Open Debates Await

Let the George W. Bush and John Kerry campaigns know that the American people want real, democratic and engaging presidential debates hosted by the Citizens' Debate Commission, with all the candidates.

Both Kerry and Bush are campaigning to be your public servants, and you should not hesitate to remind them of your wishes, this week.

Kerry campaign: 202-712-3000

Bush campaign: 703-647-2700

The major party campaigns have assembled their high-profile debate negotiating teams, and they will soon begin debate negotiations.

Letters to the editor seeking open debates have been published in dozens of newspapers: Buffalo News, Baltimore Sun, Deseret Morning News, Tulsa World, Bellingham Herald, etc.

The Open Debates' Executive Director, George Farah, appears on ABC World News Now tonight (sometime between 1am and 3am EST, for those of you still awake), and on ABC News Now Thursday morning at 6am EST.

In Pittsburgh, we will have a voter education event on October 21, 2004. Save the date. Details to follow. All candidates on the ballot are being invited and strongly encouraged to attend or to send a spokesperson.

Holding Press Meetings

It's been a month now since John Kerry last talked to the news media. At that time he took eight questions. A week earlier, on Aug. 2, he held a news conference at which he took two questions. None of the ten questions had anything to do with his service in Vietnam.

Do not look for Kerry to hold a press conference any time soon.

Kerry's reluctance, though understandable, is beginning to draw complains from members -- at least conservative members -- of the news media, which is also understandable.

Chuck Muth, campaigndoctor.com, wrote and explained, (perhaps the only time he'll be on Kerry's side):

The purpose of a political campaign is to win an election; it is not to kowtow to the wishes of the press. That being the case there is only one reason for a candidate to hold a press conference, that being to help him win the election. If a press conference doesn't meet that criterion don't hold it.

Clearly then, as far as Kerry is concerned, holding a press conference today is not in his best interests. There are reporters, usually liberals, who will demand them, whining about their right to know. There is, however, no such right. You won't find it anywhere in the constitution.

Reporters, of course, have a right to ask questions. They have no right to an answer. The right of free speech also includes the right to be silent.

The fact that Kerry is not holding press conferences in itself speaks volumes. It tells reporters and, through them, the people, that there are questions he does not want to answer or for which he has no answers.

There probably are three lines of possible questioning which are making him nervous. One, the charges concerning the validity of his combat medals; two, the validity of his post-service testimony before a senate committee, and three, his penchant for taking stands on both sides of issues.

Until he can devise satisfactory answers to questions in these areas it is not likely he will be holding full-fledged press conferences.

Tom Murphy does NOT hold many press events. He dodges issues all too frequently as well. We need the press to act as "watchdogs." We need open, direct and honest leadership. I crave both in our community landscapes.

Pitt's International Week, Sept. 18-24, 2004

Requested to lead badminton activities on Sept. 20 from noon to 2 pm for International Week were nixed today. Permission wasn't secured as there is some eight week lead time to get a "permit" to use the lawn at Pitt's Cathedral or Student Union. My, they are worried about protests. Plus, a 'student group' was also needed as a co-sponsor. Pitt web site with more insights on International Week.

They're hosting a Soccer Tournament too, on the Cathedral lawn. Nice use of space.

Pitt's glossy magazine is expected to do a story on our trip to China. We're providing some photos and Catherine gave an interview.

Perhaps we'll get to do it next year, as the coordinator of the event was very excited. But, red tape prevails.

Yard Sign with recycled electrons

Rich Lord's new book

Rich Lord's book, American Nightmare
Predatory Lending and the Foreclosure of the American Dream

Wyoming

Elevation 8262.

Save our * (city, summer, steps, schools, stadium, ...)

The Pittsblog asks about the Iron City message, "Save Our City." I wrote, with typos over there and reposted:

On one level, I smile at the "Save Our City" campaign. At its most basic sense it is a call to "care." The Iron City Corporation trumpets a tune that gives a wake up to action in a civic sense. The message is less, "buy our beer" and more "we live here too." I think of the saving as a lifeguard who shows up at the swim pool guard chair and cares to insure that everyone is safe, alive, and healthy at the end of the day.

Too many corporations are worried too much about its own next customer, marketing its specific product. Meanwhile the marketplace is in a serious decline. The city is half of what it was. Those that are NOT here would have made for a larger, core customer base -- drinking a lot of beer.

Q: save if from what? My A: "rust, decline and apathy."

Tip: better to leave a message over on the Pittsblog and not here. And, Iron folks, it's better to bring a beer truck and not a case a beer to our family reunion next month -- along with a case of t-shirts.

Schools + County + City = hope = Formation of a new Pittsburgh Park District

The new plan that hit tonights TV news calls for our County Executive to form a charity to help to develop the parks. That approach isn't a ticket to success. Parks and kids shouldn't be with non-profit oversight.

Meet Up, 7 pm third Wednesdays - Beehive

Come to the Beehive on the South Side, now with a no-smoking room, breathing deeply, at 7 pm on Wed. Sept. 15. Ken is the new leader of the Pittsburgh's Weblogger group. Let's make some waves!

