<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document>
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10">
<meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 10">
<link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C4AC59.C3B348B0">
<title>Latah GOP candidates renege on agreement to debate</title>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="time"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="date"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceType"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceName"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:DoNotRelyOnCSS/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:SpellingState>Clean</w:SpellingState>
<w:GrammarState>Clean</w:GrammarState>
<w:DocumentKind>DocumentEmail</w:DocumentKind>
<w:EnvelopeVis/>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
color:blue;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none;
text-underline:none;
text-decoration:none;
text-line-through:none;}
span.GramE
{mso-style-name:"";
mso-gram-e:yes;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='tab-interval:.5in'>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="2004"><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Oct. 7, 2004</span></font></st1:date><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Open letter to Candidates:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>This morning on Vision 2020, I read Dean Ferguson’s article from
the Lewiston Tribune indicating that, “<font color=black><span
style='color:black'>Latah County Republicans are shunning the Moscow Civic
Association debates scheduled for later this month.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>As a local elected official, member of
MCA, and resident of </span></font><st1:City><st1:place><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>Moscow</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
color=black><span style='color:black'>, I urge them to reconsider. MCA exists
in large part to “broaden public discourse” and to organize and
inspire “civic participation.” We have relatively few opportunities
to engage in open dialogue about such things, not because of legal constraints,
but because people often seek out and interact with others of like minds and because
so many of us lead such busy lives. How often do we hear about citizens who
aren’t even interested in voting, who are disengaged because they are
turned off by rhetoric, imbued with a sense of political impotence, or inadequately
informed about issues that will directly affect their lives?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>I can appreciate <span class=GramE>that
candidates</span>’ forums and debates can be time-consuming and nerve-wracking,
particularly when the sponsoring body is unfamiliar to panelists. It is my
strong hope that those candidates who are considering boycotting MCA’s debates
recognize that attendees are also their constituents, that tough questions are
and should be part of the <span class=GramE>territory, that</span> they may
certainly decline to respond to questions that seem inappropriate, and finally,
that membership in MCA is open to them too!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>The GOP candidates who are suspicious,
fearful, or resentful of MCA members might be surprised to find a number of
their Republican constituents among them. I hope that they will reconsider
participating in as many of the upcoming debates and forums as they can, to reach
as many of our citizens as possible. We all don’t have to agree, but it
doesn’t make sense to pretend that conflicting viewpoints—perhaps insightful
ones--don’t exist. Who knows? Maybe we’ll all learn something.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Nancy Chaney </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b>
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Mark Solomon<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> </span></font><st1:date
Month="10" Day="7" Year="2004"><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Thursday, October 07, 2004</span></font></st1:date><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> </span></font><st1:time
Hour="9" Minute="12"><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>9:12 AM</span></font></st1:time><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> vision2020@moscow.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Vision2020] Latah GOP
candidates renege on agreement to debate</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City><st1:place><font size=3 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Lewiston</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
color=black><span style='color:black'> Morning Tribune, </span></font><st1:date
Month="10" Day="7" Year="2004"><font color=black><span style='color:black'>10/7/04</span></font></st1:date><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Latah </span></font></b><st1:place><st1:PlaceType><b><font
color=black><span style='color:black;font-weight:bold'>County</span></font></b></st1:PlaceType><b><font
color=black><span style='color:black;font-weight:bold'> </span></font></b><st1:PlaceName><b><font
color=black><span style='color:black;font-weight:bold'>GOP</span></font></b></st1:PlaceName></st1:place><b><font
color=black><span style='color:black;font-weight:bold'> to sit out local
debates<br>
<br>
</span></font></b><i><font color=black><span style='color:black;font-style:
italic'>Dean A. Ferguson<br>
<br>
</span></font></i><font color=black><span style='color:black'>Latah County
Republicans are shunning the Moscow Civic Association debates scheduled for
later this month.<br>
<br>
"They are a group that has a political mission," said Barrett
Schroeder, chairman of the Latah County Republicans.<br>
<br>
The county's Republican candidates have all agreed not to go to the
debates, said Schroeder, who has been chairman for four years and is the son of
state Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow.<br>
<br>
Barrett Schroeder charged the civic association with being dishonest
about the format of the debate. He also said he feared an ambush because the
civic association has strong ties to Mark Solomon, the Democratic candidate
running against incumbent state Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow.<br>
<br>
The series of one-hour debates scheduled Oct. 25 and 27 were supposed to
feature questions from citizens, Barrett Schroeder explained. However,
candidates were told to write questions and have someone in the crowd ask them.<br>
<br>
Barrett Schroeder called the message "deceptive" because it
hadn't been publicized.<br>
<br>
In a mass e-mail to Republican, independent and Democratic candidates,
debate organizer Bruce Livingston said candidates could introduce questions
through the audience.<br>
<br>
"I see nothing wrong in a candidate having someone submit a question
because the candidate thinks it is an important issue that needs to be
addressed," wrote </span></font><st1:place><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>Livingston</span></font></st1:place><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>.<br>
<br>
</span></font><st1:place><font color=black><span style='color:black'>Livingston</span></font></st1:place><font
color=black><span style='color:black'> said the suggestion was solely to get as
many important ideas into the debates as possible.<br>
<br>
In a letter to Lois Blackburn, president of the civic association,
Barrett Schroeder accused the civic association of being a political action
committee that endorses and supports candidates.<br>
<br>
"I've never heard of a PAC organizing a debate," wrote
Schroeder.<br>
<br>
</span></font><st1:place><font color=black><span style='color:black'>Livingston</span></font></st1:place><font
color=black><span style='color:black'> called the comment "completely
wrong."<br>
<br>
"The Moscow Civic Association is not a political action
committee," he said. "It's a 501c4 organization, and we haven't
endorsed and don't intend to endorse any candidates that are involved in any of
these debates."<br>
<br>
But Barrett Schroeder said the Republican candidates plan to attend more
than a dozen other debates and forums. They're just not going to give the civic
association and "Mark Solomon's friends and family" a shot at them so
close to Election Day.<br>
<br>
------</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'> </span></font><st1:City><st1:place><i><span
style='font-style:italic'><font color=black><span style='color:black'>Ferguson</span></font></span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><font
color=black><span style='color:black;font-style:italic'> may be contacted at</span></font></i><font
color=black><span style='color:black'> dferguson@lmtribune.com</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>