January 2, 2004

A SPEECH WORTH MAKING BY A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

By James Eugene*

I would like to thank the members of the press for gathering here today for this announcement.

For too long, the American political establishment has been disengaging its leaders from the American people. This has been done in an attempt to minimize risk and to provide for carefully controlled spin on issues and politics. As a result, the American people see less and less of their President and their other leaders open and frankly discussing the issues. Instead, the American people see carefully scripted events designed to limit the information that is provided to them.

It is time for the American people to reconnect to their leaders. They want to hear from their leaders, not from some spinmeisters who seem to only state that the sky is down and the ground is up. It is time for American leaders to be the messengers, to tell the American people directly about their ideas and hopes for the future on a frequent basis. Thus, I now promise that if elected President, I will implement the following changes.

1. I will hold monthly evening press conferences. The press conference is a way to have the President answer the questions that the American public wants to have answered. And while current Presidents have weekly radio spots and various speeches, few of these are unscripted and open to an open debate of ideas. And I will instruct my press spokesman to insure that not just reporters friendly to me ask the questions. Every Presidential advisor lives in fear of that moment that occurred during Watergate when Dan Rather stood up to ask President Nixon a question and was applauded, and President Nixon asked Rather if he was running for something, and Rather said no, are you? Well, it was an embarrassing moment for Nixon, but if a President cannot stand up to reporters' tough questions, than the policy he or she is espousing may have some holes, and the free exchange of ideas is healthy. A President must realize this and be big enough to have his ideas put to the test of a free exchange.

   And ever since President Reagan we have not had evening press conferences (except for those occasions when the President sought to manipulate the media). But evening press conferences are the only time when the President can obtain substantial audiences with the American public. A president must not fear the American public. A president can always state that he misspoke. Presidents are human. But a strong president will be respected and forgiven by the American people as long as he frequently communicates.

2. Every other month, I will appear on a Sunday news program on a major broadcast network and answer questions from a small group of that show's reporters. Today, Presidents like to send their subordinates out and this is appropriate. But every so often, the President must demonstrate that he is in charge.

   I only have one caveat to this policy. Reporters who have assisted other Presidents or Presidential candidates in their campaigns, whether by asking questions at debate practices or by actually being part of their campaigns, must be identified during each question that they ask as such. If I am going to be questioned by a partisan sympathizer rather than a true journalist, the public has a right to know this as well.

3. Once a year, I will attend a Congressional session and allow the members to ask questions of me. The leader of Parliamentary countries must face the scrutiny of their legislative branch, and the President of the United States should not fear such scrutiny.
4. Over the next eight years, the Congress of the United States should hold its full Congressional session in each of forty eight states (excluding Virginia and Maryland, which already see the Congress up close and vice versa), and I mean all 435 members taking part in a real legislative process, not just a minor group of the leaders in a ceremonial session. This would mean that for an average of six times per year, Congress will be forced to hold its session outside of the Capitol.

   People may wonder about the logistics of this move, but trust me, if we want to do it, we can. It is time for the Congressional representatives from Nebraska to meet the immigrant worker in Brooklyn, and it is time for the Congressional representatives from Watts to speak with the farmer from Iowa. It is time for us to broaden our horizons and realize that this nation is more than just one area, but a great mosaic of fifty states with a strong people.

It is time to renew discourse in this country, to listen to all the people, to talk to all the people, rich and poor, man and woman, old and young, gay and straight, minority or white, Christian, Jew, Muslim or atheist. We take an oath to serve the people. We must realize that serving them requires a dialogue with all of them, not just a select few.

I will now take questions.

THE MOTHER's MILK.

Did you realize that there are 275 (give or take a few) non-candidate affiliated political action committees registered with the New York City Campaign Finance Board? I wonder if each politician in New York City has all 275 on their mailing list.

THE WEB IS RIGHT.

Congratulations to the Democratic Party for now having all its Council elected officials correct on the party's web pages. That wasn't hard now, was it?

* James Eugene is the pseudonym of a veteran of NYC government affairs. Inside The Big Apple will appear exclusively on the Empire Page. If you want to send tips or column ideas to James Eugene, email them to jameseugene@empirepage.com.