Jon
10-18-2007, 11:50 PM
It's been an interesting few weeks. A little hectic, but well worth it.
Having just finished the endorsements for local city council races, We are moving into interviews for school board candidates. We have to do those over the phone since we are running out of time and there's only so many hours in the day.
For candidates for city councils, I usually bring them in for approximately 30 minutes to talk after reading their campaign statements on either smartvoter.org or on their Web sites. I look at their experience, viewpoints, philosophy and supporters then discuss what I think with others in the news room and publisher Jerry Lee.
For the Burlingame City Council race, I was priviliged to have the opportunity to moderate a debate sponsored by the Citizens for a Better Burlingame and the Daily Journal. Senior reporter Michelle Durand and I were able to ask a few questions, then we opened it up to the audience. That forum, along with some e-mailed questions and an additional in-person interview enabled the news room to narrow its decision.
Moving on to school board candidates has been an interesting transition. With a few exceptions, there is less politics in play at the school level and many people who are getting involved for all the right reasons. Generally, the process is close to the one for city councils. We take a look at the candidates' experience, philosophy, viewpoints and supporters and combine that with information from the Internet and an e-mailed questionnaire to arrive at a recommendation.
Once we get past schools, it's on to individual measures and the election season wraps up with election day Nov. 6. I always enjoy the little things I learn during this time — from school issues, larger city issues to petty politics and upcoming issues.
Having just finished the endorsements for local city council races, We are moving into interviews for school board candidates. We have to do those over the phone since we are running out of time and there's only so many hours in the day.
For candidates for city councils, I usually bring them in for approximately 30 minutes to talk after reading their campaign statements on either smartvoter.org or on their Web sites. I look at their experience, viewpoints, philosophy and supporters then discuss what I think with others in the news room and publisher Jerry Lee.
For the Burlingame City Council race, I was priviliged to have the opportunity to moderate a debate sponsored by the Citizens for a Better Burlingame and the Daily Journal. Senior reporter Michelle Durand and I were able to ask a few questions, then we opened it up to the audience. That forum, along with some e-mailed questions and an additional in-person interview enabled the news room to narrow its decision.
Moving on to school board candidates has been an interesting transition. With a few exceptions, there is less politics in play at the school level and many people who are getting involved for all the right reasons. Generally, the process is close to the one for city councils. We take a look at the candidates' experience, philosophy, viewpoints and supporters and combine that with information from the Internet and an e-mailed questionnaire to arrive at a recommendation.
Once we get past schools, it's on to individual measures and the election season wraps up with election day Nov. 6. I always enjoy the little things I learn during this time — from school issues, larger city issues to petty politics and upcoming issues.