City College taping / TNDC matter

Activists List
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I had some good conversation with the Channel 7 (KGO) reporter (Jonathan Bloom) riding over to City College and back, and he seemed sympathetic to the skeptical position on Prop. A, so I'm optimistic he'll give us a fair shake in producing the segment. Marcy showed up at the event too, but decided she didn't want to be on TV, and I unfortunately forgot to give her some of the Gary Johnson postcards I brought along before she took off. The Prop. A supporters had a big crowd out there -- I wondered aloud to Jonathan how many of them were CCSF employees taking time away from their taxpayer-paid jobs in order to lobby for more money for themselves, and how many were students out there at the behest of their instructors. I talked to a couple students who specifically said their teacher and class was there. I think it was a rhetoric class, or something like that. I told them I was opposed to Prop. A, and gave them some info, and they seemed quite interested.

  The event really wasn't a press conference so much as orchestrated theater, so we didn't get a chance to weigh in on that -- the leaders would read "quiz" questions about CCSF, and ask if they were true or false, and individuals in the crowd would respond with the pre-scripted answers, with everyone repeating everything that was said, "people's mic" Occupy style. Besides the guy from KGO that I came with however, I'm not positive there were any other media folks there. Some people were taking notes, but I didn't find out who they were with, and they may well have been students. Certainly no other video cameras. Anyway, we did the interview afterward, and I think it went okay. I believe he said the bit is supposed to air at 6:00 pm.

  I also hinted to Jonathan that I might have some information later to give him about an election-related scandal (the TNDC matter brought to our attention), and would let him know. I didn't give any details, but he was definitely interested in getting a heads-up on it. We should decide ASAP how we want to handle that whole issue.

Love & Liberty,
                                ((( starchild )))

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Hi Starchild,

You are the best! You jumped into action talking to folks the minute you arrived. After I left (not because I had any problem with being on TV, but because KGO invited you, not me for the interview; so I did not want to bud in) I did not know if I had done the right thing leaving you by yourself in a sea of Pro Prop A people, after I went all the way out there to give you and our cause support.

To make up for my lack of moral fortitude, I fired off a letter to the editor at the Examiner regarding the rally. Hopefully, it will get published.

Marcy

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Marcy and Francoise,

  Thanks for your kind words. I do think the sound bites of mine they used were effective, although of course I wish they'd used more and mentioned some of the more substantive criticisms of CCSF. Marcy I hope your letter gets published. The guy from KGO was nice and probably would have been happy to interview you as well, but with the extremely brief amount of time they had me on the air, they might or might not have used the footage. But I appreciate you coming out in any case, just sorry I didn't remember to give you some postcards. Again I've got nearly 1500 of them here which need to get distributed between now and Tuesday, so whoever's willing to help please get in touch.

Love & Liberty,
                                ((( starchild )))