

Kenneth Warren

[Jim O'Bryan]

Now there are three.

We have jusat recieved confirmation that all three candidates for mayor will take part in the Lakewood Observer Virtual Debate.

I would like to thank all three candidates for trusting this new process.


.

[Donald Farris]

Hi,
So, sorry to ask again, is the real debate, with real candidates uncaged and sans handlers for Mayor meeting in front of real people debating what direction is best for Lakewood still being held on the 5th of September? Or are we just stuck with the Disney version?

After all the job of Mayor is a real time position.

[Jeff Endress]

Don

I don't know the answer to your question about the "real debate". But frankly, I take a good deal of umbrage at your implications that somehow the virtual debate is disneyesque.

If your desire is to obtain information about the candidates and their positions, not only will the virtual debate satisfy that requirement, it will do so with a permanent record of that information and positions. Is it possible that ANY candidates' handlers will help? I suppose that they may, in the same way that those same handlers rehearse and rehash their candidate to perfect sound-bites for a "live" debate. But at the end of the day, every candidate will be held to whatever is posted under that candidates' name.

While we will miss the clever one-liners, the repartee and the anticipation of an embarrassing moment as the proverbial knock-out punch is delivered and the scripted sound bites, none of these are crucial to an informed decision on what is the best direction for Lakewood. A reviewable exchange of information is. The virtual debate has the promise of delivering that, in a way that it has never been delivered before. Beyond that, because of the nature of the forum, there is the distinct probability that many more on line Observers (who are, by the way real identifiable people, with real names) beyond the handful that would be able to attend a "live" debate, will be able to participate, both by reviewing the information presented, but also by discussing it.

You are, of course, entitled to your opinions as to the efficacy of this forum for such a debate. But, frankly, if this historical undertaking is disneyesque, the prospects of what useful information is actually disseminated in a live debate is reminiscent of Elmer Fudd and Daffy Duck.

Jeff