J.R. Manuel has contacted me about a mayoral debate he is hosting at
the new State Building (on Golden Gate Ave. across from the Federal
Building) on September 17. I helped J.R. on his campaign for mayor a
few years ago, and he later attended some of our meetings (may have
even become an LP member, I don't recall). He is currently the
Political Chair of the Tenants Association Coalition and Vice President
of the Alliance for a Better District 6.
He says eight of the nine candidates are confirmed, but frontrunner
Gavin Newsom is being "arrogant." So I presume the event is already on
Mike Denny's calendar.
What's even more exciting, J.R. says he wants to make sure the event
represents a broad cross section, and is having representatives from
different parties help ask questions of the candidates. He has invited
me to represent the Libertarian Party in this capacity, and I said I'd
be happy to. He also wants to list the party as one of the
participating organizations (not an endorsement from us, just to list
the LP as participating).
But that's not all. J.R. says he has approached Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Gray Davis about appearing, and that the reaction from Arnold's
campaign was very positive. He is less sure about Davis, but said if
Davis won't come, he'll invite Bustamante. Probably anticipating my
next question, he said he couldn't see having 200 candidates up there
(actually there are only 135, but I didn't correct him). I asked, "What
about four candidates?" He said that would work. I said adding the
Green and Libertarian candidates would make sure the state's four
largest parties are represented. He agreed this sounded good, and asked
me if I could get in touch with the Green and LP candidates. I said I
would invite them.
I also mentioned to J.R. that I have been talking to a southern
California Libertarian (B.J. Wagener) about organizing a series of
gubernatorial debates (possibly co-hosted with the Greens and to be
called the Real Democracy Debates, sponsored by We the California
People). My idea was to invite all the candidates, have them each speak
for a minute or two, and then conduct an IRV poll of the audience. The
top (6? 8? 10?) vote-getters would then participate in a debate.
J.R. liked the voting idea, and said he is thinking of having some kind
of audience poll. I told him this would increase attendance, as it
gives the candidates an incentive to get their supporters to turn out.
All in all, this sounds like it will be a pretty great chance for LP
exposure, especially if we can get Roscoe or Hickey up there on stage
with Schwarzenegger, Camejo or Huffington, and a high-profile Democrat,
bypassing the other establishment party contenders who would normally
get in at our expense.
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>
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