Ward 2 Runoff: Charles Swinton and Ed Shadid

I'll take the liberty of starting a new thread which will hopefully keep as its focus the Ward 2 candidates' runoff positions with regard to the relevant positions of the candidates as to the issues directly involved with the campaign, e.g., completion of and/or variation from the council's concurrent resolution which identifies the projects of MAPS 3, and any other issue which they may want to relate between now and the April 5 general election.

The more general City Council Elections thread (http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=24499) took no time at all on and after March 1 to spiral downward into the potty about the long-standing and perhaps endless discussion about public employees, unions, who in them gets paid what and why, why some public employee unions exclude social security factors, etc., ad nauseam.

Of course, I have no control over how this thread will meander, but my request is that this thread will avoid all banter about police and fire discussion, regardless of point of view, about long-standing grievances with the city or even current ones. I'm hoping that this thread will stay focused on the positions which each candidate has taken or will take in the upcoming election.

In the older thread, I've already said, but I'll say again,


Since I've not heard either of Gwin Faulconer-Lippert's KTOK interviews with Shadid or Swinton, I wanted to hear them and capture the audio for everyone's listening. But, my attempts to locate these interviews in KTOK's web area (or otherwise) have completely failed.

If anyone can point me to a web location for either interview, I'll capture it and reproduce it for everyone's listening and scrutiny. At this point, my mind is open in its evaluation of each of these candidates, and I figure the best source of data is from words spoken by candidates in unscripted interviews. But, so far, no luck in finding them.
I've left a message in Gwin Fauconer-Lippert's facebook page to the same effect, but I don't know if those interviews are any longer available or not. Personally, I'm much less interested in hearing subjective second-hand reports about those interviews than I am the utterly objective first-hand playbacks if they are available.

This is particularly true if a particular candidate has taken different positions with regard to an issue during the campaign. As an example, Jeff, in the other thread, you mentioned that you had no reason not to take the most recent statements of candidate Shadid about downtown rail at face value.

Well, I do. We're talking politics here, so if a candidate does a 180 degree shift during the campaign, I'd certainly want to look at such a shift with very close scrutiny. I'm not saying that he did -- I've not heard his KTOK interview but only second-hand reports from a few others who did. That's why I want to hear the actual interview. Probably, I'm not as trusting as you -- heck, I still don't trust my friend Pete White's kinda-sorta backtrack about the downtown streetcar -- and I won't until he makes a very clear and unambiguous statement which he can be held accountable for in the future. His public statements so far don't yet match that standard as far as I'm concerned.

I'll also begin this by saying that you can look at the campaign websites for these candidates and see what they've said about themselves:


Charles Swinton (http://swintonforcouncil.com/) and


Ed Shadid (http://voteshadid.com/issues/).

I've begun assembling a database of both Swinton's & Shadid's statements and as much objective other information that I can locate about both, here: http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-1-city-council-election-returns.html. Gwin Fauconer-Lippert tells me that she will conduct additional interviews with each candidate on KTOK before the April 5 general election.

One thing is for sure Doug, Shadid is against big business and big banks. He used that phrase in 3 of his 5 points. Maybe during an interview he could identify who he thinks those big business and big banks are. Could he being talking about the Thunder and the Ford Cener Tax? If so, maybe someone can explain to him local small businesses benefit from the Thunder.

If you use the phrases "big business" or "big corporations" as substitutes for each other, he coupled it with "big banks" on 4 occasions in his issues statement. Although he seems to be talking, at least part of the time, about bailouts or giveaways to them, none of which are Oklahoma City entities, he never makes it clear what he's talking about -- which businesses, which banks, nor does he bring it down to earth and explain how his opposition would be relevant in some fashion to the Oklahoma City Council. I very much doubt that such a list would include any business in Oklahoma City -- my guess is that his phrasing is just to create straw men which are safe to beat on. Still, I'm early in this research and I've drawn no firm conclusions.

In that case Doug I am going to run for a seat on my homeowners association and campaign against TARP just like Shadid is doing. I suspect Shadid has an issue with Quality Jobs money going to the Thunder and the Ford Center tax. I hope someone asks him to clarify.

