[Sosfbay-discuss] Fwd: [usgp-media] Re: SF Chronicle editors explain why they bar Greens from debates (fwd)

Thu Oct 19 01:07:45 PDT 2006

--- civillib at cwnet.com wrote:

> To: Scott McLarty <scottmclarty at yahoo.com>,usgp-media at gp-us.org,
>  natlcomaffairs at green.gpus.org
> From: civillib at cwnet.com
> CC: forrest_hill at comcast.net,forrest at voteforrest.org
> Subject: [usgp-media] Re: SF Chronicle editors explain why they bar
> Greens from
>  debates (fwd)
> Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:24:21 -0700
> 
> Thanks for this...I guess the Chronicle felt a little heat.
> 
> Just a side note, but I'm not sure who wrote - but it appears to be
> someone
> from the Chron and might explain how the know very little about
> Greens
> surprisingly - the message below that starts with ""Hello Larry..."
> but it
> is very much in error.
> 
> First, the email refers to a "Green (Matt) Gonzalez who "made the
> runoff."
> Played down just a bit. Matt entered the race very late, was outspent
> 10-1,
> the GOP and Dems sent big guns (from Clinton to Feinstein) in to back
> Newsom, and yet Newsom won by just a couple of percentage points. A
> little
> better than just making the runoff.
> 
> Second, it mentions the US Senate race, but says that "John"
> interviewed
> the Gree candidate "because she stood a a chance (mistake: it is a
> "he,"
> Todd Chretien)...And, third, "not of beating Pelosi" (mistake: the
> incumbent is Feinstein). 
> 
> Yikes, makes me wonder if the Chronicle has any idea of what's up. As
> a
> former mainstream reporter for big dailies, let me say there was a
> reason
> reporters tried to stay far away from editorial board types.
> 
> Cres 
> 
> 
> At 10:19 PM 10/18/2006 -0700, Scott McLarty wrote:
> >(Courtesy of Larry Gross; forwarded to me by
> >Scott Tucker.  Note that SF Chronicle editor John
> >Diaz, in providing these explanations, writes
> >"Feel free to forward to Larry or Bob or anyone
> >else who inquires." -- Scott)
> >
> >SF Chronicle and candidates:
> >
> >Hello Larry (and Bob),
> >
> >Here is the explanation from John Diaz, our
> >editorial page editor, who made the decision to
> >exclude all four third party candidates from the
> >debate, for the reasons expressed below. Let me
> >add that in local races, the editorial board
> >always includes Green candidates along with Dems
> >and Repubicans because in the Bay Area, they make
> >a strong showing and actually have a chance of
> >winning (witness the last mayor's race where a
> >Dem -- Newsom -- and a Green - Gonzalez, made the
> >runoff. In the race for US Senate, John
> >interviewed the Green candidate because she stood
> >a chance, not of beating Pelosi, but of getting
> >as many votes statewide as the Republican.
> 
> >Here are John's thoughts:
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Diaz, John
> >Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 11:20 AM
> >To: Zacchino, Narda
> >Subject: RE: What's the Chronicle up to?
> >
> >
> >Hello Narda: Here is my thinking. Feel free to
> >forward to Larry or Bob or anyone else who
> >inquires. It really is the perpetual question we
> >face in the media: Whether to provide "equal"
> >coverage to minor party candidates and thus
> >dilute the resources & attention we apply to the
> >major party candidates. Neither Forrest Hill nor
> >any of the minor-party candidates for secretary
> >of state has shown any sign of becoming a factor
> >in the race. I have been meeting, and will
> >continue to meet, with Green Party candidates for
> >various offices, but on a live Webcast, our time
> >is inherently limited.
> >
> >FYI, here's the statement I'm putting out for any
> >media inquiries ...
> >
> >There are six certified candidates for secretary
> >of state. Two of them - Republican incumbent
> >Bruce McPherson and Democrat Debra Bowen - have a
> >plausible chance of winning. All indications are
> >that this is an extremely close race and the two
> >major-party candidates have two distinctly
> >different visions about the role of secretary of
> >state. This is their first - and only scheduled -
> >debate of the campaign. So the question comes
> >down to whether Californians would be better
> >served by a more focused and extensive comparison
> >of the two major-party candidates - one of whom
> >will be secretary of state for the next four
> >years - or a forum that also included the Green,
