Bob Freeman & Ron Shegda in Grave Cellar Debate

Last night's public tête-à-tête between Pennsylvania state representative Bob Freeman and challenger Ron Shegda had all the makings of a sleepfest. For one thing, it was conducted in a frickin' "grave cellar" at some Easton church. I half-expected to be sitting with a bunch of dead bodies. Aside from a few borough mayors, the grave cellar was filled with seventy very live bodies and decaffienated coffee, as we all waited for the showdown. By evening's end, Bob Freeman was very nearly assaulted, people were screaming and a church sexton was ready to knock someone out. My kind of debate!

That was a shocker in a debate run by the LV League of Women Voters and AAUW, which ask questions like "How about those energy rates?" They do allow the audience to submit questions on index cards, but we were told that "All card questions must be respectful and written with dignity." How the hell do I write with dignity? Do I put on a suit?

For years, I've submitted question after question to the LWV. They've always ended up in the trash. Maybe tonight would be my lucky night. In my best handwriting, I penned a question asking why county human services are being shortchanged by the state.

Once the debate started, Freeman exuded a quiet confidence about state issues. revealing himnself as a very careful and detail-oriented thinker. At times he was eloquent, quoting Humphrey and FDR. Yes, his thinking his liberal, but what impresses me about Freeman isd the same quality I find most impressive in Congressman Charlie Dent. Both of these public servants take their jobs seriously, work very hard, understand the issues and have thoughtful responses. They understand that they work for us, and not the other way around.

Shegda, who did appear to be more relaxed and friendly than I expected, was in way over his head. For a guy who has been running for this job for the last two years, he was pitifully unprepared. He seems to think elimination of property taxes is the answer to every question. His idea of alternative energy is digging for coal. At his low point, Shegda actually claimed young people are "invincible" and need no health insurance. That elicited a few boos. When asked whether county seats are entited to some kind of tax relief because of the large number of tax exempt properties, the challenger simply did not understand the question. In contrast, Freeman has introduced legislation to provide some relief to places like Easton, where 27% of the property is tax exempt.

When audience questions were posed at the end of the debate, one Shegda supporter got very upset and insisted on reading his own question. He wanted to know why Freeman never answered a letter written over six years ago. It was a question about diabetes.

"Gee, my office is pretty good about answering mail," is all Freeman got out before this dude got really upset and started screaming, getting closer and closer to Freeman, accusing him of medical fraud. People tried to quiet the guy down, but he got more upset, claiming that Freeman is a "smooth talker like Obama" and a "son of a bitch."

He was so loud that the church sexton came flying down from his apartment, where he was praying or reading the Bible or something. He walked the guy off the property and told me later he had been ready to drop him.

Praise the Lord!

My question was scheduled right after the one this idiot posed, but how can I top that? I told them all we should be watching the Phillies and ran out of the "grave cellar."