John Russell, Three Other Challengers Tell Tampa PBS Affiliate WEDU "Let Voters Decide!"

Let the voters decide... whether they want to listen to congressional candidates UNFILTERED... or listen to a bunch of establishment pundits give their opinion in an effort directed at manipulating the voters with their "opinions" of the candidates and races. www.johnrussellforcongress.com

Background...

John Russell in a Press Release dated 8 October 2008 together with four other congressional challengers in a bipartisan show of unity against the protectors of the STATUS QUO called a press conference for 2:30 pm to discuss the deplorable decision of WEDU management to PROTECT INCUMBENCY by refusing to air congressional challengers when incumbents choose to forfeit. :mad:

In the past, when incumbents choose to bail at WEDU and other venues the "show" goes on and the public gets to hear the challenger without any "spinning" from the media.

WEDU in this most important election of our lifetime in 2008 has chosen to (protect incumbency) by filtering with MAXIMUM "SPIN" TO POTENTIALLY "PROTECT" at least 3 congressional incumbents by preventing the public from seeing or hearing from the challengers to Bay Area Congressional INCUMBENTS in any meaningful way.

In a conversation with Mr. Jack Conley yesterday (Friday Oct. 10th), I learned from Congressional District 5 Democratic Nominee John Russell that the station was going to "stick" to the offer of allowing just two minutes per candidate to be followed by a discussion of the races by a group of academics and journalists.

So the public rather than seeing and listening to the challengers free of any filtering from the media will now hear from the pundits... "who the challengers are, how they don't have any money and the safest vote is to vote for the incumbents." :puke:

Interestingly, while neither Gus Bilirakis or Ginny Brown-Waite could make time in their schedule to drive down to a debate, they are now available to drive 45 minutes each way for a two minute statement!

The excuse provided by Mr Conely to Mr. Russell was that 30 minutes was alloted to a challenger in 2006 (if) the incumbent candidate confirmed and then did not show up for the taping.

According to Mr. Russell, he told me that Ginny Brown-Waite in 2006 NEVER agreed to ANY debate, yet John was allowed the full 30 minutes of Q&A with moderator and WEDU Board Member Rob Lorei.

So there are indeed some holes in Mr Conely's story...

Mr. Conely and the management of WEDU television, a PBS affiliate in Tampa, Florida are facilitating incumbency and enabling these congressional INCUMBENTS in their attempt to hide their opposition by hiding themselves (from the public at large) at a time when the public is hungry for information. :banghead:

The public should be more than concerned about this when WEDU comes to call again seeking support in their failure to stand up for the public's right to free and unfiltered content and information from a publicly funded television station.


These courageous candidates are being walked on by "The Establishment!"

Let's put WEDU and the "Establishment Insiders" on notice... FAX, Phone, and Email the management types below and ask them WHO is pulling the strings down at WEDU?

:think:The incumbents were offered 30 minutes to debate their opponents.

:think:The incumbents uniformly refused to debate.

:think: The challengers ALL accepted the offer to debate.

:think:The incumbents FORFEITED their opportunity by either coming up with a lame excuse or not responding period!

:think:Now those same incumbents that could NOT find room in their busy schedule for a 30 minute debate now somehow have been able to find the time to drive down to the station to tape a TWO minute statement. How funny is that? :rofl:

:think:anddd these klowns at WEDU let them get away with it. :wtf: :argh:

A little "public pressure" might just change management's noodly capitulation... So let's see what Democratic Underdoggers can do? :)

NOW WEDU a PBS affiliate NOT a commercial station should stand strong in the spirit of public television as the public expectations demand and allow the challengers their 30 minutes of question and answers UNFILTERED as OUR DEMOCRACY DEMANDS!

Phone in to these spineless individuals bowing to "The Establishment" voice whose interest is in MAINTAINING "The Status Quo!"

Contact info for WEDU is below. Other newspapers like the St. Petersburg Times as well as Hernando Today that were purportedly going to write a story about the issue of SPINELESS incumbents ducking debates and forums because they are in a VERY BAD position are being called off by the controlling interests behind the scenes as well.

THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED PUBLICLY!!!! That IS what DEMOCRACY ... IS... ALL ABOUT!



:spank: WEDU Fax 813-253-0826 Phone 800-354-9338 Jack Conely VP of Content jconely@wedu.org Richard Lobo President and CEO rlobo@wedu.org



John Russell for Congress Press Release 10/08/08


To WEDU: Let The Voters Decide



In response to local incumbent U.S. Representative's choice not to participate in taped debates with their challengers, local PBS affiliate WEDU has made the decision not to provide the public the opportunity to see and hear congressional challengers unfiltered in violation of past precedent.



In the 2006 general election, when incumbent congressional representatives for whatever reason either cancelled or failed to appear at WEDU, the challenger was offered the opportunity to participate in a thirty minute question and answer session.



In 2008 all candidates for U.S. Congress were offered a flexible schedule of varied days and times for taping these segments. At this time, all incumbent congressional representatives have opted out of this televised forum with the possible exception of representative Adam Putnam who still has yet to make a decision.



On Friday, October 2, my campaign was advised by WEDU producer, Valerie Wolff that the debates had been canceled due to the inability of virtually all incumbent representatives to fit taping of debates into their respective schedules later this month. Following several conversations with newspaper reporters I began contacting other challengers across the Tampa Bay area from both parties in order to develop a united voice to preserve the public's right to be informed.
- Hide quoted text -



In response to apparent media scrutiny, WEDU in an email sent to several challengers the evening of October 3, offered a two-minute taped statement from each candidate to be followed by a one-hour discussion of the various races by academics and journalists.



WEDU in response has taken the position that to adhere to the established precedent of 30 minute Q & A set by the PBS affiliate would not be "fair and balanced."



Initially upon questioning, WEDU management apparently in consultation with the board at WEDU decided to merely have a one hour panel round table discussion by a panel of academics and journalists who would provide their "opinion" on the candidates and races.



Challenger candidates as noted below are in agreement that this decision by WEDU is in violation of established precedent. WEDU in turn is denying access by the voting public to (unfiltered) information about the candidates. Challenger candidates should be allowed the allotted debate time no matter if the incumbents choose to attend or not.



The new policy of WEDU of enabling incumbency by denying challengers their right to appear in what is effectively "The Public Square" is patently unacceptable and is a blemish on the reputation and mission of WEDU, a PBS affiliate.



The deplorable practice by incumbent congressional representatives of "ducking" accountability to the voting public is tantamount to impeding democracy as a means of retaining their position through denial of information to their constituents. AS noted below, a telephone press conference with a bipartisan group of challengers is scheduled for later today.



John Russell



***MEDIA ADVISORY***





Bay Area Congressional Candidates Call for Public Debates



Today, October 8, 2008 at 2:30 p.m., four Tampa Bay area candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a telephone press conference calling for publicly televised debates.



On the heels of a decision by WEDU to cancel televised debates because the incumbent members of Congress refused to participate, the bipartisan group of candidates is calling on the public television station to provide a full opportunity for candidates to be seen and heard by the public.

Typical Incumbent BS and the press allows them to get away with it. The public should be OUTRAGED!
Brown-Waite Hides From John Russell At Timber Pines Forum 10/10/08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoFtseFtlGI


WHAT: Telephone Press Conference





WHO:



John Russell (D)

Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives FL-5 www.johnrussellforcongress.com



Bill Mitchell (D)

Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives FL-9



Bob Hackworth (D)

Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives FL-10



Eddie Adams (R)

Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives FL-11



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