Tuckahoe Village Departments

TUCKAHOE TALK
With Mayor John Fitzpatrick

Writing and Running

February 23, 2009

It may have appeared that I had been writing more frequently during November and December. The reality is I always have a few topics on my desktop at one time, sort of works in progress and I decided to clear them out. The main reason for that house cleaning, I thought I wouldn’t be availing myself of the opportunity to write this column. This is due to the fact that our Village would be entering the election cycle.

Since it was my intention to seek reelection to my current office, it may have been perceived as unfair to any opponents. While I have tried to never use this forum as a bully pulpit, even the relationship I have enjoyed with readers and residents here and online could still have been viewed as an inequitable advantage. Incumbency has enough built in benefits so one must be cognizant to keep the playing field level.

"So why am I still writing if I'm running for re-election? Well, because I have no opponent in the upcoming Wednesday, March 18th election. Those still suffering “an election hangover” from November may be grateful to skip mail and debates on our village level. For others, election seasons are viewed as a great time, since hopefully new candidates and incumbents bring innovative ideas forward. It also keeps incumbents accountable for their actions or inactions of the past.

One of the many ways in which these innovative ideas are supposed to be presented to the public is through the debate process. Unfortunately, I believe such a forum for all offices from the President down to our Village has lost effectiveness. At the Village level, too often candidates are required to merely survive nasty questions by rival political parties. At the Presidential level the debates have become pure theater. I recall an Alex Gregory cartoon in New Yorker addressing just this subject during presidential debates. Two candidates are at podiums speaking to the audience when one states, “That’s an excellent prescreened question but before I give you my stock answer I’d like to try and disarm everyone with a carefully rehearsed joke.” While I agree something may be gauged about a candidate that can remain cool under the lamp of scrutiny and heat, I still prefer to have the issues or ideas spoken and debated in a more classic sense.

Historically, it is probable we began to study a candidate’s composure during the 1960 Nixon–Kennedy debate, since it was the first televised debate in our history. It is interesting that those who watched the debate had a different perception of the better man from those who only listened to it on the radio. The dawn of TV didn’t initiate a mass susceptibility to manipulation of our debate perception. This susceptibility can be seen back in even 1858, when Lincoln and Senator Steven Douglas met in the famous series of seven debates for U.S. Senator. Newspapers reprinted the transcribed text of the speeches with a partisan edit favoring the candidate of their choice. The Lincoln-Douglas Debate centered on American slavery and featured no moderator, one-hour opening speeches by the candidates, with an hour and half rebuttal allotment to each, followed by half an hour closing statements. Somehow I can’t see the American public getting their hands around the length of this particular forum, as we now prefer sound bites.

In a small election such as ours, quite often you will meet candidates at your doorstep. In the past when running I walked the streets and knocked on every door possible. However, I realize we are all busy people and politicians standing on your stoop or porch are often viewed as bothersome and unwanted. Since I am fully aware that having no opponent doesn’t mean that the will of the people has been done, I still need a way to give residents an opportunity to speak. And even though my first reaction in regards to having no opposition was a bit of relief, I want to illustrate I have no intention of relaxing.

With all this in mind, and since there will be no debating, I decided to hold a forum that allows residents to come forward and ask a question. As a Village Board we regularly hold these types of meetings without broadcast at various locations throughout the year. So I invite any Tuckahoe resident who is so inclined to come to the Community Center (71 Columbus Ave.) on Sunday, March 8th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm for an open forum. This will take place when the debate would normally have occurred. No moderators. No speeches. No TV cameras. Simply myself and any resident with a comment or question.