Friday, April 24, 2009

Ned Lamont in Mansfield, Connecticut on President Obama's 1st 100 Days

Ned Lamont on President Obama’s 1st 100 Days
A Talk Nation Radio special broadcast April 22, 2009



Will Ned Lamont run for Governor against Republican Jodi Rell? Speaking in Mansfield Connecticut, a tanned Ned Lamont had just returned from the Middle East. He spoke about his visits to Israel and the occupied West Bank and Gaza strip, as well as Syria and Lebanon. Lamont made the journey with Mercy Corps, a non-governmental organization that helps with small business development. He is a board member of the NGO that has been aiding Gazan war victims.


Ned Lamont on President Obama’s 1st 100 Days
Featuring student government leader Jason Ortiz, of Storrs, CT.

Total Running Time 29:42
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See story on CTNEWSJUNKIE.COM April 26, 2009
Ned Lamont in Mansfield Connecticut April 22, 2009

As he looked at the first 100 days of the Obama administration with a critical eye Ned Lamont spoke very candidly about his disappointment over some of the Iraq War rhetoric that went on during his race as the Democratic candidate for US Senate against Independent Senator Joe Lieberman. That closely watched race in 2006 unnerved many state and national Dems hoping to see change in Washington and following the McCain/Obama race intently. But at the moment Lamont seems highly confident about the Obama administration, hopeful about America’s future and the role of Connecticut in that future, and by the way, more interested in the Governor’s seat here now than in the U.S. Senate.

Ned Lamont has said he will make a decision about whether or not to run against Connecticut Republican Jodi Rell shortly. When asked about his further interest in the US Senate, and the current battle heating up between Chris Dodd and Republicans such as Rob Simmons, Lamont quipped, “I’m much more interested in State of Connecticut politics right now.” The twinkle in his eyes, however, suggests he is looking forward to the campaigning that is about to begin.

REGULAR LISTENERS OF TALK NATION RADIO PLEASE TAKE NOTE: This program was produced in Mansfield at our new Talk Nation Radio studios! Special thanks to Pacifica Network and Ursula Rudenberg for her help and guidance over the years as well as others in the Pacifica broadcast family. More below.

Ned Lamont spoke before about fifty people at the First Church of Christ in Mansfield, Connecticut known affectionately as ‘Charlie’s Church’ for local peace activist and educator Charles W. Prewitt. (See ecsu scholarships)Prewitt has taught peace studies at both UCONN and ECSU, Eastern Connecticut State University, for years.

The event organizers were George H. Rawitscher, PHD, of Citizens for Global Solutions and the UNA, write to him at, george.rawitscher@uconn.edu and John Meyers, President of the UNA or United Nations Association, write to him at john.meyers@yahoo.com.

Professor Rawitscher explained that the program was organized as part of an ongoing series on political action and other concerns about our Connecticut society. He said, "we are quite happy to have with us quite well informed people." Then introduced a panel of respondents including John Meyers, President of the 'sister' organization or 'brother' which is the United Nations Association.

Elizabeth Paterson, Mayor of Mansfield. In her fifth term, she has been mayor for more than ten years. She is also president of the Connecticut Council of Conference of Cities, and on the executive board of the national league of cities. So she has quite an involvement in many areas of social concerns.

State Rep.Susan Johnson of the 49th Assembly District had also been scheduled to be a respondent but she was unable to attend because Congress was in session.

Mark Paquette, Executive Director, WINCOG, Windham Region Council of Government, helped local residents learn more about how to participate with Obama administration stimulus packages and incentives to students and state residents.

UCONN: Two student representatives participated. They were from USG, UCONN Student Government.

Andrew Elash, President of the UCONN College Democrats.
Jason Ortiz, Senator in Undergraduate Student Government, and Chair of the Multicultural Affairs subcommittee of the USG,
Undergraduate Student Government, Unit 3008SG, 2110 Hillside Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3008

Would Connecticut lawmakers of the future support the founding of a State Bank, like the one North Dakota has?

After Lamont’s talk we had the opportunity to ask him about the question of founding a state bank, something a previous guest on the program, Ellen Hodgson Brown, had discussed. North Dakota has a state bank which has helped the state remain solvent through the current economic crisis. Lamont’s reply was that it seemed like a positive idea for consideration.

University of Connecticut undergraduate student government comptroller, Jason Ortiz, speaks about ways to save money in the state through decriminalization of marijuana, something state residents support. He also drew heavy praise for his presentation on the UCONN program and state educational services in general.

Mansfield is Obama country in general. It’s Mayor, Elizabeth Paterson, is a strong supporter who attended the inauguration of Barack Obama in Washington D.C.

We are pleased to announce that we are now a fully independent radio workshop intending to cover state and national elections as well as state, national and international news. The show has been continuously produced in Connecticut since 2003, largely at the University of Connecticut. Special thanks to all the staff and members of UCONN’s WHUS and to the University of Connecticut, home of the Huskies!

Look for more information from us soon on how we are expanding our coverage of elections, politics, and more! Thank you for your patience and for airing Talk Nation Radio. We will be building up our web site too so that we can link to other stations that have been airing our programs for many years now.

Contact Talk Nation Radio at talknationradio@gmail.com with any questions. We do not anticipate any further delays in our broadcast schedule, however, donations would be mightily appreciated as we begin to work with more local producers and writers.

Over the past six years we have been assisted by many local radio experts including John Schwenk who is now with WRTC in Hartford at Trinity College, former WHUS radio show host Richard Sherman, local journalist David Morse, national reporter Dahr Jamail, a list of contributors too long to mention but who have always made themselves available for us, Ilene Proctor, of Ilene Proctor and Associates, and peace activist Miriam Kurland of Mansfield, CT.

We have also had the continued editorial and logistical as well as financial backing of my husband Joseph Smith.

Thanks and Peace!
Dori Smith

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1 comment:

  1. We need a leader in Connecticut to help our state lead the way into a cultural, political and economic change where individuals, communities, towns, regions and states are encouraged and provided opportunities to work collaboratively (instead of competetively against each other) to develop and support local sustainable businesses, projects and initiatives to develop solutions to environmental, energy, social and economic problems in our society. We need to leave the paradigm of the military industrial corporate control of our lives behind and develop a new paradigm where our Earth and its inhabitants work together compassionately and collaboratively to make the world better for all.... beginning with our own state. Our current governor, Jodi Rell, is failing at being that kind of leader. I wonder, does Ned Lamont have what it takes to take on that very, very huge leadership.... resisting all those corporate right wing money and power that spread propaganda and undermine every effort toward real progress of humanity and earth?

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