Mr. Shadid, on your campaign website you said you were opposed to give-a-ways to big companies, big business, and big banks. Can you identify any of these big companies, big businesses, or big banks and explain their relevance to the City of Oklahoma City?

As a follow-up question, could you also give us your viewes on the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boeing, and the Ford Center tax?

I don't live in Ward 2, but if I did, my questions would be about code enforcement and staffing, police protection, 23rd Street redevelopment, Chesapeake sprawl and Western corridor development. Also Paseo area development.

I know many of you think Oklahoma City is a basketball team surrounded by a bunch of ignorant rabble, but out here in the boonies, this is the stuff we actually think about.

Good questions, Kerry. Now, there, bornhere, what's this stuff about Oklahoma City being a basketball team surrounded by a bunch of ignorant rabble ... the surrounding rabble may not be all that ignorant! :dizzy:

I've reviewed each candidate's Facebook pages and have added the following to my blog:


FACEBOOK INFORMATION. This section is totally lopsided since candidate Swinton's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/people/Charlie-Swinton/100001883730551#!/profile.php?id=100001883730551&sk=wall) contains zero position statements by him — that's not a bad thing, it's just that he has not thus far used Facebook as a medium in which to communicate his positions.

With candidate Shadid, though, it is different since he has made a number of substantive policy and other statements in his own Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=137538002979597&id=108521132547951#!/pages/Ed-Shadid-for-City-Council-2011/108521132547951?sk=wall). As of this writing (March 3), they are as follows.




Posts by Ed Shadid In His Facebook Page

MAPS3 is a bond with the voters. It must be implemented in its entirety with transparency and with the maximum public deliberation. Mr. Swinton risks the legitimacy of future referendums by essentially eliminating the rail component. We do not get to pick and choose which projects we (or our unknown financial sponsors) want to move forward.
...
If elected, I will become the only City Council member who will have taken no money from corporate and special interests nor had any independent expenditure utilized on my behalf. I will be beholden to no special interest. I will insist on open and transparent government.
...
Over the last week, a committee of unknown donors (Com. to Keep Momentum Going), accountable to no one, is spending tens of thousands of dollars in an effort to rescue Charlie Swinton's fledgling campaign. Swinton has indicated that he doesn't know anything about this organization. Dr. Shadid refuses to accept donations from all PACs and special interests. Campaign finance reform is needed.
...
Thought MAPS 3 guaranteed light rail transit? Think again. Delay means losing $60-120 million in federal matching funds and making the project cost prohibitive by not coordinating with Project 180. Study the candidates comments closely.
...
I am very proud to have received the UNANIMOUS endorsement of the dozens of Fraternal Order of Police members last night. With 700 square miles, a growing population, an aging police force, and our neighborhoods feeling the effect of an overstretched police force, we need to add more officers NOW.
...
I am very proud to receive the strong endorsement of the OKC Firefighters. 700 square miles is a tremendous amount of ground to cover and yet our highly committed firefighters provide exceptional service and represent a very good value for the financial investment we make as a city.
...
I am very honored to have received the endorsement of the Sierra Club Cimarron Group and I look forward to working with them as councilman towards sustainable development of our local economy and neighborhoods.

In publishing the above, please understand that I am taking no editorial position with regard to what either candidate says in his respective Facebook page ... I am simply reporting and readers can assess for themselves what they will.

Perhaps either or both candidates will add substantive content in his respective Facebook page about their respective campaigns between now and April 5, and, if so, I'll publish them in this blog article (http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-1-city-council-election-returns.html) in the Facebook section.

One thing is for sure Doug, Shadid is against big business and big banks.

Ugh........

Ugh........

Why do you say that?



Issues (http://voteshadid.com/issues/)

Standing Up for Local Small Businesses
...Shadid believes we should invest in local businesses that create jobs and hire Oklahoma City workers rather than giving taxpayer-funded bailouts to big corporations, big banks and out- of-state special interests...

Standing Up for Our Neighborhoods
Dr. Ed Shadid believes investing in our neighborhoods is a better use of Oklahoma City’s scarce resources than giveaways to big corporations and big banks…

Standing Up for Taxpayers
...Ed will work to ensure that the tough decisions that must be made in these difficult economic times are made with the well being of Oklahoma City’s children, seniors, veterans, and families in mind and without the influence of big business, big banks and special interests.



