Mike Walenta is diverting your tax dollars to his favorite two Senate candidates. He is doing so via an in-kind contribution in the form of an exclusive press conference. He has dogmatically clung to his claim that he is applying certain “standards” However, when I could show I met all verifiable standards, he regurgitated the same drivel.
For instance he claims I am not running a “visible campaign.” Apparently he hasn’t driven past the billboard that is only a few miles from WGVU. I haven’t seen any for the other candidates.
He uses statewide polling data as a criteria when there is no polling data that includes me as a choice.
Clearly he doesn’t care about these “standards” he ignores them then uses them as a smokescrean for the real standard.
Here is the real standard:
You must be the candidate nominated by the Republican or Democratic Party.
That is the only standard he goes by….
Your tax dollars at work. Here is the complete text of our Correspondence:
616-331-6737
Scotty Boman wishes to join in the DebateThursday, October 9, 2008 9:43 PM
From: “Scotty Boman” <scottyeducation@yahoo.com>View contact details To: walentam@gvsu.edu
Dear General Manage Mike Walenta:
It is my understanding that you are holding a Senatorial Debate on Sunday October 19th. I will be pleased to participate, however you haven’t contacted me about this directly. I am sure this was not intentional since WGVU is a non-partisan organization that would not organize a partisan activity to promote some candidates over others. Please contact me with important details such as arrival times, format, and rules. Please feel free to call me at: 313-247-2052
Sincerely,
Scotty Boman
Libertarian for United States Senate
PS: Have any of the other United States Senate candidates accepted the invitation besides Carl Levin and Jack Hoogendyk?
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– On Fri, 10/10/08, Michael Walenta <walentam@gvsu.edu> wrote:
From: Michael Walenta <walentam@gvsu.edu>
Subject: Re: Scotty Boman wishes to join in the Debate
To: scottyeducation@yahoo.com
Date: Friday, October 10, 2008, 4:58 PM
Dear Mr. Bowman:
This email constitutes a formal response to your communication regarding the upcoming WGVU-sponsored debate between the Republican and Democratic candidates for the US Senate from Michigan. WGVU has hosted such programs for many years and has utilized these criteria when extending invitations to candidates. Candidates must meet all three criteria:
(1) the person seeking to participate must have qualified for the ballot;
(2) the candidate must be running a visible and comprehensive campaign as determined by WGVU; and
(3) the candidate must show a certain fixed level of support — at least 5% — in professionally conducted public opinion polls.
These criteria were adapted by WGVU from those developed by our broadcast partner, National Public Radio and have been used by WGVU for U.S. Senate debates in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, and again this year. While you meet criterion one, it is WGVU’s judgment that you do not meet criterion two or three. For that reason, we did not extend an invitation to you. We appreciate your interest in public television and thank you for your letter.
Sincerely,
Michael T. Walenta
General Manager
WGVU TV & Radio
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My Reply on Oct 10
Dear Michael Walenta:
Thank you for responding promptly, and giving me the chance to educate you on some facts. I have met the first 2 criteria:
1. You agree on one.
As for # 2…. 2. Define: ” visible and comprehensive campaign” I can’t think of anything my campaign isn’t doing that Jack Hoogendyk’s is doing. The only way I am “less visible” is by being excluded from partisan media events. Thus you have created the very outcome this condition addresses.
3. As for the third, please provide me with the results of one state-wide poll in which I was included as one of the choices. I have looked for such a poll and found none. This again becomes a procedure that fixes the outcome in advance to not satisfy or fail this criterion.
Sincerely,
Scotty Boman
PS: It is B-O-M-A-N. Say what you want about me but please spell my name right.
PPS: I will be checking campaign finance reports after the election to see that the other candidates properly list this as an in-kind contribution.
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— On Mon, 10/13/08, Michael Walenta <walentam@gvsu.edu> wrote:
From: Michael Walenta <walentam@gvsu.edu>
Subject: Scotty Boman wishes to join in the Debate
To: scottyeducation@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, October 13, 2008, 1:20 PM
Dear Mr. Boman,
First I want to apologize for misspelling your name in my previous e-mail to you. It was certainly not intentional and I regret the error.
Secondly I want to acknowledge your e-mail from October 10.
As stated previously, the criteria we use were adapted by WGVU from those developed by our broadcast partner, National Public Radio and have been used by WGVU for the past 4 U.S. Senate debates. These criteria are again being used for this debate.
While you meet criterion one, it remains WGVU’s judgment that you do not meet criterion two or three. For that reason, we did not extend an invitation to you.
We appreciate your interest in public television and thank you for your response.
Sincerely,
Michael T. Walenta
General Manager
WGVU TV & Radio
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My Final Reply (He did not respond after this)
Dear Michael Walenta:
How is it that I don’t meet criteria 2? My campaign is as visible as the Republican’s. Google it. I have a billboard up, I haven’t seen his. We both have lawn-signs, bumper stickers and literature all over the state. We have both been on radio. He has been a no-show at three candidate forums (which I attended) that he did not show up to. In some respects my campaign is more active than his.
Please identify the state-wide survey you used to determine I don’t meet criteria 3 (a scientific poll that included me as one of the choices).
Of course I already made these points, and you didn’t have an answer to rebut them. Since you can’t show that I don’t meet the criteria, I may can only assume that this is a simple matter of political bias on the part of yourself and WGVU.
Can you at least drop the charade and admit that?
Sincerely,
Scotty Boman
The Boman 08 Blog 