Will McMillan Debate Herod?
Pat Herod, the spunky challenger to insider favorite Mike McMillan, has called for a debate in their race for License Collector. I received an email with his challenge letter but you can view the announcement over at the political paper, Arch City Chronicle. Here is what Mr. Herod’s letter said:
In respect to a fair and balanced campaign in which the citizens of the City of St. Louis may decide on who is the best candidate for the position as the next License Collector, I think it is only just that we hold a public debate between the two of us. I am more than willing to hold this open debate in the area and facility you see fit. I am proposing that this time-honored political tradition be held as soon as possible in order to let the voters make an appropriate choice this November.
Well stated Mr. Herod! I have now had the pleasure of meeting Pat Herod in person and I must admit he is quite interesting. He is, in my view, as captivating at McMillan but without the rather phony southern drawl. Herod is very genuine and not at all politically slick.
The McCaskill-Talent race may be the big one to watch this November I think a debate between McMillan and Herod would be an excellent show on local politics. But will McMillan, who is likely ordering new drapes for his new office, agree to debate Mr. Herod? My guess it won’t have the cojones to debate someone as dynamic as Herod. We’ll see if he is assured enough to agree to a debate, man to man.
– Steve
Why not?
Seems like a good way for the public to decide.
hmmmm …. I don’t know, that might give the impression that we have a two party system in the City …. and we certainly wouldn’t want to do that, would we?
I went to elementary school and high school with Mike McMillan and recently volunteered with his campaign to make sure that he becomes the City’s next License Collector. I can assure you that his “phony southern drawl” is not phony at all but how he has actually spoken his entire life. His family is from the south. The characterization that the man has a “phony” accent is not only unfounded and inaccurate but has no possible benefit to him whatsoever. As an avid reader of this blog to get a different point of view, I would expect more from you Mr. Patterson.
In regard to Mr. Herod being so dynamic and captivating, I am not impressed. I am a lifelong St. Louisian and I have never, ever heard of Pat Herod or anything that he has done for the benefit of anyone. He may be a great person but I have no idea of what he does on a regular basis to benefit the community. On the other hand, I have watched Mike help thousands of people in his ward and others that he doesn’t even know and that are not even registered to vote and have no intention of voting.
I have not asked Mike if he is going to debate Herod or not. If he does, I am sure that he would win in his sleep. He is very informed about the office and planning some significant improvements. But I am also curious as to why you think Herod is so “interesting” and why he deserves so much attention at this point. Where was he the last eight months of the year while McMillan was campaigning all over St. Louis when he had already won the Democratic nomination? What was he doing to help anyone in those past eight months?
I also read Herod’s letter to the Editor complaining about not getting enough attention. It sounded more childish than my son appealing for more time to watch TV before bed. He also seems so upset about the city’s “one party system” stronghold of the Democratic Party. That is not McMillan’s fault. Almost every major urban area in the US is a Democratic Party stronghold. If Herod wants to win an office as a Republican then he should move out of the City. There has not been a Republican elected citywide in over fifty years and I hope that it is fifty more before we have another one.
I personally don’t think that Mike has to dignify the request of a desperate campaign that has no support from its own Republican Party but whether he does or not, it has nothing to do with his “cojones.” I would actually prefer if Mike would continue to research more ways to improve the office once he gets there and finish up his business as Alderman.
[URFirst, thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Open discussion is the only way we will move forward.
I’ve heard Mr. McMillan’s accent come and go and if I am not mistaken he is from St. Louis even though his parents are not. I do not believe the accent to be geniune. If it is, it certainly does not come across as such. I think he tends to embelish a bit.
I’m a little confused that because you have not heard of Mr. Herod he is somehow unworthy of running for political office? And for the record, I do think serving in the armed forces is helping people!
It is also sad that you seem to draw such a narrow view between democrats and republicans on a local basis. Mr. Herod is more open minded and “liberal” than a good many of our local democrats.
