Mayoral
Candidate Panel Discussion
Photo by Elijah Goode
L-R: Rev.Vernon Walton - moderator, Mayor Robert L. Bowser;
Freeholder Carol Y. Clark, Lester E. Taylor, Kevin Taylor,
Realism Hargrave -moderator.
It was a nice idea to call it a "Panel Discussion."
There was a panel, but no discussion. It was a debate like any
other, except that at times it became a church service and there
was no control over remarks or applause from the audience.
After listening to the audio recordings from my camcorder, I
have determined that there is too much noise in the background to
make a transcription. There were other cameras from those present
that were recording the debate, and I will provide links to the
content from them if they are made available to the public.
However, past experience tells me that they are unlikely to be
shared.
My overall impression was that large numbers of people came
to cheer for their already preferred candidate and those people
talked to one another during speeches from candidates they
disliked. No one from the organizers did anything to stop this,
although after particularly boisterous applause, one of the
moderators reminded them that they were not supposed to applaud,
but no one was ever ejected for doing so and the applause
continued sporadically. The organizers took up a church
collection at one point, which showed the reason why they did not
want to antagonize anyone by removing them or silencing them.
This is inappropriate for a political debate.
Realism Hargrave, the moderator shown on the far right of the
panel table in the above photo, was constantly nodding at
statements from the candidates of which she approved, and at
other times she often rocked back and forth distracting from the
discussion. She should have been replaced by someone who could
sit still and show no preferences of any kind, like the Rev.
Walton, moderator at the far left.
People were constantly coming into and exiting from the
church, and each time the opening or closing doors made noises
that were disturbing and distracting. When people exited the main
hall, they often stood just outside the doors in the hallway and
talked loudly enough to be a distraction to those inside trying
to hear what was being said. No one tried to silence them or get
them to move away from the doors. Some people in the audience
brought along small children, who fidgeted and murmured, and
although they were not crying or shouting, they still made a
constant babble that was distracting and that made it difficult
to hear the candidates.
Mayor Robert L. Bowser - Photo by Elijah Goode
Freeholder Carol Y. Clark - Photo by Elijah Goode
Kevin Taylor - Photo by Elijah Goode
Lester E. Taylor - Photo by Elijah Goode
Questions Previously Received
1. According to statistics, in 2011, only 64% of the
students graduated from High School, in East Orange.
Other than hiring additional teachers, what other methods
would you implement to increase the number of students
that successfully complete High School?
2.The City of East Orangc has supported the
Democratic Party over the past three elections. Can you
sight(sic) some examples of how that affiliation has
benefited the City in terms of economic growth and the
quality of life for the residences(sic)?
3.There is an apparent decline in the Shopping
District and resident's(sic) disposable income being
spent in other townships where quality goods and services
are readily available? What solutions can you propose to
counteract the leakage of Capital that occurs in East
Orange?
Questions Present Today
1.Will you impose a residential requirement for all
employees of East Orange?
2.What are your primary concerns for our youth, young
adults and senior citizens?
3.In becoming Mayor in what way would you strive to
create community cohesiveness among the different
branches of leadership-at-large.? (sic) Example the
division between Mayor's office and City Council or
Mayor's Office and Spiritual Leadership.
Since this announcement was on the program given
out at the event on 4/20/13, only those with internet
connections inside the church would have been able to add
additional questions. If this information had been made
known on the original flyer, I could have posted it and
gotten a better assortment of questions from our viewers.
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© 2013, James
Gerrish
