Mayor Francis G. Slay, who is running for reelection as a Democrat on the April 7 ballot, has been invited to two candidates’ forums before the election, organized by Metropolitan Congregations United and the League of Women Voters, respectively.
Will he attend either or both?
His spokesman Ed Rhode referred the question to his campaign manager (and former chief of staff) Jeff Rainford, who has not returned a call to this paper since early January and did not return a call about the candidates’ forums.
If Slay attends either forum, it will be the first time he faced any of his challengers publicly during this entire election cycle.
Previously, he did not attend a debate organized by the Mound City Bar Association, the oldest African-American legal association west of the Mississippi, citing a scheduling conflict.
Rhode and Rainford repeatedly have ignored requests to specify what was more important than debating his challengers, who included Irene J. Smith and Maida Coleman, both African Americans.
Slay defeated Smith in the low-turnout Democratic primary and faces Coleman (running as an Independent) and other candidates on April 7.
Slay also did not show at the Sumner High School Town Hall Meeting held at the Tandy Center, the Roosevelt High School Town Hall Meeting or the Tower Grove East Neighborhood Association candidate forum.
Interestingly, Slay passed up the Roosevelt High School forum to attend a U.S. Conference of Mayors event in Washington, D.C. and the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Yet when President Obama invited the mayors (including Slay) to meet personally with him and his cabinet at the White House to discuss how the economic stimulus funds will be administered to cities, Slay stayed in St. Louis to attend a fundraiser and his annual Mardi Gras Ball.
Rainford has failed to return calls asking for an explanation of that decision.
As Irene J. Smith and License Collector Michael McMillan have pointed out, both of the public events Slay attended in St. Louis instead were held in the evening (on Thursday, Feb. 19 and Friday, Feb. 20) and the mayors’ forum led by President Obama was held during the day on Feb. 20, so Slay should have been able to attend both campaign events in St. Louis and still benefit from a personal meeting with the U.S. president and his staff regarding the multi-billion-dollar stimulus package.
“Why wasn’t he able to do both?” McMillan asked.
“I know his Mardi Gras Ball is a charitable event, but why couldn’t he have met with President Obama in the White House that morning and then flown back to St. Louis?”
No comments
Here is another question regarding the mayor’s series of no-shows at public events in St. Louis featuring other candidates during this election cycle: Should an incumbent mayor of a struggling city who has been avoiding public forums be encouraged to discuss the issues before the public when running for reelection?
This question was posed repeatedly to a large number of elected officials, business leaders and stakeholders in St. Louis.
While a number of black elected officials insisted that the mayor should be encouraged to discuss the issues in public at a candidates’ forum, it is remarkable how many powerful people declined themselves to encourage the mayor to face the public and his challengers and discuss the many issues that beset the city and region.
Dick Fleming, president of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, and Kathy Osborn, president of the Regional Business Council – the region’s two chief business organizations – both ignored two requests for comment.
Post-Dispatch editor Arnie Robbins also did not respond.
Gilbert Bailon, who edits the Editorial page for the Post-Dispatch, said, “We’re still gathering information about the race.”
A spokesperson for U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill said she would bring it up with the senator, but then did not respond.
A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay said “the congressman does not get involved with local races.”
A spokesman for Gov. Jay Nixon and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder were approached twice. Neither responded.
Both the Missouri Democratic Party and the Missouri Republican Party were approached for comment and did not respond.
Mark Wrighton, chancellor of Washington University, Fr. Lawrence Biondi, president of Saint Louis University, and Tom George, chancellor of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, were contacted twice through media representatives. None responded.
Major Slay donor Rex Sinquefield was contacted through a public relations representative and did not respond.
Three major developers with substantial investment in the city, who are Slay donors – Bob Clark of Clayco, Scott Wilson of S.M. Wilson & Co. and Paul McKee Jr. of McEagle – were asked if the mayor should publicly discuss the issues. Clark ignored the request, Wilson fell silent when told his comments would be on the record, and McKee said he had not been involved in the election.
Indeed, among non-black stakeholders contacted for comment, only three responded: Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, state Sen. Jeff Smith and Robert Archibald, president of the Missouri History Museum.
Joyce said the decision “is both a personal and politically strategic one” and that she respects “each candidate’s decision as to how he/she chooses to run his/her campaign.”
Smith did encourage the mayor to participate in a public discussion – “Yes, the mayor should discuss the issues in a public forum before the election,” he said – though he managed to fold an endorsement into his response, adding, “It’s a great opportunity for him to compare his vision for the city with that of his three opponents, and to show why he is the superior candidate.”
While not addressing the current mayoral election directly, Archibald said, “Public debate has always been a crucial component of the process through which voters in this democracy have decided how to mark their ballots on election day.”
Black elected officials
Slay’s two colleagues on the city’s chief fiscal body, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, responded in general terms of approval for public forums, without addressing Slay’s apparent refusal to participate.
“In general, citizens should be as informed as possible when making a voting decision, and debates and forums do add to the process,” Aldermanic President Lewis Reed said.
Comptroller Darlene Green said, “Candidate debates are designed to allow the public to hear from the people who are seeking office to serve them. I believe this to be a forum in which candidates would want to be heard.”
License Collector Michael McMillan – seen by many as the best bet to defeat Slay in 2009, had he filed for mayor – was more pointed.
“Whenever you are talking about electing the CEO of a city that governs with almost $1 billion of the people’s money and also involves our entire region, we deserve an open and honest discussion of where we have been and what is the plan for where you are going,” McMillan said.
Alderman Terry Kennedy, who chairs the black caucus on the Board of Aldermen, said Slay should be encouraged to face the public. “That’s supposed to be the democratic process,” he said.
Alderwoman April Ford-Griffin – who surprised some by endorsing Slay in the primary – also encouraged him to finally participate in a forum.
“I think the mayor should participate in a public forum and/or debate because it allows for discussion of the issues that are of importance to the people,” Ford-Griffin said.
“For an incumbent, you should be able to stand on your record and explain your position on the issues.”
Metropolitan Congregations United candidates’ forum will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 29 at 2nd Presbyterian Church, at the corner of Westminster and Taylor.
The League of Women Voters candidates’ forum will be held 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, March 30, at Central Library, 1301 Olive St.
Should Mayor Slay face the public?
“Citizens should be as informed as possible when making a voting decision, and debates and forums do add to the process.” – Aldermanic President Lewis Reed
“I believe this to be a forum in which candidates would want to be heard.” – Comptroller Darlene Green
“We deserve an open and honest discussion of where we have been and what is the plan for where you are going.” – License Collector Michael McMillan
“Yes, the mayor should discuss the issues in a public forum before the election.” – state Sen. Jeff Smith
“I think he should participate. That’s supposed to be the democratic process.” – Alderman Terry Kennedy
“For an incumbent, you should be able to stand on your record and explain your position on the issues.” – Alderwoman April Ford-Griffin