And where has he been? Well, I think he has been trying to get coverage but the bias in this town against anyone who is not part of the good ole boy establishment is cast aside in a highly undemocratic manner. I applaud anyone willing to stand up and proclaim their right to participate in the elective process as a candidate. Furthermore, I guess the ethics of anyone not open to multiple candidates in local elections. – SLP]
Thank you for responding so quickly. I appreciate you attempting to clarify. First, in regards to accent again, I have known the man since grade school so I am telling you undeniably that is how he has always spoken. There is NO question about it. Having known him that long, I think that I am a better source on it than you. I have not heard it “come and go” either. The other thing that baffles me about the theory that he would somehow embellish an accent with you or anyone else is what possible benefit would that bring him in St. Louis? My opinion is that it would bring absolutely none and actually cause more confusion such as this irrelevant debate we are having about it. Even though it has no bearing on any public policy matter of the past, present or future.
Second, I never said Herod was “unworthy of running for public office.” I said that I have never heard of him doing anything to help anyone. Being active in a number of community groups and having gone all over St. Louis with Mike during the campaiagn, I never saw him at any meetings trying to inform the community about anything that he was doing for anybody on one occasion. It is a little late to start now when your opponent has been campaigning vigorously for eight months. I never said anything about him serving in the armed forces either. I think that is one of the most admirable things that a person can do but it appears to have been years ago. What has he been doing in the past fourteen years that Mike dedicated his entire adult life to city government?
Finally, there is no need to question my ethics because of how I feel about “multiple candidates in local elections.” I am not against people running for office. My point was about the realistic chances of a Republican winning in the City of St. Louis. The numbers will prove that there is almost no chance of such a thing taking place. Even the Republican Party has written off the City for local elections.
I hope that in the future that I can continue to look to this blog for meaningful debate about policy, planning, transportation and other insightful dialogue other than someone’s accent.
[UR Accent? We are going to have to just disagree. You have your experience which is considerably longer than mine, and I know what I have heard.
We could probably create a very long list of people in this city that are doing good things to help people that neither one of us has heard of. Simply because we don’t know their name does not mean their work is not valid. Someone already in office is in a position to do good things and get recognized for those good deeds, but, we cannot criticize someone for running for office for not having had the benefit of being in office.
Frankly, I don’t want republicans in office anymore than I do democrats. I want local elections to be non-partisan. The democrat-monopoly on local politics serves nobody but the players in the system.
Thank you for reading and responding. This dialog is beneficial and that is all I thin we owe Mr. Herod, a chance to be heard and not shut out simply for not being the favorite. – SLP]
In response to the question about what I’ve been doing the last 8 months while “Big Mike” has been out campaigning, I offer this. “Big Mike” has been doing what he has always been doing, Campaigning!!!! That’s his career. As a professional politician there are few better. He’s made all the right contacts and he’s preparing himself nicely for a big run to a high political office. And he’s raised over a quarter of a million dollars for this efforts. The office of License Collector is his reward for “playing politics” with the right people. Well, personally I’ve had it with the glad-handing slicksters that spend their entire lives preparing for their next free meal, be they Democrats or Republicans. If you want another glib, glitzy professional politician, go for it.
You asked what have I been doing during the 8 months Big Mike’s been campaigning. Since Feb I’ve volunteered as a baseball coach at a city High School that has no ballfield. Every day in addition to spending 3 hours or so with the kids, I spent 2-3 hours, with rake and shovel in hand, preparing Carondelet Park so the kide don’t have to play on a rock pile. Before and after the HS season I worked with city kids helping their American Legion team during the winter preseason and the summer season. I also did volunteer work at Cardinal Glennon’s Children Hospital during the winter but I couldn’t handle the emotional part of that so I quit. I know that my 8 months will never get the media”ink” that the campaigning of Big Mike earns, but I guarantee my impact on the parents and kids I worked with is every bit as satisfying and rewarding as ten pics of Big Mike in the Post glad handing with Freeman Bosley Jr or Mayor Slay.
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