I love the last one - I guess the police/fire unions and Sierra Club are not special interests.

I'll agree with you there, and additionally, I might suggest that the Shadid family themselves is a special interest group of their own...lol

But the intent not the letter is what's important. It's obvious the political brand he's trying to sell, and I for one like it.

I don't live in Ward 2, but if I did, my questions would be about code enforcement and staffing, police protection, 23rd Street redevelopment, Chesapeake sprawl and Western corridor development. Also Paseo area development.

I know many of you think Oklahoma City is a basketball team surrounded by a bunch of ignorant rabble, but out here in the boonies, this is the stuff we actually think about.

Of all the sprawl in OKC, Chesapeake's seems to be the least of our worries.

Of all the sprawl in OKC, Chesapeake's seems to be the least of our worries.

Agreed - I actually though Chesapeak was in-fill.

Well a funny thing about Chesapeake is that they've bought everything between 50th and 63rd and we have no idea what they're doing, but we are hoping they're going to do a large mixed-use development across Western. Who knows? Time will tell.

I don't think putting political pressure on CHK to fess up is going to be a winning campaign strategy, not that I think Shadid or Swinton are interested in that either way.

Wait, what? Tearing down buildings and then creating a wall-in campus is infill?

I am not dogging on them, but I need to go recheck my definition of in-fill. I assumed it meant constructing within a built environment in a way that maintains original function and sometimes design. Maybe you are right. I just never thought of them that way. Are they going to keep the superblock pattern as they go east?

They will be taking out a few of the existing streets and widening shartel


Well a funny thing about Chesapeake is that they've bought everything between 50th and 63rd and we have no idea what they're doing, but we are hoping they're going to do a large mixed-use development across Western. Who knows? Time will tell.

From the zoning change they just got accepted with some conditions, they can do a wide range.

we have no idea what they're doing, but we are hoping

My point exactly. I don't want to see us backpedal to the day when people with sufficient money and clout could close and plow up city streets and no one knew it was happening until it was done.

Well, welcome to today..

I've updated the March 1 election and Ward 2 runoff blog article to include the campaign financing information disclosed by the runoff candidates and that of the PACs during the primary. I don't know when the next Form C-1 (contributions & expenses) disclosure period is but it should be an interesting one, since the Committee For Oklahoma City Momentum has yet to file such a report, to the best of my knowledge. To go directly to the updated section, click here (http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-1-city-council-election-returns.html#finance).

I've updated the March 1 election and Ward 2 runoff blog article to include the campaign financing information disclosed by the runoff candidates and that of the PACs during the primary. I don't know when the next Form C-1 (contributions & expenses) disclosure period is but it should be an interesting one, since the Committee For Oklahoma City Momentum has yet to file such a report, to the best of my knowledge. To go directly to the updated section, click here (http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-1-city-council-election-returns.html#finance).

Thank you, Doug. You are a real service to this board and community. If anyone has questions about who to vote for, just follow the link.

Swinton is completely bought -- by whom is undisclosed -- and isn't willing to commit himself to anything on the issues.

Because Chesapeake's campus thus far has been a real downer for retail development and property values...

Because Chesapeake's campus thus far has been a real downer for retail development and property values...

No joke. As though we'd be better off had CHK never existed or built their campus. I'm sorry that we lost the original Pearl's building and all, but it was too small and had awful parking anyway.

Back to topic, I am attempting to get copies of Gwin Faulconer Lippert's previous KTOK interviews with Swinton & Shadid. They are no longer available on-line but I'm hoping to get permission to go to KTOK studies and copy them onto a jump drive. We'll see. She will be interviewing the candidates again but I don't know the date yet. If and when I learn it, I'll post it here and will of course make copies of the interviews for easy listening.

Did anyone see Shadid's ad in today's Gazette? It's awesome. It has a compare and contrast on issues and background with Swinton, and in it, he reminds voters that Swinton wants to push back the train to the end of the line, and that Shadid says, and I quote: "Dr. Shadid believes that MAPS-3 should be completed
as it was promised to voters, with maximum transparency, honesty and public deliberation. Needlessly delaying the rail component of MAPS-3 could cost the city $60-120 million in federal matching funds, reducing the project’s connectivity to neighborhoods."

