FC: Harry Browne to exit biased Web White and Blue online debate?

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[Forwarded to me by Jack. I'll send a response from the WWB folks if one is 
forthcoming. --Declan]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jack Dean" <JackDean () HarryBrowne2000 org>
To: "Peter Orvetti" <peter () orvetti com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 2:54 PM
Subject: Rolling Cyber Debate


Dear Peter,

I assume that you are the person I should talk to about this, but if not
please either re-direct me or forward this message.

We have been getting a LOT of messages from supporters complaining about
the third-tier candidate ghetto that Harry Browne has been relegated to
on the WWB site. Some people have said they missed the Harry Browne
listing altogether when they first visited the site. Plus, because of
the nearly invisible billing, it's difficult to enthuse people to write
copy for the WWB site each day.

It has been disturbing that Harry hasn't had better billing. And
puzzling. Because I thought the whole idea of the site was to provide a
non-partisan, level playing field for the 7 candidates who have a
mathematical chance of winning the election. If this is the case, then
why are there 3 different categories of candidates? Why aren't all the
candidates featured equally? Who made the decision to do this, and based
on what?

I'm also puzzled as to why Ralph Nader would continue to rate
positioning in Tier 2 with a photo when he has made no effort to
participate. (BTW, wouldn't it seem appropriate to move Harry into that
slot next to Buchanan -- with whom he's been running neck-and-neck?)

Demands upon our staff have increased tremendously as we enter this last
week of campaigning. We can't do everything. Priorities have to be set.
Unlike the Bush, Gore, Buchanan and Nader campaigns which are being
funded by over $150 million of our tax dollars, we rely entirely on
private contributions and don't have extra funds to squander on
frivolous or meaningless exercises.

So we've re-assessed WWB. At this point, if Harry is given equal billing
at least to Nader and Buchanan, we have determined that it would be
worth reallocating some of our scarce resources to participate more
actively in WWB through election day. However, if that's not going to
happen, I'm afraid we will have to totally withdraw from participation
in this project.

I had high hopes for this project when it was announced. I thought that
the Markle Foundation had identified a way to use the Internet to level
the playing field for serious alternative party candidates in a way that
the old media just won't do. Instead, the old media mindset has just
been transferred to a new media environment.

So unless you can tell me this evening that a change will be made in
Harry's positioning on the WWB home page, we will plan to officially end
our participation in the WWB Rolling Cyber Debate as of midnight
tonight.

Cordially,

Jack Dean
Harry Browne 2000




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