There actually was a guy in a chicken suit, inside the hotel just outside of the conference room wherein the debate took place.I talked to the "Chicken Guy" - he lurks here (naturally!) - and is a friend of ElkGroveDan - isn't EVERYONE? :o)RonDog was taking notes, so he'll be more able to give us the debate specifics...
HE made the AP wire!NEXT time we FReep smarter - INSIDE!
Side note: I actually talked to the AP reporter-ette (Erika) after the debate.THIS story, which I found on the Press-Enterprise website (goofy registration required to read it there) - will soon be EVERYWHERE - usually quoted verbatim - by lazy newspaper editors ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I saw her typing away MADLY at the back - into an obviously professional-strength laptop, so I asked her, "Are you part of the powerful media elite?"She told me that she was with the AP, and I gave her one of OUR press releases.
I told her that we had sent a copy to her bureau (I did, yesterday) - and that she had missed a great show outside: OURS!
And I told her that we were going to KEEP showing up any time we could find Simon or Davis in public, so that EVENTUALLY she would HAVE to write about us.And I got her name: Erika Werner - see below.It is VERY important that we establish a professional relationship with these wire service reporters, IMHO.
I told her that I had seen her stories, and that I was impressed.
We WILL get our future FReeps into these stories.
Simon debates Green Party candidate at minority forumBEVERLY HILLS
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Simon on Tuesday confronted the Green Party's Peter Camejo in the first general election debate involving a major party nominee. But both candidates reserved their strongest words for the man who wasn't there, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.
"I think Gov. Davis' refusal to come today is a disservice, it reflects a taking for granted of minorities," Camejo told the Beverly Hilton forum sponsored by the Greenlining Institute, a public policy instituted focused on low-income and minority communities, and New California Media, an ethnic news media association.
"Gray Davis ought to be here, but as Peter said he takes us for granted and he takes all of you for granted because he thinks all of you have no choice. But you do have a choice," Simon echoed a few moments later.
At a bill-signing ceremony in downtown Los Angeles Davis denied ducking the debate.
"I'm doing the job I was hired to do, working my way through 1,200 bills that must be acted upon two weeks from today," he said.
"When that's over, there will be time enough for debates."
Davis has agreed to one debate to be hosted by the Los Angeles Times on Oct. 7_ and is in negotiations for another.
With fewer than 50 days left before the election, Simon has been seeking to make an issue out of Davis' refusal to agree to more debates. His aides last week began e-mailing reporters daily reminders labeling Davis a "debate dodger" and his campaign sent someone dressed as a giant chicken to Tuesday's forum to make the same charge.
Simon is also trying to get Camejo included in his debates with Davis, who will not agree to that idea, contending in part that Simon just wants to promote Camejo in the hope he'd draw support from Davis.
On Tuesday, under questioning from a panel of journalists, Camejo staked out liberal positions he said demonstrate he's a true alternative to the major party candidates, while Simon responded more cautiously to questions on the death penalty, immigration and other issues.
Simon must win over independents and moderates to unseat Davis, and Tuesday's appearance was clearly designed to broaden his appeal. While stepping carefully around controversial issues, he emphasized his background in community service and said he supported opportunity for all and wanted to be a governor "for all Californians."
Camejo said he supported a death penalty moratorium, abortion rights and reparations to blacks for slavery, and he said he would sign bills currently pending before Davis that would give illegal immigrants drivers' licenses under some circumstances and let mediators intervene in disagreements between growers and farm workers.
Simon said he supports the death penalty and opposes reparations and abortion rights though he pledged to uphold the law. He said he would veto the drivers' license and farm workers' bills.
Davis has yet to make final decisions on the bills, which have strong backing in the Latino community.
The candidates were also asked their positions on the use of "secret evidence" by the government in prosecutions. Both said they opposed it. Asked whether they would lobby the federal government to prevent its use, Camejo said he would.
Simon, a former federal prosecutor, said he did not believe secret evidence was ever used in American courts but in fact in a recent high-profile case in Florida a Palestinian professor spent more than 3 1/2 years in jail on secret evidence that prosecutors said linked him to terrorists.
"Secret evidence flies in the face of principles our country was founded on," Simon said.
Camejo said he would work for immediate legalization for illegal immigrants working in the state. Simon said he supported comprehensive immigration reform including a guest worker program or "another form of regularization" and increased border control.
Both candidates said they opposed racial profiling. Asked their opinions on law enforcement agencies working hand-in-hand with immigration authorities a practice some immigrant-rights activists believe leads to abuses Camejo said he opposed it. Simon said local law enforcement should focus on fighting crime and that resources are too strained to devote to other issues.
In a poll released Aug. 29 by the independent Public Policy Institute of California, Camejo drew support from 4 percent of respondents, Simon had 30 percent and Davis had 41 percent.
Published: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 18:24 PDT