I think the choice in this race is clear: vote for the good ole boy who's been bought by Chesapeake and wants to delay and screw up the schedule of the streetcar; or vote for the self-financed candidate who wants the MAPS subcommittees and citizen participation to guide the MAPS process. Pretty easy decision.

Go Ed!

Perhaps if your focus is on your campus and the area surrounding it, development of downtown seems less crucial. The people who live in Nichols Hills drive to the Nichols Hills Plaza. I doubt they think anyone wants to use mass transit, since even walkability isn't much of a consideration in their neighborhood. That may explain why it's an area of disinterest to him.

A friend who lives in Ward 2 told me he was push-polled today by Swinton, accusing Shadid of supporting abortion rights, gay marriage, and cuts in military spending. I guess those are the key issues at city hall.

Yup, I heard they throw in lots of innuendo, I guess gay bashing works in Oklahoma. Wonder what the gay community will think of Swinton using them to turn voters away from Shadid. Shadid is smart, reasonable, well spoken and independent, surely the shadow funding group can be ok with someone like this. What are they buying by trying to get Swinton in?

I can't think of anything the big money folks could want that isn't already available from the existing majority.

Did anyone see Shadid's ad in today's Gazette? It's awesome. It has a compare and contrast on issues and background with Swinton, and in it, he reminds voters that Swinton wants to push back the train to the end of the line, and that Shadid says, and I quote: "Dr. Shadid believes that MAPS-3 should be completed
as it was promised to voters, with maximum transparency, honesty and public deliberation. Needlessly delaying the rail component of MAPS-3 could cost the city $60-120 million in federal matching funds, reducing the project’s connectivity to neighborhoods."

I think the choice in this race is clear: vote for the good ole boy who's been bought by Chesapeake and wants to delay and screw up the schedule of the streetcar; or vote for the self-financed candidate who wants the MAPS subcommittees and citizen participation to guide the MAPS process. Pretty easy decision.

Go Ed!

Even if they choose the most anti-MAPS or anti-streetcar candidate it is not like they would be able to do anything by their own. They could delay the proceeding with rehashed arguments. The council most of the time is unanimous now with instances of one or two decent. I am trying to think of the last time that I even saw one that could have had a swing vote.

Even if they choose the most anti-MAPS or anti-streetcar candidate it is not like they would be able to do anything by their own. They could delay the proceeding with rehashed arguments. The council most of the time is unanimous now with instances of one or two decent. I am trying to think of the last time that I even saw one that could have had a swing vote.

I agree. Brian Walters is gone and he never stopped anything. What can Charlie Swinton do? Why do they care so much? That's what puzzles me. It's not as if he'll be a swing vote. Ed Shadid is a marvel of rationality compared to Brian Walters so why doesn't whoever is supporting Swinton save their money?

Quite right, Sid, and Jill, like you, I wonder why big money is being spent in the Ward 2 campaign. There must be a reason or else it wouldn't be being spent ... but we don't know what the reason is. I've copied the video clip for a YouTube format and it is shown below (sans the comments at the link you posted, Sid, to Ed Shadid's Facebook page), just to show the raw video of Sam Bowman which speaks for itself and really needs no embellishment. These comments were made by Ward 2 incumbent Sam Bowman who did not seek re-election, who endorsed no successor, and were made in the March 8 City Council meeting, the original source being Cox Cable Chanel 20, the Oklahoma City government's public channel. His feelings were of sufficient strength for him to make some rather strong statements, they coming from a generally fairly quiet and deliberative man. Among other things, he said,


Sam Bowman speaking on March 8
And then, in these last few weeks, big money has gotten involved to the extent, my opinion, it has just made a mockery of our city elections. * * * The people, I think, need to know who's behind the money..."

v/H2tbdQL-yGE?version=3"

Thanks for posting Doug, wow. Seems the secret money is being spent for maybe one or two reasons. Swinton will owe some big favors back or they are scared of an independent voice that cannot be bought.

