A note on the "debate"

By Robert Rogers on October 10, 2007 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (4922) |

Of note, when you are watching any of the number of television rebroadcasts of Tuesday night's candidate forums, is that you are watching something less than a candid airing of ideas.

The Chamber of Commerce gives all candidates the questions well in advance, and most candidates took the opportunity to script their entire body of remarks.

6th Ward Candidate Stewart Cumming read virtually everything he said. So did incumbent Rikke Van Johnson. Betty Dean Anderson seemed to speak mostly off-the-cuff.

In the 7th Ward race, Wendy McCammack and Jim Mulvihill relied heavily on prepared notes in answering the questions. Challenger Paul Sanborn appeared to answer his questions unscripted.

Why is this important? Well, any "debate" or "forum" in which questions were telegraphed to candidates days in advance at say, the presidential level, would be considered a sham. That's exactly what we had here. Very little candor, a whole lot of fluff.

It should be noted that for the 20 minute podcasts available at our election web site, many of these same candidates asked this reporter for his questions in advance for review and preparation. The answer they got: No way, we want honesty, not script.

4922 Comments

SB watcher said:

No surprise that Rikke Van Johnson read his responses. He reads from his laptop at city council meetings. He is probably the worst councilmember we've had in years. It makes you wonder who's writing what he's reading. Let's play a trick next council meeting and take away his laptop.

October 10, 2007 5:38 PM

Susana Atanasova said:

Yeah, just what San Bernardino needs: People making suggestions City Hall LOSE the tools at their disposal.
The use of the enticement, "Let's play a trick next council meeting..." reveals just how sophomoric - and moronic - SB watcher is.
Those who know the SB watcher & Mrs. ebirdie dastardly duo didn't need to read their "anonymous" postings here to know that.
Crawl back into your cave... you have yet to develop the character to lead effectively - or the moral code to be entrusted with anything of importance.

October 10, 2007 8:12 PM

PROUD WIFE AND MOTHER said:

IT WOULD BE ENLIGHTENING TO KNOW WHO WANTED THE QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE. RIKKE SHOULD KNOW THAT MOST IN CITY HALL KNOW WHAT YOU DO ON CITY OWNED EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING VOTING THE WAY YOUR TEXT MESSAGE READS. DON'T YOU HAVE A BRAIN IN YOUR HEAD? MAYBE IF YOU SAT NEXT TO THE MAYOR, YOU WOULDN'T NEED YOUR BLACKBERRY.

October 10, 2007 11:32 PM

Susana Atanasova said:

I, for one, am thankful our elected officials are utilizing modern technology and all tools at their disposal to serve as best they are able.
I'll not be among those making fun of a person bettering abilities and keeping pace with technological advances to be on the cutting edge of communications.
Rikke Van Johnson is serving well by staying abreast of current events, constituency concerns, timely issues and more through the use of the most modern means available.
Do you prefer the paper notes, such as those the Penman-McCammack team used to direct Sanborn to look into the camera while speaking at the forum? Quite peculiar that: Judi Penman racing down the aisle at City Hall Chambers, arms flailing in the air, gesticulating dramatically ~ trying anything to get Sanborn's attention, but eventually catching Wendy's. Wendy immediately proceeded to write a sign for Sanborn, not that it did much good.
Watch the reruns! You can see Wendy passing the sign to her quasi-opponent, Sanborn, only running to split the vote against Jim Mulvihill. It's the same strategy the Penman-McCammack team is using to try and split the vote against Rikke Van Johnson, so their "puppet", to use your terminology, BAD BDA can become theirs.
I'm glad I attended the forum, so I had the opportunity to see first-hand the shenanigans taking place behind the camera, but in plain sight of all present.
Watch the reruns. She how some pander to the camera? They are looking 15 feet up in the air, at a camera installed there, not into the eyes of anyone present. They "appear" to be looking YOU, the television viewer, in the eye, but please, don't be fooled. These are the techniques used by high-priced marketing firms to sway a person subtly and subconsciously. They are attempting to manipulate you. Please, do not let them succeed.