> >Libertarian, American Independent and Peace and
> >Freedom party candidates. Our judgment is that
> >Californians need this chance to directly compare
> >Bowen and McPherson.
> >
> >-John
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Zacchino, Narda
> >Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 11:12 AM
> >To: Diaz, John
> >Subject: FW: What's the Chronicle up to?
> >
> >
> >This is the chair of the communications
> >department at usc
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Larry Gross [mailto:lpgross at usc.edu]
> >Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 9:00 AM
> >To: Robert Scheer
> >Subject: What's the Chronicle up to?
> >
> >
> >Bob,
> >what's this all about? What was Narda think about
> >this exclusionary, anti-democratic decision by
> >the Chronicle? Who decided to do this anyway, and
> >why? Larry
> >
> >
> >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> >Larry Gross
> >Professor and Director
> >School of Communication
> >Annenberg School
> >University of Southern California
> >Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281
> >[213] 740-3770
> >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> >
> >
> >> To: info at voteforrest.org
> >> Subject: Weds. 1 pm: Debate Protest
> >> Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 17:01:02 -0700
> >> From: Forrest Hill for Secretary of State 
> ><info at voteforrest.org>
> >> Reply-to: Forrest Hill for Secretary of State 
> ><info at voteforrest.org>
> >>
> >>
> >> PLEASE FORWARD
> >>
> >> Protest Forrest's exclusion from SF Debates
> >>
> >>
> >> Forrest has called a press conference for
> >tomorrow 
> >(Weds.) at 1 pm to
> >> protect his exclusion from the San Francisco
> >Chronicle's 
> >debate.
> >>
> >> We need your support to let the media know that
> >it is no 
> >longer
> >> accepted to discriminate against third party
> >candidates.
> >>
> >> If you live in the Bay Area please come down to
> >KPIX-TV, 
> >855 Battery
> >> St. San Francisco, at 1 p.m. and help us make
> >some noise. 
> >We will have
> >
> >> signs, but feel free to bring your own.
> >>
> >> See press release below for details.
> >>
> >> URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
> >> Tuesday October 17, 2006
> >> Contact: Cres Vellucci, press secretary,
> >916.996-9170
> >> civillib at cwnet.com
> >>
> >> ATTN: Daybook/Assignment Desk
> >>
> >> Chronicle called undemocratic by candidate
> >> excluded from Secretary of State debate;
> >Pickets
> >> expected at campaign forum Wednesday
> >>
> >>
> >> SAN FRANCISCO - Green Party Secretary of State
> >candidate 
> >Dr. Forrest
> >> Hill charged today that the San Francisco
> >Chronicle may 
> >have excluded
> >> him from a televised debate on Wednesday either
> >because 
> >the paper
> >> "does not believe in democracy (or) because I
> >am the only 
> >openly gay
> >> candidate running for statewide office."
> >>
> >> Hill has called a news conference - and a
> >picket of the 
> >debate -
> >> WEDNESDAY,at KPIX-TV, 855 Battery St., at 1
> >p.m., shortly 
> >before the
> >> debate is due to begin.
> >>
> >> The debate will feature incumbent Republican
> >Bruce 
> >McPherson and
> >> Democrat Debra Bowen, but the Chronicle
> >excluded Hill, 
> >who has a
> >> doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of
> >Technology 
> >and is a
> >> former campaign advisor to Ralph Nader.
> >>
> >> In a letter to the Chronicle, Hill said he
> >found it 
> >"simply
> >> irresponsible for a powerful news outlet like
> >the 
> >Chronicle to limit
> >> voter choices by promoting only two points of
> >view...in a 
> >city where
> >> Greens often out poll Republicans.
> >>
> >> "The Chronicle has an opportunity to take the
> >high road 
> >by opening up
> >> the debate to candidates running outside the
> >two 
> >mainstream parties.
> >> (The Chronicle) can play an important role in
> >rebuilding 
> >confidence in
> >our Democratic system by allowing me to take part
> >in 
> >Wednesday's
> >Secretary of State debate," said Hill.
> >> -30-
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >__________________________________________________
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> >
> >
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> 

JamBoi
Jammy The Sacred Cow Slayer

"Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)
http://dailyJam.blogspot.com

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