Here is Ed Shadid's 3/9/2011 full page Gazette ad ... click the thumbnail for a readable view.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/CityCouncilElections/shadidad_gazette_march9vs.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/CityCouncilElections/shadidad_gazette_march9.jpg)

I've not spotted any Charlie Swinton ads yet.

the commitiee for oklahoma city momentum must just be getting it's own inertia going, their homepage (http://keepourmomentum.com/) tells you nothing about who they are or what they support.

the commitiee for oklahoma city momentum must just be getting it's own inertia going, their homepage (http://keepourmomentum.com/) tells you nothing about who they are or what they support.
I'd surely be interested in knowing (1) who its contributors are and (2) how much they've contributed, (3) what, if any, money they have contributed directly to any of the candidates, particularly (since Ward 2 is all that's left) Ward 2, and (4) how the PAC has otherwise spent its money.

I have no idea about Form C-1 filing requirements, and perhaps someone that does will chime in here. Evidently, the earlier filing time cutoff made it possible for this PAC not to file a Form C-1 since it had neither received nor distributed funds by the cutoff date. But won't another cutoff date occur before the runoff election? I don't know. But, if not, all of the contributions and expenditures of the Momentum PAC will avoid ANY public scrutiny until after the runoff election occurs. It's easy to see why Councilman Bowman made his remarks at the March 8 council meeting.

Didn't the Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum pay for several forms of advertising for Meg Salyer?

Granted most of what I have found so far has just been internet speculation, but several are indicating The Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum is the chamber of commerce and some individual corperations supporting the incumbents (except Walters), Greenwell and Swinton.

Didn't the Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum pay for several forms of advertising for Meg Salyer?
Yes it did, and, I think, for Ward 8 candidate Ryan and Ward 5 candidate Greenwell as well. Although these candidates (Salyer, Ryan, Greenwell) are on record as favoring completion of MAPS 3 as described in the city council's concurrent resolution, those wards were a bit unique: Ward 2 Salyer and Ward 8 Ryan had Tea Party/Windsor Hills Baptist Church opponents which, if elected, would have generally had the potential of upsetting the MAPS 3 program in its entirety; with Ward 5, it was a choice between the incumbent, Walters, and his opponent, Greenwell -- Walters having opposed MAPS 3 and Greenwell advocating that it be completed per the council's concurrent resolution.

But, when you get down to Ward 2, the flavors and context change a bit. Here, the issues shift from WHETHER MAPS 3 was a good/bad idea at its kernel to WHICH projects will get done as contained in council's concurrent resolution. Swinton is evidently aligned with those who emphasize the convention center receiving priority attention; Shadid is evidently aligned with those who say, complete the projects per the council's concurrent resolution, without deference favoring or disfavoring any particular project.

Thanks Doug, I incorrectly assumed that the Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum was favoring Salyer, Ryan and Greenwell because of their support for the Streetcar. If I understand you correctly, it was more so simply because they favored keeping council members who supported the whole of MAPS3, their main interest being the new convention center.

That would certainly support the idea Snowman suggested that the Committee is perhaps an ancillary arm of the Chamber of Commerce.

Thanks Doug, I incorrectly assumed that the Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum was favoring Salyer, Ryan and Greenwell because of their support for the Streetcar. If I understand you correctly, it was more so simply because they favored keeping council members who supported the whole of MAPS3, their main interest being the new convention center.

That would certainly support the idea Snowman suggested that the Committee is perhaps an ancillary arm of the Chamber of Commerce.
In fact, since the Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum has not yet made public disclosures of any type (including but not limited to the filing of Forms C-1 with the city clerk), the public is left with nothing definitive about the Momentum PAC other than the mailings it placed its name in favor of various council candidates. In my Ward 6, that included many favoring Meg Salyer (which I did also). I'd suppose that the same was true with other Momentum PAC mailers in other wards.

But, when one gets down to specifics, the Ward 2 runoff is probably the most illuminating about the Momentum PAC because it does not involve the same pack of cards which were present in Wards 5, 6, and 8. It is a different deck altogether.

All of this guessing would be immediately clarified if the Momentum PAC would lay its cards on the table ... here is "who" we are and "what we are for." But that's not likely to happen. Until it does, based on what I've seen so far, my assumption will continue to be that the Momentum PAC is aligned with the largest business interests in the city, e.g., the Oklahoman, Devon, Chesapeake, SandRidge, BankFirst, and others, and, at last, their spokesperson, the Chamber. Maybe I'm wrong about what I've just said, but that would be easy enough to clear up by the Momentum PAC simply filing a Form C-1 with the city clerk.