Your Friend & Neighbor,
Susana Atanasova

October 12, 2007 4:06 AM

5150, does that ring a bell? said:

Susana,

For someone 47 years old who doesn't work because of medical problems, you sure seem capable of doing many jobs. Tree Planter. Professional Blogger. Pot Stirer. Master Gardner. Community Activist. Home School Teacher. Meeting Attender. Water Girl. Senate Comm. Speaker. With all of these dubious qualifications, a person questions why you don't have a paid position? Ya know a job. Are you sure your SSI claim was for medical limitations and not cognitive issues? A legitimate interogatory.

October 12, 2007 12:11 PM

proud wife and mother said:

Susana, I was at that debate and obviously you were too high to realize that it was Sanborn's wife who was trying to get her husband to smile and look into the camera. Judi and Wendy were trying to do him a favor, as they like him, and fill him in on the nuances he with which he was not familiar. And, you may want to know, there is NO sound reason any incumbent would want any vote split. You must quit smoking whatever it is you are smoking. And who the heck should the candidates be speaking to if it is on TV? Would you want a reporter speaking to the person next to them instead of you? What planet did you fall from?

October 12, 2007 5:34 PM

Susana Atanasova said:

In other areas of SBNow Blog you have similarly interrupted the flow of discourse to relieve yourself of your compulsion's apparently intolerable burden. I have answered these questions and much more for you; I have offered to meet with you via Robert Rogers; and, I have invited you to pick up the phone and talk out your problems with me. If you are too ashamed of yourself to have Robert Rogers witness you speaking as you anonymously write behind the purloined aliases of those we know in common, you may call me and talk it out.
Again, I extend the opportunity for us to sit face-to-face with a neutral party (Robert Rogers) and resolve your issues amicably.
The truth will set you free!
Minimally, please, proclaim the following obvious truth with a heartfelt sincerity. There IS hope for you yet.

“Hello, I am ____. Susana obsesses me. This obsession has long consumed my life, but today I take the first step toward reclaiming and reunifying any remainder of my life by admitting I have a problem”.

I Pray You Find Peace And Will Help You Any Way I Can,
Your Friend & Neighbor,
Susana Atanasova

October 13, 2007 12:13 AM

Susana Atanasova said:

OMG!
This is a different "story" and it takes the cake! You have now stooped to the level of flat outright lies! I am 100$ sure of it because Destiny sat me & mine in between the two rows with the gals mentioned here.
The irrefutable FACTS are that I and another very long-time local community betterment leader were seated in the row directly in FRONT of the Penmans and directly in BACK of Mrs. Sanborn during the entire forum.
Mrs. Sanborn and her companion were restrained and acted appropriately during the entire event. You may have seen us and others conversing, hugging and etcetera out front afterward.
There was no confusion as to the identity of the female who got up from the Penman's seating area behind our seating area and did _exactly_ what I outlined above.
Everyone knows it was Judi, just as everyone knows it was Wendy who got up, as I outlined earlier.
You must actually pull this off once in a while. Why else would you continue to do it?
Well, I call you out on it.
Judi let Mrs. Sanborn know she was headed to direct Mr. Sanborn by pausing to bend over and tell her so in tones I had no trouble hearing, even over the live forum taking place. Then, Judi proceeded to do exactly that.
Do people in your world actually back off when you get all out of shape in response to truths that are inconvenient for your goals?

Mother to Mother,
"If something is not attainable through proper means, that's our heavenly Father gently guiding us in a more favorable direction". I'm sure you've heard this and taught your children, too. Now, it's time to HEED it!
In this case, just in case it remains too close for you to see objectively, you ~ the one who mentions morality and the immorality of lies right here in SBNow Blog ~ are the person spouting what you know in your heart are lies.
When you feel compelled to stoop to such lowly and despicable acts as bold-faced lies to attempt to garner support for your client, it is time to ask Heavenly Father for guidance and reconsider.
Remember, we have Free Will, but He tries many means to get us on the right path. We're sometimes too obstinate to appreciate that reality.
By finding yourself caught in a bold-faced, flat-out, (Because it was Judi Penman, as indicated above), LIE, well, it's time to re-think things and listen to the voice with more authority than me, SBNow Blog, Penman or you: God is trying to get your attention BEFORE you do something He who loves you and wants only the best for you ~ who loves us all, and wants only the best for us all ~ is trying to get you to see:
Marianne Milligan is the right person for City Attorney

Pray over it.

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