Because you love politics here is a "sneak peek" of my opening script for tonight's election broadcast to be delivered live to Albuquerque and north central New Mexico over KANW 89.1 FM Thanks for visting and let your friends know about us (joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com)



GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO LIVE, CONTINUOS COVERAGE OF THE 2003 ALBUQUERQUE MUNICIPAL ELECTION. THE POLLS ARE CLOSED. I’M JOE MONAHAN.

WHAT A TOWN WITHOUT PITY CAN DO. ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A FIVE HUNDRED POUND GORILLA CALLED THE CITIZENS FOR GREATER ALBUQUERQUE. FOR IT WAS IN THIS CITY ELECTION THAT THIS GROUP OF DEVELOPERS, REALTORS AND CONTRACTORS STUCK THEIR HEADS OUT THE WINDOW AND YELLED: ‘WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WERE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THE YELLING, CGA PAINTED THE TOWN RED WITH NEGATIVE RAGE MAIL TO THE TUNE OF 125 GRAND. IF THEIR CANDIDATES DON’T MAKE IT TONIGHT, THAT WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE THERAPY.

BUT IT SEEMED ALL OF THE DUKE CITY NEEDED TO BE PUT ON THE COUCH DURING THIS CAMPAIGN. THE DIAGNOSIS: SPLIT PERSONALITY. OUR FAIR VILLAGE WAS TORN ASUNDER BY PRO-GROWTH VERSUS SLOW GROWTH. FOR PASEO OR AGAINST PASEO, TOO MUCH FOR THE WEST SIDE, OR TOO LITTLE FOR THE WEST SIDE.

THE TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN RISING IN CITY POLITICS SINCE THEY DID AWAY WITH THE RUN-OFF SYSTEM AND CANDIDATES COULD GET ELECTED WITH 20 PER CENT OF THE VOTE. NOT EXACTLY WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED FOR UNITY. 2003 WAS ANOTHER NEW LOW POINT, WITH CGA MONEY TRYING TO BUY THE ELECTION. AND ANTI-PASEO MONEY TRYING TO DIVIDE IT.

BUT THERE IS NO DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE TO CURE WHAT AILS OUR BODY POLITIC IN RIVER CITY. THE MAYOR , HOBBLED BY THE ABQPAC SCANDAL AND SOUR RELATIONS WITH THE COUNCIL, IS FIGHTING HIS OWN FIGHTS. ON THE COUNCIL A PANEL OF NEWCOMERS CAN’T GET THE PRESCRIPTION RIGHT FOR BEING NICE TO ONE ANOTHER, OR FOR GETTING THE JOB DONE.

INTO THIS WHIRL OF DISSENSION, BITTERNESS AND ESOTERIC RIVALRIES COMES THE BIG MONEY THAT DOMINATED THIS CAMPAIGN. WHEN POLITICIANS CAN’T WORK TOGETHER THE RESULT IS UNCERTAINTY, WHICH BRINGS FEAR WHICH BRINGS OVERREACTION.

A CITY COUNCILOR GETS 900 BUCKS A MONTH AND ALL THE E MAIL HE CAN ANSWER. THE CAMPAIGNS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE NEIGHBORHOOD ORIENTED BUT THE SYSTEM HAS BECOME POLLUTED WITH BIG MONEY AND DEPRESSINGLY NEGATIVE TACTICS THAT HAVE INFECTED ALL OTHER ELECTIONS.

WE CAN HOPE THE DOCTOR SAYS ‘THIS TOO SHALL PASS--ITS NOT THE WHOLE SYSTEM, JUST A BAD VIRUS.” THAT’S WHAT SUPPORTERS OF THE PROPOSED UNIFICATION OF THE CITY AND BERNALILLO COUNTY WERE SPINNING. BUT NOT MANY HEARD AS THAT MAIL-IN ELECTION COINCIDED WITH THE CITY BALLOTING, WHICH CAME ON THE HEELS OF A SPECIAL STATE ELECTION.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN ALL THAT? THAT DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, FORMER GOVERNOR DAVE CARGO, PUTS IT THIS WAY: “PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO LOVE POLITICS, THEY JUST DON’T LOVE GOVERNING.”

GATHERED AT OUR TRADITIONAL ROUNDTABLE TONIGHT ARE MY DOCTORS OF LA POLITICA. IT’S A SPECIALIZED AREA AND ITS MEMBERS HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN TREATING NEGATIVE ATTACKS, FOOT IN MOUTH DISEASE AND OTHER AFFLICTIONS RELEVANT TO THEIR FIELD. TOP NEW MEXICO LOBBYIST SCOTT SCANLAND SAYS THE WHOLE ELECTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILMED FOR A FUTURE EPISODE OF ER, STATE REPRESENTATIVE LARRY LARRANGA THINKS AFTER THIS CAMPAIGN, THE MAILBOXES IN TOWN NEED TO BE STERILIZED. AND FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER LENTON MALRY BELIEVES WHEN IT COMES TO CITY POLITICS, LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE. HE'S GOT THAT RIGHT.


NOW IT'S OVER TO MY FRIEND AND BROADCAST COLLEAGUE SCOTT SCANLAND FOR THE FIRST PROGNOSIS OF ELECTION 2003...SCOTT