Since we know or have good reason to believe that the Chamber's priority in the MAPS 3 agenda was the convention center (which I favor, as well), but which was not a high priority with voters (according to polls) although the streetcar part of MAPS3 was, one could easily argue that MAPS 3 passed at least partly because the streetcar part was popular even though the convention center was not.

If that be so, the forces favoring the convention center, whoever they are, are apparently willing to throw the streetcar part "under the train," so to speak. And, to me, that's just nasty and dirty. Each will make up his/her own mind about that.

Yes it did, and, I think, for Ward 8 candidate Ryan and Ward 5 candidate Greenwell as well. Although these candidates (Salyer, Ryan, Greenwell) are on record as favoring completion of MAPS 3 as described in the city council's concurrent resolution, those wards were a bit unique: Ward 2 Salyer and Ward 8 Ryan had Tea Party/Windsor Hills Baptist Church opponents which, if elected, would have generally had the potential of upsetting the MAPS 3 program in its entirety; with Ward 5, it was a choice between the incumbent, Walters, and his opponent, Greenwell -- Walters having opposed MAPS 3 and Greenwell advocating that it be completed per the council's concurrent resolution.


A slight clarification, although Walters did oppose MAPS 3, he was on record well before this election as supporting the completion of MAPS 3 per the Council's resolution (and keeping the promises made during the campaign).

Yes, that's so, Larry.

These tactics of Swinton's stand a good chance at backfiring. Voters in municipal elections tend to be much more highly informed than voters in national or statewide elections. Not only will most of them know what a push-poll is, they'll know when they're a target of one and more often than not be able to identify the source.

I'm not in Ward 2, but I'm very impressed with Mr. Shadid, and not so much with Swinton.

I've posted this before but I think it bares repeating since people keep asking where some of the criticism of Shadid is coming from. During the runoff a Shadid volunteer knocked on my door and his pitch was that we don't need to focus so much money and energy on downtown development.

Now before people fire off a bunch of private messages to me, I've got no problem with Shadid. Seems like a decent, smart guy who would do a good job if elected. I also know he can't control what all of his volunteers are saying. However, I live pretty close to downtown so that particular message didn't work well with me but I'm sure it does with others.

I'm just posting my own experience with his campaign to show that yes there is some background to Shadid and an anti-developmental mindset.

OSU Fan and others, I think one of the problems it seems that Shadid has many volunteers that are not paid disciplined operatives, I think they use Shadid as a rorschach test for their own bias. He is a very smart, thoughtful listener, caring person. I think it would be great if we could get him to do a meet up of some kind with anyone on the forum that can make it. If you like Sam and a neighborhood focus, Shadid is the guy. I bet if anyone asks Sam or Janis privately who they hope to win, I bet it is Shadid.

OkieDave,

Bingo.

As for the push polling, if they're doing that Shadid must be polling very well. This will DEFINITELY backfire in that district; it's the second most progressive district in the state. I'm thinking Shadid can pull this out. It's going to take a lot of effort. I'm willing to volunteer.

Here is Ed Shadid's March 16 full page ad in the Oklahoma Gazette. Click the thumbnail for a more readable view.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/CityCouncilElections/shadidad_gazette_march16vs.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/CityCouncilElections/shadidad_gazette_march16.jpg)

As of March 16, I've located no newspaper ads for Charlie Swinton in the runoff. When I do, I'll post them in this thread.

I just have a side note that probably has no bearing on the election. Shadid's cousin, Anthony Shadid, is a reporter for the NY Times who is currently missing in Libya while on assignment there.

My understanding is that this evening (Sunday March 20), both candidates will be interviewed by Gwin Faulconer-Lippert on her KTOK-1000 AM show. Charlie Swinton's segment is 7:00-7:30; Ed Shadid's segment is 7:30-8:00.

To listen on the radio, tune to KTOK-AM 1000 at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 20. To listen on the internet in real time, this link should work: http://radiotime.com/station/s_35728/KTOK_1000.aspx ... after the interview, and usually a day later, podcast recordings are up for about a week at http://www.ktok.com/cc-common/podcast.html ... there, scroll to the bottom to find The Gwin Faulconer-Lippert Show which is divided into 4 30-minute segments. These interviews should segments 1 and 2.

