Close to a dozen people today have called, emailed or stopped me on the street to express surprise at the Oshkosh Northwestern's editorial endorsing my candidacy for Oshkosh Common Council. Miles Maguire wonders if the endorsement is "either a big April Fool's joke or (more likely) a sign of how ready this community is for a change in elected leadership." I guess we'll know on Tuesday night if it's the latter.
Who knows, maybe the Northwestern editorial board simply thought I was a strong candidate based on my answers to their 10 questions, editorial board interview, and participation in their community forum. The newspaper has been clear in the last few months that the City Hall establishment needs to be sent a message on election day; Stew Rieckman's column today indicates that the establishmentarians have now taken to an eleventh hour cheap-shot-red -herring effort to derail my chances.
I've also been formally endorsed by:
*The Lake Winnebago Green Party
*The Winnebago County Democratic Party
*Oshkosh Firefighters Local 316
*The Winnebago County Labor Council
None of these endorsements should be surprising given what I have stood for in the past and during this campaign.
I have received no financial support from any organization that has endorsed me. My main request of all of them was simply to get the word out to their membership and provide volunteers to help with grassroots campaign activities like literature drops.
Two other organizations I interviewed with but did not receive endorsements from were the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Winnebago County Realtors Association.
It sounds like a cliche', but ultimately the only endorsement that matters is the endorsement of the voters on election day.
Please vote on April 3!
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2 comments:
I saw Rep. Gordon Hintz at the library today. Gordon expressed amazement that he agreed totally with the Northwestern's endorsements for city council. This was my response to him regarding you.
Allow me to give another perspective on the Northwestern's endorsement. They refer to transparency and open records. This is much deeper and darker than anyone has thought. I'll use examples. An Oshkosh man about age 40 and seemingly healthy died. An acquaintance asked me if he could find out the cause of death. I, with the genealogy background, took him to the county clerk's office and asked to see the death certificate. We were allowed to look but the clerk covered the part that gave the cause of death and patiently explained that under the Patriot Act only immediate family is allowed to see the cause of death. Imagine what this would do if several youngsters in an Oshkosh neighborhood developed cancer and died. Imagine what would happen if a year after a rail car mishap involving chemicals that several people living nearby developed and died from cancer. This is an investigative reporter's nightmare. Transparency in government is lacking at all levels, local to national, and I believe the Northwestern's endorsement is truly representative of your views on openness at the local level. We have a need for more openness and it starts with you. Thanks, Tony.
I think through your efforts and speaking out has earned the endorsements that you have received Tony. Good luck on Tuesday. Palmeri-Bain- and King for city council all the way.
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