Inside the editorial page

What's on the minds of TNT editorial writers

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

Posted by Cheryl Tucker @ 05:08:24 pm

Here’s a curious reason to vote for a candidate: Because she’s younger.

At least that’s the insinuation in a letter sent to Lakewood voters signed by Lakewood City Councilmen John Arbeeny, Ron Cronk and Pad Finnigan. It supports fellow Lakewood Cares member Lisa Ikeda over Mayor Claudia Thomas for Position 6.

Their letter reads, in part:

Lisa is in her middle thirties while the average age of the council is around 60. Her generation is not represented on the council, yet it will have to live with today’s council decisions. It is important that the council reflect the energy and vision of the “younger" set in the city.

What the three signees don’t mention is their own role in the ripeness of the council. Let’s just be nice and say that they aren’t exactly spring chickens either. Although Arbeeny is retiring from the council, the other two better hope that age isn’t an issue if they seek re-election.

Curiously, the three also endorse another Lakewood Cares candidate, J. Paul Wagemann – even though he’s obviously quite a bit older than the Position 7 incumbent, Walter Neary. Age apparently isn’t an issue for them in that race.

The letter very well could backfire in Lakewood, where the electorate tends to be older and retired. At least one can hope that voters reject this really low blow against the much-respected Thomas, the state's first black female mayor.

Categories: Taking notice • 1 comment

COMMENTS:

Comment by sloremodeler @ 19:55 - Monday, October 22nd, 2007

Their flyer actually helped me out a lot. Once I saw who they were endorsing, I then knew to vote for the other candidate. These flakes are practically making a nonpartisan race into one by essentially creating a slate of candidates. Bad news. At least Arbeeny is leaving.

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Inside the editorial page

Inside the editorial page

This blog is designed to give readers a glimpse of our editorial-page operation and how we make our decisions. We’ll let you know who we’re meeting with, what they’re telling us, what events and issues we’re looking at. We’ll also pass on information and observations that may not make our print editions. In addition to the editorial board members who post on this blog, the board includes Publisher Cheryl Dell and Executive Editor David Zeeck.

Contributing bloggers

Editorial page editor David Seago joined The News Tribune in 1967. He oversees the daily editorial and letters pages and the Sunday Insight section. E-mail him at david.seago@thenewstribune.com.

Chief editorial writer Patrick O’Callahan came to The News Tribune in 1987 and has worked at Washington newspapers since 1979. He writes the editorial board’s annual civic agenda published at the beginning of each year. E-mail him at patrick.ocallahan@thenewstribune.com

Editorial writer Cheryl Tucker began her journalism career in 1974 at a Virginia newspaper and came to The News Tribune in 1978. She is responsible for day-to-day production of the editorial and op-ed pages and editing letters to the editor. E-mail her at cheryl.tucker@thenewstribune.com.

Editorial writer Kim Bradford joined The News Tribune in 2005 after working 11 years at newspapers in Washington and Maryland. She manages this blog. E-mail her at kim.bradford@thenewstribune.com.