Community Technology Center Site Coordinator

Wireless Job for Peabody: JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Title: Community Technology Center Site Coordinator
Salary Range: $28,000-$32,000 plus benefits package
Position Start Date: Fall 2004

Looking to trade links

Other networks and pointers are welcomed, as I'd love to get links for my blog elsewhere. You can link to your blogs, as well as other pages at my link center. Leads, please email me.

Homespun Bloggers Best Of Submission Tips

mudphud11-at-yahoo-dot-com

Remove the "X" parts and put in the correct HTML code, either quotes or the close the /A.

Join us on a hill walk on October 17, 2004

The South Side Slopes is full of interesting steps that snake through the urban neighborhoods. This non-competitive hike inclues a bit of history, entertainment and down-home-up-the-hill friends of all shapes and sizes. A two-for-$15 special goes to October 4.

Outreach

The time to network and extend in various fronts with others so as to build better solutions is here. Within the comments is a slice of some of these efforts.

Resignation chatter

PG coverage of resignation chatter

It is not worth the effort to offend Mr. Roddey, nor is it my duty to defend him either. Nonetheless, it would be great to see City Councilman, Jim Motznik, write a letter to Gov. Ed Rendell asking for help in getting the resignation of Tom Murphy.

To Jim's credit, he spoke of the resignation of Mayor Murphy, on the record, some weeks ago. His quote was something like .... "After we (City Council) passes this Act 47 plan (oversight), then we should ask for the resignation of Tom Murphy."

Like Luke's mention of resignation weeks before, the statement was stronger than double-speek, but not direct enough. Try this for blunt talk: Mayor Murphy should resign. The resignation would come for the good of the city. His time is finished as he can't get his agenda off the ground.

Yard Sign built with recycled electrons

Debate coverage and C-SPAN shows

C-SPAN's coverage of the first presidential debate is at 1pm ET Monday, September 6, 2004. The only two to show were Green Party Presidential Nominee David Cobb and Libertarian Party Presidential Nominee Michael Badnarik. It was held in New York City during the Republican National Convention.

Sunday, September 5, at 7:45 AM EST The program Washington Journal hosts Janet Brown, Executive Director, Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), for live call-in. Ms. Brown will talk by video link from Boston about the status and history of presidential debates. She will respond to telephone calls, faxes, and electronic mail from viewers.

The telephone numbers to call to find out why all the candidates are not being allowed in the debates are:

Washington Journal: Democrats (202) 585-3881

Washington Journal: Republicans (202) 585-3880

Washington Journal: Others (202) 585-3882

According to a recent Rasmussen poll, 68% of Americans want Michael in the debates - including 67% of Republicans and 64% of Democrats. Sadly, Ms. Brown, the CPD, George Bush, or John Kerry are in the minority and don't want democarcy for America.

People who don't care about open debates are careless people with democracy and don't care about the American people.

The Badnarik campaign footed the lion's share of the bill for the debate in NYC, as the Cobb campaign simply did not have enough financial resources to cover the expenses. To be clear, the Badnarik campaign was more than willing to help out our third-party brothers. Several Green Party members were more than generous to help defray the cost.

No Yard Signs

Another great reason to avoid YARD SIGNS comes to from Florida. Election day in Florida was Tuesday. Days later, Frances, a hurricane, arrived. The political signs stuck all around the state are sure to be fast-moving in-flight objects making life more dangerous, ripping down electrical, phone, cable lines and causing nasty property damage as they scrape and puncture.

I hate yard signs. I doubt I'll ever spend a nickle on yard signs in any campaign.

Pitt football

Ohio University visits Pitt for a football game on Sept. 11. See the comments for invite to the OU tailgate on the Gateway Clipper.

Pitt's first game of the season, slated for South Florida has been wash out due to Frances. The teams are slated to meet either Friday, December 3, or Saturday, December 4. Good decision.

Music is important -- but out of bounds

Music has a great place and role in all cultures, and one day I'll put more muscle into the S6 efforts. But is Slam Bush.net out of bounds?

Personally, I don't think it is wise to be so "negative" and "slam Bush." -- But I am all in favor of dissent and am also all in favor of good humor. We need to all 'lighten up.' So, in some ways, this is good. See the comment section for the details of an event in Pittsburgh with Sala Udin and Bill Peduto.

Linux in Government: Will Schwarzenegger Terminate Windows?

Linux in Government: Will Schwarzenegger Terminate Windows?: "Linux in Government: Will Schwarzenegger Terminate Windows?"

Four years ago, in my platform for Mayor, I pledged to make Pittsburgh an open-source leader. This plank is sure to surface in future campaigs as well. But now, the rest of the world has passed our ability to blaze new trails in these elements of technology. We can still lead, but perhaps not be the first. In 2000 and 2001 -- the concepts of open-source were original stump issues. In 2004 and 2005, others have worked on the issues and those efforts are sure to lend credit to the challenges at hand.

When we go to open source, we'll have better tools and save money. It isn't always as simple as the A-B-Cs. But, technology is something that can bring serious advantages to Pittsburgh's public landscape, if we have the leadership that gets it.

Not many political contributions are available from the poor children.. , but then one always has Microsoft.