No politico in his right mind would advise Allentown Mayoral candidate Nat Hyman to refuse the free coverage The Morning Call was offering to provide in his race. So on Monday, I thought he was making a mistake when he said he would refuse to participate in a series of articles. He thought the paper was acting unethically in a poll, even one that placed him in the lead.
In addition to publisher Robert York's explanation, columnist Bill White attempted to clarify things in a thoughtful piece that explained quite nicely what bothered Hyman. Bill probably explained Hyman's concerns better than the candidate himself could do. It certainly was a sign of good faith. So Hyman will cooperate. He is still going to get the coverage and the newspaper itself presented his objections to the poll, which are certainly well-taken. So maybe he did exactly what he should have done.
Hyman sent me this message for publication.
After reading Bill White's clarification of the paper's position in his column in today's paper and giving the matter further consideration, I have been persuaded that the Morning Call may not have been acting unethically or dishonestly when it published its front page article about the Mayor's race on Thursday October 5th. I do believe that article was terribly misleading and an inaccurate depiction of the polling numbers of this race, and that their article on Sunday, which painted an entirely different picture, was an attempt to set the record straight.
I am willing to give the Morning Call the benefit of the doubt that we simply have a disagreement about the way the numbers were presented. Accordingly, I have informed them that I will participate in their coverage of the mayoral race.
There are two good candidates running in this race, Hyman and Ray O'Connell. What hamstrings Ray is that he is counting on the people of Allentown to write him in. But I'd be delighted to see either Ray or Nat as Mayor.
15 comments:
"I am willing to give the Morning Call the benefit of the doubt "
Well thank you, your majesty. Did Lord Hyman decide to come down from his lofty perch at the Country Club and agree to be covered by the Morning Call Hillary Clinton in pants? No wait, Hillary wears pants also?
What kind of politician is Hyman? No, wait, he's not a politician, is he? That's right, he's a "businessman". Well, whatever, if you run for public office, you're a politician. and you play by the rules of politicians. That means you participate in The Morning Call's "coverage", such as it is.
But then, why should he? He's running as a Republican in Allentown, and he'll get the coverage a Republican normally gets in Allentown. But also, this really isn't a "normal" election is it? The Democrats have a crook in the Mayor's office. But then, is that really news? Oh hell, what difference does it really make anyay? Ed's going to win, and in a month, Hyman will be back looking for industrial sites to turn into apartments. Maybe he can do something with those old Mack Plants on south Tenth perhaps? Or the old Traylor Engineering complex that Obama went to years ago? No one else wants them.
I am convinced Ed will not win. Hyman will get good coverage because he's the frontrunner. Other than that I agree 100% with 5:51 am.
5:51, A person who does not sign his comment knows very little about things like integrity and honesty. Those principles mean nothing to authoritarian Donald Trump or his followers, people like you, but I am glad to see they still matter to some.
I found Hyman's exasperation at the Morning Call poll results completely understandable, in light of their previous editorial outlining the coverage guidelines. When the paper and Bill White had to resort to equations to explain their results, it certainly was much less than straightforward. Hyman's reconsideration on this issue demonstrates a flexibility that I see as a positive.
My view is that Bill White explained Nat Hyman's objections better than anyone else, which the paper would never have done if it was trying to slant the race. And even if the paper is trying to move it towards Ray or Fed Ed, Hyman should take every opportunity he can get to get his name out there. As one of my former legal mentors once told me, "All press is good press, even bad press." People know Fed Ed, and he is going to have a certain percentage of voters who will go for him no matter what. Ray is better known than Hyman, too, and has a strong base of support on the west end. Hyman can take this opportunity to get himself out there and let people know who he is. People who throw flyers away will be more receptive to what the candidates say in this format.
Gnat Hyman came to his senses.
Admittedly, I not big on integrity or honesty.
I'm another Anon. For Pawlowski !!!!!!
Any word on who Ken Heffenfarter is supporting?
Mr. Heffentragger, who's probably done far more foe the city than you have, and the Allentown Tenants Association, have endorsed John Ingram.
Hyman seems to be a snotty rich condescending country clubber. If you think he's getting my vote or most of the people in my neighborhood, you're a rich white supervoter. We run Allentown now and that's not going to change. The old white guys don't like us anyway, theuy're all racists.
WAHHH! WAHHH! Looks like Whinin' Hyman got a clean diaper.
@ 3:46 pm
The Allentown Tenants Assn.
You mean little clique with two people on it?
I love how Heffenfarter thinks it us some big conglomerate and he’s always quick to point out that he was the cofounder with that other noodnick.
If the farter is ‘endorsing’ Ingram then I’m backing Fed Ed
Robert Trotner said...
Mr. Heffentragger, who's probably done far more foe the city than you have, and the Allentown Tenants Association, have endorsed John Ingram.
Anybody who has a job and pays taxes and has never been arrested has automatically done more for the city than the farter.
I agree with 9:59.
Exactly who Heffentrager endorses for anything is hardly something that concerns me. He is a criminal who has still failed to pay his costs or make any effort to do despite his promise to do so when he himself was running for Council. He is a phony. I am more than willing to give any criminal a second chance, but not when he refuses to pay his debt to society or when he lies about it.
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