Both St. Pete mayoral candidates are huge cowards
Ken Welch and Robert Blackmon are the final two candidates for the November 2nd general election that will eventually seat the next mayor of St. Petersburg, and while they may have different ideas about how best to fulfill that obligation, they both share the distinction of being huge cowards.
Three weeks ago, Tampa News Force sent the candidates these emails:
“Good afternoon.
Email sent to votewelch@gmail.com on August 31 at 12:27PM
My name is Clark Brooks and I am the Senior Supreme Executive Content Editor and a contributing writer for Tampa News Force. On behalf of my organization, I am requesting a sit-down, on camera interview with Mr. Welch to discuss the upcoming election and plans for the future for the city of St. Petersburg.
I can be reached via email or by calling (813) xxx-xxxx or (813) xxx-xxxx
Thank you.
Clark Brooks”
“Good afternoon.
Email sent to info@blackmon4stpete.com on August 31 at 12:29PM
My name is Clark Brooks and I am the Senior Supreme Executive Content Editor and a contributing writer for Tampa News Force. On behalf of my organization, I am requesting a sit-down, on camera interview with Mr. Blackmon to discuss the upcoming election and plans for the future for the city of St. Petersburg.
I can be reached via email or by calling (813) xxx-xxxx or (813) xxx-xxxx
Thank you.
Clark Brooks”
The response from both campaigns was the same: none. Not even the courtesy of a form letter thanking us for our interest but politely declining (FYI: those aren’t really my phone numbers but the emails had the real digits).
At a time when the city needs bold, decisive leadership, because when doesn’t a city require bold, decisive leadership, both of these candidates are apparently afraid to talk to us.
Would we have asked both candidates some silly questions in an attempt to mine cheap and easy humor out of the resultant absurdity and awkwardness?
I don’t know. Maybe?
Possibly.
In all likelihood, yes.
Of course that’s exactly what we would have probably done. But now I guess we’ll never know for sure. Because as popular Tampa Bay figurehead Pat Maroon might say…
Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Rudolph Giuliani and John McCain are just some of the political heavyweights, all participants in high stakes elections, who have all appeared on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. But Welch and Blackmon don’t have the guts to sit down with TNF.
You might say “TNF ain’t exactly SNL” and that would be true but what’s also true is that Welch and Blackmon ain’t exactly Barack Obama or Donald Trump.
Tampa mayor Jane Castor has talked to us lots of times. Outgoing St. Pete mayor Rick Kriseman didn’t dodge us when we asked him uncomfortable questions.
So what are Blackmon and Welch afraid of? That we might ask them about their specific visions regarding the eventual repurposing of Tropicana Field and the surrounding areas, in terms of the impact their visions will have on small businesses and minority communities? That we might ask Blackmon what steps he would take to prevent water pollution in the city, invest in environmental infrastructure, and preserve natural coastlines? That we might ask Welch how he would invest in public safety beyond ensuring competitive pay and benefits for police officers, supporting law enforcement accountability, and funding anti-violence programs in our schools?
Uh-oh! That sounds like we were prepared to ask legitimate questions! Yep that’s right, we did research. We’re comedians, not clowns.
Just like how Welch and Blackmon are chickens, not leaders.
