The LuLac Edition #988, Oct. 28th, 2009

PHOTO INDEDX: JUDICIAL CANDIDATE WILLIAM AMESBURY, AND THE FINAL BIG 3 IN THE JUDICIAL RACE, RICHARD HUGHES, TINA POLACHEK GARTLEY AND WILLIAM AMESBURY.

ENDORSEMENT QUESTION

The Citizen's Voice endorsed the Judicial candidates on Monday. The paper like its neighbor the Times Leader tabbed Richard Hughes and Tina Polachek Gartley as winners of their endorsement. We can debate whether endorsements are deal breakers in a political race. But Exhibit A should be Attorney Michael Blazick who was endorsed by both papers in the spring primary and finished deep down in the electoral pack. The Voice endorsement seems to damn Amesbury with very faint praise. Here's what they said, Amesbury would be a good fit for the court of the past, not the new, more transparent, more accountable court we believe Polachek Gartley and Hughes can help create. In my estimation this is pretty unfair. Amesbury won the dual nominations not because of political connections but because of his power base in Wilkes Barre, the lack of Wilkes Barre candidates to compete against him and the fact that he worked his butt off this entire campaign. Amesbury is not from a political family, held very few if any public positions and is well rounded in terms of his work experience. Plus he took on the O'Donnell political dynasty in 2001 when he won his Magisterial seat to defeat the Ridge appointee Kathleen O'Donnell. To say that he would fit the court of the past is a misrepresentation and an insult. I understand what the Voice is trying to say but I think they might have used different verbs to express their opinion. Amesbury has won dual nominations but because of the touch screen voting, there will be only three candidates in line when the ballot appears.

TV 44 DEBATE

Nothing new occurred yesterday at the WVIA TV debate. All three candidates, Richard Hughes, Tina Polachek Gartley and William Amesbury presented their credentials, expressed their qualifications for the job and tout their areas of experience. WVIA was scrupulous in putting the effort together but because of that, it took the spontaneity and audience participation out of the event. It might have helped too if the debate moderator could pronounce the names of the candidates. But it served the purpose and gave the candidates an opportunity to get elongated valuable TV time. Earlier in the day I saw candidate Polachek Gartley at another event and she said that when she was on 44 the hour just flew by. Might have been that way for the candidates but not for the viewers. That said, kudos to WVIA for the effort and zealous attention to detail.