Post by Libyan Sibyl on Oct 30, 2007 6:56:44 GMT -5
It's a sad state when it is said that the League of Women Voters is not a fair moderator for democrats. This idea of a debate has been around for a while. Kane's comments are the silly one. There does not even seem to be any counter to the offer to debate, just a flat out rejection. When I read this article, I felt sick. Kane and Sims have the upper hand as incumbents, and truth be told, how many people would be able to attend this debate? Not many.
Anyway, it's nice to hear that Kane finally has an opinion other than Ye Olde Freehold Day.
GOP challenger asks Dems to debate issues in Freehold
Incumbents don't take him up on offer
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/30/07
BY NICK PETRUNCIO
FREEHOLD BUREAU
FREEHOLD — Even in a small town like this, politics this time of year can heat up.
That is, as long as there's competition.
Ted Miller made the Borough Council race competitive when he threw his hat into the ring in late September as the Republican candidate challenging two Democratic incumbents for one of two open seats on the governing body.
Miller, a self-described underdog, has been waging an aggressive campaign and in the past several weeks has pushed to have a debate with his opponents, Council President Kevin Kane and Councilman Jaye Sims. They are running as a team with unopposed longtime Mayor Michael Wilson.
The Freehold school district was going to be a venue for the debate, with the three parent-teacher organizations sponsoring it, according to Park Avenue Elementary School PTO President Linda Lichardi.
"It was just something that we hadn't done before. The impetus was there was somebody new running for Borough Council," Lichardi said.
Asked whose idea it was for the debate, she said, "I guess it was Miller and the PTOs together," and added that Miller is a member of the Freehold Learning Center PTO.
Kane and Sims, according to Lichardi, did not respond to an invitation to debate.
"If it was a legitimate forum, we would have been glad to debate," Kane said.
Sims, the council liaison to the Board of Education, said of Lichardi: "Apparently she's publicly supporting our opponent. We've learned there's a sign supporting our opponent on her front lawn. The PTO and the school board have had a history of being nonpartisan in the borough municipal elections."
Lichardi could not be reached to respond.
Miller called his opponents' reaction "silly" and said the League of Women Voters was going to moderate the debate.
"How much more neutral can you get? The fact is they just don't want to debate," Miller said. "The only thing they want to debate with are lawn signs."
Kane said Miller is just trying to make him and Sims look bad.
"It's a last-minute political move," he said. "It's a last-ditch effort, saying we didn't want to debate when there's no truth to that. [then why not debate?] They're grasping at straws when there's no straws to be had."
Miller, who replaced Joe Ligouri on the ballot and also waged an unsuccessful write-in campaign for mayor in the primary this year, said he is running to challenge the status quo.
"I wish more people in the borough next November would decide that we don't want any more unchallenged races. We want to have more candidates on both sides. We need to stir up debate. We need to talk about issues," Miller said.
Nick Petruncio: (732) 308-7752 or npetruncio@app.com
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071030/POLITICS/710300380/1004/NEWS01
Anyway, it's nice to hear that Kane finally has an opinion other than Ye Olde Freehold Day.
GOP challenger asks Dems to debate issues in Freehold
Incumbents don't take him up on offer
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/30/07
BY NICK PETRUNCIO
FREEHOLD BUREAU
FREEHOLD — Even in a small town like this, politics this time of year can heat up.
That is, as long as there's competition.
Ted Miller made the Borough Council race competitive when he threw his hat into the ring in late September as the Republican candidate challenging two Democratic incumbents for one of two open seats on the governing body.
Miller, a self-described underdog, has been waging an aggressive campaign and in the past several weeks has pushed to have a debate with his opponents, Council President Kevin Kane and Councilman Jaye Sims. They are running as a team with unopposed longtime Mayor Michael Wilson.
The Freehold school district was going to be a venue for the debate, with the three parent-teacher organizations sponsoring it, according to Park Avenue Elementary School PTO President Linda Lichardi.
"It was just something that we hadn't done before. The impetus was there was somebody new running for Borough Council," Lichardi said.
Asked whose idea it was for the debate, she said, "I guess it was Miller and the PTOs together," and added that Miller is a member of the Freehold Learning Center PTO.
Kane and Sims, according to Lichardi, did not respond to an invitation to debate.
"If it was a legitimate forum, we would have been glad to debate," Kane said.
Sims, the council liaison to the Board of Education, said of Lichardi: "Apparently she's publicly supporting our opponent. We've learned there's a sign supporting our opponent on her front lawn. The PTO and the school board have had a history of being nonpartisan in the borough municipal elections."
Lichardi could not be reached to respond.
Miller called his opponents' reaction "silly" and said the League of Women Voters was going to moderate the debate.
"How much more neutral can you get? The fact is they just don't want to debate," Miller said. "The only thing they want to debate with are lawn signs."
Kane said Miller is just trying to make him and Sims look bad.
"It's a last-minute political move," he said. "It's a last-ditch effort, saying we didn't want to debate when there's no truth to that. [then why not debate?] They're grasping at straws when there's no straws to be had."
Miller, who replaced Joe Ligouri on the ballot and also waged an unsuccessful write-in campaign for mayor in the primary this year, said he is running to challenge the status quo.
"I wish more people in the borough next November would decide that we don't want any more unchallenged races. We want to have more candidates on both sides. We need to stir up debate. We need to talk about issues," Miller said.
Nick Petruncio: (732) 308-7752 or npetruncio@app.com
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071030/POLITICS/710300380/1004/NEWS01
