As it turns out, Tuesday's mayoral debate organized by Robert Trotner was the only one which will occur this election cycle. Trotner's square off only attracted the two independent candidates, John Ingram and Solomon Tembo. The Morning Call reported that Tony Iannelli announced that the debate between Pawlowski and Hyman scheduled for Business Matters has been cancelled. Although, the article contains an old comment from this past summer by Hyman stating who he would agree to debate, he had no part in yesterday's cancellation.
Both Schlossberg and Schweyer have endorsed Ray O'Connell. While I understand their desire to disassociate with Pawlowski, for party politicians to endorse a write-in is unconventional. Is it that they think that O'Connell is such an opportunity for Allentown, or is it their partisanship? Perhaps sans the partisanship, they would have endorsed Hyman.
ADDENDUM: I have a hunch that Iannelli cancelled the debate because he couldn't justify wedging O'Connell onto the podium, and that The Morning Call didn't want the optic of only Pawlowski and Hyman without O'Connell. Anybody who doubts the channel between Iannelli and The Morning Call hasn't seen the full page ads of him praising the paper as his source for local news.
UPDATE; While Ray O'Connell's ad dominates the top lead space on the paper's website, not one more word has appeared either on The Morning Call or WFMZ about the cancelled debate. Only the local politicos ponder that here and on Facebook.
photo by Ed White
Do you know who was responsible for the debate cancellation? Was it Fed Ed?
ReplyDeleterobert@4:52, Hyman confirmed that it wasn't him, and that he was surprised by the cancellation. I did not reach out to Pawlowski for comment.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the two former rubber stamps Schlossberg and Schweyer are endorsing Ray proves the Democrats goal is to hang onto the politicly important office of Mayor of Allentown, even if that means subjecting the city to another Pawlowski victory. Talk about cynical.
ReplyDeleteBoth Schlossberg and Schwerer proved they could follow orders while on council, now they are following orders in and from Harrisburg.
Schlossberg and Schweyer were part of the Pawlowski PAC that which supported and promoted alleged exemplified quality candidates for Allentown City government, school district and at least to some extent, Lehigh County. They constantly transferred money between their individual PACs and they promoted Pawlwoski hand picked candidates. Only after the FBI interdiction at city hall, they separated themselves from the rotund one and became distant to their united cause. These guys are ruthless followers, who are relatively spineless, and will stand true to their partisan base, as long as it benefits them! Therefore, if O'Connell loses, and Pawlwoski wins, it is a win/win situation for them!
ReplyDeleteyou mean when Ray loses.
ReplyDeleteDeeply disappointing. The voters deserve at least one debate with Pawlowski, Hyman, and O'Connell.
ReplyDeleteOne may be deeply disappointed that there will be no three way debate but by withdrawing from the Tuesday debate Ray demonstrated the same self interest as the two leading candidates who did not want to give credibility to the lesser candidates by sharing a platform/stage with them.
ReplyDeleteRay was acting in his own best interests, no one should be surprised, and no one should be surprised the two leading candidates, who will gain by far the lions share of the vote acted as they did.
Think about it: Nobody reads the Morning Call any longer; there is a virtual blackout of local political news on radio; no real political tussle news on Ch 69. So who expects a flood of people to the polls? Only those who will be rounded up in the 'downtown' and dragged there by bus if necessary. Look for a Fed Ed win, unless there is such disinterest in his base that even they can't be dragged off the stoops.
ReplyDeleteFor a forty and a crack rock many of his band will be beating drums to tune palumpa¿
ReplyDeleteScott:
ReplyDeleteYes each campaign will act in their self interest while blaming the lack of debates on anything but. Leadership here would entail making a debate a priority and finding a way to make it happen sometime during the next 10 days.