The LeftAhead Campaign Series

Along with Mike and Lynne, I do a podcast each week on political topics both statewide and national. Today at 2:30, for example, we're talking about the Presidential election and the greyhound ballot initiative. In the past, we've brought on all sorts of guests to help enlighten our listeners and foster conversation. We look forward to doing more of that in the future, especially as a means to prepare us all for this year's elections.

Back in April, as the first in a series, we brought on State Senate candidate Sonia Chang-Diaz to talk about her race and the important issues in the campaign. BlogLeftMass, the loose coalition of Bay State progressive bloggers that the three of us are a part of, has often held and cosponsored important candidate forums. Lynne, Mike and I intend to continue in that role, by bringing people on air and storing their interviews online so people can go back to them throughout the campaign.

Our on-air candidate interviews are a little different (indeed, better) than the traditional debate or forum. Instead of putting everyone on all at once, enforcing strict rules on how long they can talk for, we're going to invite them all on for either an entire show or half a show. If their opponents are willing to come on, they will either get their own show or half of one. That way, each candidate will have the time to say as much as they need on any given topic, instead of giving them two minutes on how they'll cure the mortgage lending crisis.

In that vein, I'm excited to announce the next in the series of invited campaign guests. She's been working a true grassroots campaign in a day and age when that's not so easy to do so. Next week's guest, on Tuesday, July 8th, will be Christine Dorchak, Chair of the Committee to Protect Dogs. On the ballot this year will be a question which, if passed, will eliminate greyhound racing, a "sport" that's lead to 800 injured Greyhounds since Massachusetts passed a bill requiring race tracks to report injuries. The citizens initiative lost by perhaps the closest margin in Bay State Ballot Question history - since then, Greyhound Racing wagers have gone down by tens of millions at each of this state's two dog tracks. Christine will be able to talk in depth about the issues as well as discuss why all the dogs are truly going to win this time.