Pennsylvania: Franco Dok Harris

Sue Kerr and Laura Dunhoff have been making 'history with Pittsburgh's first "lesbian" video broadcast/podcast.' Today's show will be their ninth weekly broadcast.

With the election this Tuesday, I've been invited to guest on a 90 minute edition focusing on various candidates. Expect call-ins from folks like Kevin Acklin and Franco Dok Harris.

You can watch Sister ShOUT live at 5:00 PM today at http://sistershout.outonline.com
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Regarding last week's debate, I noted the following exchange:
The candidates are allowed to ask each other questions and Acklin asks Lukey, "Who are John Verbanac and Ed Grattan and what role do they play in your administration?" Lukey answers with "John Verbanac and Ed Grattan are friends of mine and they have no formal role in my administration."
The other shoe dropped last night when Acklin followed up with this:
"Our campaign has come into receipt of very specific documents and e-mails that prove that Mr. Verbanac has had a very intimate relationship with your administration," Mr. Acklin said to the mayor.

"He has written your speeches.

From Camp Acklin:

MAYORAL CAMPAIGNS ACCEPT ACKLIN DEBATE CHALLENGE, REFUSE TOWN HALL FORUM

PITTSBURGH - After three months of challenges and delays, the competing candidates for Mayor of Pittsburgh have accepted Kevin Acklin's call to debate, agreeing to participate in three televised events. Neither Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, nor Franco "Dok" Harris, agreed to take part in a town hall forum debate, which the Acklin Campaign proposed and at least one local station was interested in hosting.

"I'm thrilled that voters will be able to see all three of us on the same stage," Acklin said, "But I'm also disappointed that the other candidates refused to answer questions directly from voters.

I've taken petitions around for numerous candidates to get them on a ballot. Some of you may have as well.

If you have, you know the drill. (You pretty much can repeat it in your sleep.)

1) You caution folks that their signature has to be legible (don't sign it like you'd sign for your debit/credit card).

2) You give them the right date to enter (because you don't want, say, signatures dated 2/11/09, then one after those signed 2/10/09, then others following with 2/12/09 -- got's to be chronological order).

3) And, you tell them to write out "Pittsburgh" even though there's not a lot of room.