The Winners Will Be Thrilled. The Losers Have Little Concern for the Public's Need to Know!
NEPA Candidate's Choice Media Endorsements for Quality Political Coverage announced to the Press
Just like you, my wife hates that picture. She says it does me no justice. So, I removed it. It is gone!
Of all the media outlets that I have worked with to get my message out during this campaign, I would like to thank the Times Leader for being the most "for the public" traditional media outlet and overall, the best newspaper in all of Northeastern PA. Other than the picture which my wife said was so bad, I removed it, TL has my endorsement. Though they chose to endorse my opponent Corey O'Brien as their chosen candidate for the PA District 11 Congressional Seat, I am sure they believe they had substantial reasons for doing so, and I forgive them.
[If you did not read the press release for the awards, take this link]
I would have liked to have received the TL endorsement as it would have brought more recognition to my campaign. However, as I look back, from day one of the campaign, when the TL personnel said they were going to do something, they did it and they did it well. The Times Leader represents the "We the People" the best and they presented the most fair picture of all the candidates to help the public get the right information for such an important decision.
Of course I would have loved the endorsement as I have mentioned but it was not something that the TL did to me or did for my opponent. it was their best opinion. I am conviced of that. From my vantage point, it is the one thing they got wrong, but I like them anyway. I would hope that you choose for yourself. You might want to go through my videos first. If you think the TL got it wrong, then skip O'Brien's and Kanjorski's videos, and vote the # 1 position on the ballot. If you must see the other videos, I would suspect the challengers to my candidacy have them on their respective Web sites. When you check them out, if you somehow like either of these, then I would ask you for a favor. Look at mine again, but have a Stegmaier in your hand. When you finish Video # 1 and the Stegmaier, feel free to go on to the next bottle video.
When you have finished the case, all the videos, place the thought, "# 1 on the ballot" in your mind, and you have completed your civic duty. Which candidate to choose is the people's decision. As good as the TL staff may be, the people must make their own decision.
[TL took and broadcasted videos of the interviews with all the candidates in 2010]
You can check out Mr. Barletta's videos on his site after the Primary as he is running unopposed in the R primary..
As more than aside, Bill O'Boyle was my first contact at the TL, and he was charged with interviewing me. This gentleman is first class. If I were giving individual awards, Mr. O'Boyle would gain the top award. If Bill O'Boyle calls and he wants to take you for an interview, it will be a pleasant, worthwhile experience. From Mr. O'Boyle's work, Dan Flood was able to reappear in the press as my first endorsement. Maybe when the TL recognizes the magnitude of this endorsement, they will open up the article so you don't have to pay to read it.
Besides the Times Leader, a great source for the people on all things political is Steve Urbanski's Examiner column. Steve is a great reporter and his column was more than fair to me in its coverage.
I was also on the Radio several times throughout the campaign and WILK was most helpful in this regard, especially Sue Henry, who is a wonderful person, very good on the air, and as sharp as a tack. Steve Corbett offered me air-time but once he learned I was a sexagenarian, his mind seemed to drift.
The Citizen's Voice / Times Tribune started off slow and then slowed down. Their group at the Editorial Board were very good people. They asked tough questions and they demonstrated a sincere interest in the interests of "We the People." Though they did not follow that up with much print coverage, they did permit the reporter at the board meeting, Michael Sisak, a very talented reporter to write a very nice piece about what he picked up at the meeting.
By the way, coming down Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre when Coughlin [was] in session does not make it easy for anybody to get a parking spot at the Citizens' Voice. As I was checking things out, a fine person who I will never meet, pulled out of THE spot right in front of the Citizens' Voice.
Though I had only a quarter in change, luck again was on my side on the departure as there was no ticket on the vehicle. Sorry Mayor Leighton, you missed out on some revenue there.
Big time jeers go out to WNEP and WBRE. They could not find one minute to help the people of NEPA learn about candidates unless the candidates paid the advertising toll. They asked me where I was going to be on election night and I told them both that win or lose, "you are not invited."
The biggest disappointment of them all was WVIA TV. That is channel 44, Public TV. It is Taxpayer funded but my experience is their allegiance is not to the public. I have no idea if the purveyors of the Public TV grants may be politicians who have a dog in the 11th District Race. Public TV was MIA in helping the public learn about the candidates for Congress in District 11. I had agreed to debate but apparently the incumbent had not agreed and therefore, neither of the challengers got to even give a speech or be inerviewed or debate without the incumbent.
Incumbency sure has its perks, and perhaps not giving the public the information to de-select the incumbent is among the perks. Regardless of the reason, WVIA should be ashamed of itself. If your nickels go to support that station, ask yourself why they would deprive the public of good information on all candidates.
The Times Leader did everybody a favor in NEPA by recording their interviews. So, in the absence of WVIA doing what it should have done, as they are charged by their very mission, the Times Leader did this as a public service. Please take this link to get you to the first of six You Tube Videos which comprise the interview that I had with their Editorial / Endorsement board. The interviewers were tough, but pleasant. As I look at myself in those interviews, if you don't have sound, I may look miserable to you. I promise to work on that but, with WNEP and WBRE MIA on the public, and WVIA choosing to not give us a public option, it doesn't look like I will be video taped again til the general election. I will work on getting that face looking more pleasant. The Times Leader did such a good job on the videos for all candidates that perhaps at election time, they should take over Public Television in NEPA.