I'll be recording both and inserting them into my March 1 Vote & Ward 2 Runoff article at this location (http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-1-city-council-election-returns.html#ktok) after converting them to a usable web format.

Yesterday morning (Saturday), before learning about these upcoming interviews, I reached the conclusion that I had enough information for me to comfortably make a decision about my own personal choice in this election. Although I'm not a Ward 2 voter (I live in Meg Salyer's Ward 6), I concluded that sufficient cause existed for me to form and publish my opinion, for whatever it may be worth. If the various regular and super-PACs take it as their business to become involved in elections city-wide, who am I not to follow their example?

My conclusion was and is that, all things considered and after sifting through everything I've been able to find ... and I've looked hard ... and knowing there will be more in the days ahead ... I have concluded that I have every confidence that Ed Shadid is the best choice for Oklahoma City.

Having come to that conclusion, I will nonetheless continue to report everything that either candidate or others (e.g., newspaper articles, editorials, etc.) have to say about which I have knowledge leading up to the April 5 runoff election in this article (http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-1-city-council-election-returns.html).

I encourage all who are interested in this election to listen to the Gwin Faulconer-Lippert interviews. Since they are not scripted, her interviews may provide the best unfiltered information that the public at large will get before reaching conclusions about which candidate will best serve not only Ward 2 but the city as a whole.

Thanks Doug, I incorrectly assumed that the Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum was favoring Salyer, Ryan and Greenwell because of their support for the Streetcar. If I understand you correctly, it was more so simply because they favored keeping council members who supported the whole of MAPS3, their main interest being the new convention center.

That would certainly support the idea Snowman suggested that the Committee is perhaps an ancillary arm of the Chamber of Commerce.
The closest thing that I've been able to find which even publicly guestimates the makeup of the Momentum committee is in an article in the City Sentinel, a weekly paper serving a broadly defined center city. In its March 9 issue (http://city-sentinel.com/?p=768), Patrick B. McGuigan, Senior Editor (http://city-sentinel.com/?page_id=32), wrote,



On the other side of the independent expenditure ledger, the Committee for Oklahoma City Momentum was very active. The group was apparently a means for Chamber of Commerce members to advance support for incumbents other than Walters, and boost Swinton in Ward 2.
We are still left to guess, though, whether Momentum is a Chamber initiative or is more narrowly a group of a few or several wealthy members of the community who do not necessarily speak for and are not necessarily representative of the Chamber as a whole. The City Sentinel is a chamber member (http://city-sentinel.com/?page_id=2), for whatever that's worth.

From Charlie Swinton's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001883730551&sk=wall), I see the following:



Robin Dorner: Will you be having a "town hall" type meeting with your opponent before the final election? I would like to attend if you do. :)

Charlie Swinton Yes, there is a Wilemans 8 neighborhood association meeting on Tuesday March 22nd at 7pm at Belle Isle library. We will both be speaking. I do not know the format for the evening. Charlie

Here are the two KTOK interviews, Swinton first, Shadid second. Since some of Shadid's comments are responsive to what Swinton had said, it would be best to listen to them in the same sequence.

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I really like Shadid.

And really, I have to question the judgment of anyone who pays attention and doesn't vote for Shadid. Apart from a few crassly partisan Democrats, who love Swinton (he's a party man), I just can't see anyone with a brain voting any other way.

I wish I could live in Ward 2 so I could vote on April 5th.

After reviewing the materials sent out by Momentum in support of Swinton and Salyer, and against Walters, I believe I now know exactly who is running it from the political side. Maybe it's already come out and I didn't notice? They're very skilled at what they do, but they're also prone to going too far in certain campaigns.

Given that, I fully expect the campaign for Swinton to backfire on him, if it hasn't already. (It looks like it already has in certain sectors of the city.)

Shadid has the upper hand here.

I have no idea about Form C-1 filing requirements, and perhaps someone that does will chime in here. Evidently, the earlier filing time cutoff made it possible for this PAC not to file a Form C-1 since it had neither received nor distributed funds by the cutoff date. But won't another cutoff date occur before the runoff election? I don't know. But, if not, all of the contributions and expenditures of the Momentum PAC will avoid ANY public scrutiny until after the runoff election occurs. It's easy to see why Councilman Bowman made his remarks at the March 8 council meeting.

