The Presentation
I can’t remember exactly what year it was when Oklahoma City came very, very, very close to losing the American Indian Cultural Center to Edmond. This is a story that might offend someone I’ve known for a long time – someone I like – Pat Downes. But truth be told, and I think he knows this, he was off his game when he led the pitch for the Oklahoma River to become home to the future museum. Edmond, meanwhile, did a razzle-dazzle that almost sealed the deal then and there.
Then Mayor Kirk Humphreys got reports of the presentations and immediately went to work making the deal his own personal mission to revive Oklahoma City’s chances. And sure enough, Oklahoma City ultimately prevailed.
I don’t know Rick Cain, director of COTPA and MetroTransit, to be anything but a good man. But he’s no Mike Knopp. And as Blair Humphreys noted on his blog www.imaginativeamerica.com, Knopp, who will someday be honored with a statue of him along the river for his accomplishments, did far better pitching his vision for how the waterway might fit into a MAPS 3 ballot than did Cain according to multiple sources who were in attendance at the recent Greater Oklahoma City Chamber retreat.
Now, does this translate into transit being left off the ballot? I don’t think so. But it might have a tougher road ahead according to some I’ve talked to. Observers say the case for transit was greatly weakened when Burns Hargis reduced his civic involvement locally to take the reins as president at Oklahoma State University. Burns Hargis was a big time transit advocate, was well liked and influential, and happened to be past chairman of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.
So who is to take up this cause? Mayor Mick Cornett, when pressed, says transit will be a part of any MAPS 3. He’s not saying to what degree, however, and if one is to gauge interest by the amount of time spent talking about different topics and the experts invited to speak at the recent Mayors Development Roundtable, the mayor appears to be far more interested in a new convention center and Core to Shore.
So is there reason for transit advocates to feel insecure about their issue getting its due as part of any upcoming ballot? Maybe. But who is to lead this charge? And will they make a better presentation than Rick Cain? And are they willing to be transparent as they solicit money from the public to advance their cause? And do they really have the backing of Mayor Mick Cornett?
That’s the motivation behind my series of questions to Jeff Bezdek, someone who has enjoyed years of positive coverage from me. This is the first time I’ve asked him what are being perceived as tough questions, and in response I’ve been accused of dropping my journalistic standards, muckraking, persecuiting Jeff and being anti-transit.
How odd. Maybe it is all about the presentation; I started off by displaying Mick Cornett’s appearance on Jeff’s website and reporting it wasn’t an endorsement. I made this post after fielding questions about this matter from readers. As Jeff and his supporters got upset over it, accusing me of not doing “due dilligence,” I proceeded to ask questions that haven’t been asked to date – who are the board members, is the group a registered non-profit, and what is Jeff’s background.
This isn’t the first time I’ve angered folks with questions. It won’t be the last.
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Comments
So what is the standard for picking and choosing who you ask the tough questions to? Some of your articles are cake, while some of them are very good. You know I read your blog daily and link to your articles regularly and support and promote you. However, it seems to be you have singled Jeff out more than you have other interviewees? What gives? Why aren’t you grilling the Mayor about transit? Why aren’t the tough questions about transit being asked to the Mayor? He’s been aweful hush about it and keeps putting it aside while he’s got no problem being vocal about a new convention center that citizens didn’t even vote for in citizens surveys. Sounds like mudracking to me. Hope you and Jeff work this out soon, because it’s ridiculous. I hope this doesn’t stem from the Gazette breaking the story first.
Steve’s doing his job – everyone should simma down and keep the eye on the big picture. Here’s a nice little video about new urbanism, why its a good idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGJt_YXIoJI&feature=player_embedded
Good lord Steven, really? After reading my writing for so long, you think I’m just about “the scoop”? Please. You also weren’t at the press conference where I did grill the mayor about transit and clearly you didn’t read the result of that questioning.
Steven, why is it bad to ask Jeff about the group’s board members, his background and their funding when he’s out soliciting funds? The more I hear protests about this, the more I have to wonder if there is something more to this story than memeets the eye.
I read the previous story and the comments. I was curious as to Jeff’s (over)reaction as well. I’m glad he clarified a few issues, but I too, was surprised by the tone. Keep doing your great, thankless work. Many of us appreciate it.
Nope, and not trying to antagonize either. You know I read your articles just as much or more than anybody. My observation is that the grilling of Jeff over a blog has been more extensive than any other public questioning from any other article from my readers perspective. Others have stated similar concerns in relation to this topic, so there has to be at least some valid concern about it.
Just surprised I hear more about Jeff’s creditials than what is the Mayor doing on transit. Seems like Mickey gets off the hook. Jeff Bezdek is the only citizen who has the balls to make a transit initiative,and a quality one at that, which is more than we can say for any City Councilperson, Mayor or Chamber representative. In fact, you have even done good reporting on the continual watering down of the original MAPS trolley project, and it seems like that issue goes virtually undetected on the radar. I wish the same calling out was given on OCURA. Any in depth calling out on why they are stalling the Overholser Green project? What is the developers background, why hasn’t he secured financing? Is OCURA going to allow numerous extensions on time like Legacy? Why won’t OCURA have a public website? In the end, I think we’re all in the same page in wanting a better OKC.
I just finished reading all 35 comments in the previous thread, and here are my thoughts:
-First of all, Steve, you do us all a great service by reporting on these issues. I don’t think you have any sort of grudge against MTA, Jeff Bezdek, public transit, or anyone else. You have reported on transit for years and have been nothing but fair. You obviously are just doing your job as a reporter. I respect that. It’s not easy to be the guy who has to spoil the party by asking the questions that need to be asked.
-Yes, Jeff Bezdek overreacted, but I can kind of understand why. From his perspective all of the questions about the funding of the group and his personal resume probably seemed like a challenge to his character. He is right in pointing out that political organizations can’t organize as 501c groups…501c(3) is only for religious, educational, and charitable organizations. I suppose you could argue that MTA is an educational campaign, but given that it has an explicit political aim, I think the IRS would have a problem with that. He’s also right in pointing out that his educational background is not strictly relevant; Bezdek has shown himself to be a good public citizen who is capable of pulling off ambitious projects, and his proposal is currently the best one on the table. That’s really all that matters.
Anyway, you two should sit down for a real interview in a couple weeks and put this behind you. This city needs you both to be on your game.
I agree with Colin completely.
Steven, he hasn’t been called Mickey since his days at Coronado. Plus, this “getting off the hook” thing implies something wrong has already happened. We can’t forget that this city is big and deserves the attention of more than just one thing. I still haven’t heard any city leaders say that transit is off the table yet that’s all I hear from comments on this blog.
I seem to be reading overreaction after overreaction after overreaction.
Keep doing your thing Steve.
Your job as a journalist is to ask tough questions…and perturb the system, so to speak. My comment about it being odd was not directed at your questions, but the process of going back and forth with it on this public comments forum. I guess Web 2.0 changes a lot of things. Just seems like there’s a lot of defensiveness back and forth from miscommunication.
I’m no journalist, but perhaps the traditional mode of phone/face to face interviews prevents a lot of that disconnect. Just my two cents. Thanks for your boldness in keeping this community on its toes and for sparking thoughtful conversations about important issues!