At San Diego 'Green' Forum, Steve Whitburn Says Something Unexpected

San Diego, April 20 -- If all politics is local, I was in for a treat. Any event that draws over 60,000 people annually is sure to draw the attention of political candidates of all walks and stripes. Especially when there is an opportunity to focus questions and issues narrowly. Green issues have become chic in political rhetoric and promising everything photovoltaic under the sun is just what the Earth Day attendees in Balboa Park ordered.

The 2,400-seat Spreckels Organ Pavilion served as the venue for a debate between three candidates running for City Council District 3 -- Steve Whitburn, Paul Broadway and Todd Gloria. While other candidates running for the seat were invited, they did not choose to attend the forum sponsored by the Sierra Club, San Diego Earth Works and The Network of Spiritual Progressives.

As I looked around the amphitheater at the 50 or so people that had chosen to take an hour out of their beautiful San Diego day to attend the forum, I thought there might actually be an opportunity for these candidates to say something substantive. No such luck in their opening statements.

Paul Broadway, who is by far the least traditionally polished in the race, lamented the recent change in MTS pricing and the removal of transfers. He promoted the idea of new housing developments having more sustainable systems like gray water recycling and photovoltaic systems, an idea that would be echoed by the other candidates.

Steve Whitburn was the only candidate on the stage to wear a blazer, and that made sense. He rattled off a series of endorsements that would make his case for him, notable among them the Sierra Club and Donna Frye.

Todd Gloria seemed to be the smoothest speaker amongst the candidates. Speaking without notes, he rattled off his service in the local communities and his long service to popular Congresswoman Susan Davis' office. Mr. Gloria seems to have all the right qualities for a District 3 council member, yet I'm not sure he's going to get it done.

What I really came to see was the question and answer session with local citizens, because anyone who shows up to such a small gathering usually comes with a lot of fervor. In this respect, I was not disappointed.

San Diegans have a great deal going on that keeps the vast majority from being powerfully engaged on a regular basis. There's the sun, beaches, beautiful out doors among the more exciting things to do. My fellow citizens who came out to ask questions of these candidates came prepared.

The most interesting comment, discussion and rebuttal came from a concerned citizen who had been haranguing various candidates and surrogates before the forum. It was what I had been waiting for nearly an hour in the hot sun to hear.

Citing the date, April 20, 2008, he asked if any candidate would, within three months, mandate that enforcement of laws, relating to marijuana be the San Diego Police Department's lowest priority.

Given San Diego's political climate, the county board of supervisors lead a charge against the state's medical marijuana law , this could be the contentious "green" issue of the day.

Before the moderator turned the question over to the candidates you could see Mr. Gloria and Mr. Whitburn's omnipresent smiles become a little more genuine. As if they could see this question coming from a mile away when this visibly energized man arrived at the forum earlier in the morning.

Paul Broadway, true to his unorthodox campaign format, stated emphatically that recreational marijuana use should be free and legal, taxed like alcohol. The other two candidates couched their answers in terms of medical marijuana, stating that enforcement of medical users should not be a priority.

Pressed further, a remarkable thing happened. The buttoned down Democratic Party polished candidate, Steve Whitburn, actually said that possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use shouldn't be anything close to a high priority for the Police Department.

While I sat there in the sun for over an hour, that five second non-political statement by Mr. Whitburn was the most interesting thing I heard all day.