Doug, yes, they will have to file a disclosure form at some point--probably right before the election. In most cases, it will be the Friday before the election. What you need to look for, however, comes from the fact that enforcement of municipal campaign financial regulations are a joke. If some group truly wanted to keep themselves "hidden" until after the election, they'll just "forget" to file the form by the required date. Once the enforcement authority comes after them, they will file the form--after the election. No real penalty, either.

If Momentum is funded and supported by the Chamber of Commerce, don't expect that to happen. If it's funded by a rag-tag group, such an outcome is much more probable. We'll likely have answers to our questions just before the election.

Call him he will answer any questions!

Midtowner, king183, Doug and others. You guys are being too reasonable. Yes Shadid is by far the best choice, but it is votes that win. Momentum/Swinton, know how to play the dirty political game, Shadid is too new and nice to know how things are about to go. People need to contact and help the campaign. Find out your friends who live between 122nd and 23rd, Broadway Extension to Portland - minus the Village and Nichols Hills. It is going to take real work, real door knocking for Shadid to win. www.voteshadid.com facebook ed shadid for city council - 2011 search

I think his voice would be powerful and most refreshing on so many issues that can really help OKC move forward! Go to this Tuesday night, probably last chance to see them together. March 22nd at 7pm at Belle Isle library

I guess it depends on what you mean by moving OKC forward. Obviously the folks over at OKC Momentum think that is through Swinton and rubberstamping their agenda. Seems they are at odds with anyone who went on record as supporting MAPS 3 as promised to the voters even though he was against it. Shadid could be seen as an obstacle to whatever their agenda is (being strictly independent and all). Know he is just one voice on the horseshoe, but Walters was just one voice too and they got him replaced.

I guess it depends on what you mean by moving OKC forward. Obviously the folks over at OKC Momentum think that is through Swinton and rubberstamping their agenda. Seems they are at odds with anyone who went on record as supporting MAPS 3 as promised to the voters even though he was against it. Shadid could be seen as an obstacle to whatever their agenda is (being strictly independent and all). Know he is just one voice on the horseshoe, but Walters was just one voice too and they got him replaced.

I'm more amazed/amused each time, it wasn't OKC Momentum that got Walters replaced, it was his poor decisions and ineffectiveness as a councilmen that got him replaced by the VOTERS.

I'm more amazed/amused each time, it wasn't OKC Momentum that got Walters replaced, it was his poor decisions and ineffectiveness as a councilmen that got him replaced by the VOTERS.

Am proud of you, at least you didn't get any factual information wrong (since you didn't include any).

RC, am sure they will be glad to hear they wasted their money in the campaign against him.

He voted the same way his constituents voted when it came to MAPS 3. He didn't lose by much at all just 447 votes.

Courtesy of Doug:

Ward 5: 29 of 29 precincts
David Greenwell 2,872 54.22% ... WINNER!
Brian Walters 2,425 45.78%

I guess it depends on what you mean by moving OKC forward. Obviously the folks over at OKC Momentum think that is through Swinton and rubberstamping their agenda. Seems they are at odds with anyone who went on record as supporting MAPS 3 as promised to the voters even though he was against it. Shadid could be seen as an obstacle to whatever their agenda is (being strictly independent and all). Know he is just one voice on the horseshoe, but Walters was just one voice too and they got him replaced.

Walters was an irrational voice. It was hard to listen to him when he spoke. Shadid is not. I'm not sure he or Swinton as one voice will have any significant impact on the Council, which is why I'm surprised anyone is spending as much money as they are to make sure one or the other is elected. It smells of paranoia to me, something I like to avoid.

Now, Shadid needs to stop talking about the money so much,and talk primarily about issues, because I think everyone is dwelling on this committee more than they should. I don't think the voters care that much about the money: they care about the issues. It makes Shadid sound a bit whiney when he keeps reiterating the money issues. I do think he and Swinton are probably closer on the issues than makes for an easy campaign, after listening to both of them on the radio show. And I do think the push-polling with discussions of his views on issues unrelated to City Council is outrageous. Again, it smacks of paranoia on the part of the Momentum committee and would certainly lead me to vote for someone other than their candidate.