NPR: Election Day Follow-Up

Election Day Follow-Up

Happy day-after-Election Day.

I need to report that the candidate we told you about on Monday's program, Aracely Panameno, running as a write-in candidate for a seat on the Prince William County, Va., Board of Supervisors -- in part, as a protest of that county's immigration efforts to ban services to illegal immigrants -- did not do well. She garnered only 241 votes, out of more than 4,800 cast. Her opponent, John Jenkins, a 26-year veteran, was a shoo-in with more than 4,500 votes.

Was it impressive, given that she only started a couple of weeks ago and was campaigning as a write-in candidate? Was it foolhardy? ... A symbolic gesture more than a real campaign? I'm curious to know what happens next. Both candidates were Democrats. All the incumbents won, all voted for the new measures intended to deny public services to illegal immigrants and to give local police more authority to check immigration status. A number of local jurisdictions are pursuing those kinds of measures. Aracely Panameno's argument was that the measures are a smokescreen for bigger problems facing the county. Her opponent declined to talk to us -- the measures targeting illegals are now the subject of a lawsuit. But we talked to other supporters of the restrictions, who are adamant that their quality of life is being threatened by illegal immigration.

It's an emotional debate, and you can see it playing out across the country ... It just happened to be in our backyard.

Another interesting notion raised by Panameno's candidacy is that the Latino vote is a sleeping giant. She noted that there are 14,000 registered Latino voters in her district. She said if even a fraction came out, she'd win. Well, they didn't. And why not? Questions for future programs...

Now, if you're wondering why we didn't do more on the election results in today's program, I'll tell you:

We didn't want to bring you the same folks you'd be hearing all over the air on all your other NPR programs (love you Ken Rudin, but heard you on the way to work ... and then there's your weekly gig on Talk of the Nation, Political Junkie, so, yeah)

Also, we knew Virginia's State House was up for grabs -- Dems took control of the state Senate -- and there's an open U.S. Senate seat next year. But again, heard it already, right? We tried to find guests for the immigration angle, but everybody we wanted was on a plane or not available when we needed them to be.

So, that's the answer. Sometimes we feel obligated to stick to the headlines; we generally don't. We like to, but we also need to be sure we're adding perspectives you haven't heard. Hope you agree with the decision. We'll catch up on political news, as always, on our Friday roundtable.

But we DID have a great appreciation of the late Carl Stokes -- a Wisdom Watch conversation with former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer about the man generally considered to be the first African-American mayor of a major America city, Cleveland, Ohio.

(Gary, Indiana Mayor Richard Hatcher was elected on the same day -- 40 years ago today)

And ... saggy pants. Do they make you CRAZY? Can I just tell you how much mail I get about this? Nearly every communication about the sorry state of urban youth involves a comment about pants. (I won't lie to you, I don't like them and if my son does happen to wear them, it's because he's still working through potty-training issues.) But we feel we have to give you a couple of perspectives ... So, first, in our newsmaker conversation with Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College, outside of Dallas, saggy pants are STRICTLY VERBOTEN. ...And hear another perspective from John Timpane.

Tell us more about what you think. Which side are you on? (But if you come to my house, I better not see your butt.)

Tomorrow ... international news. We hope to have some reporting from overseas about the consumer product safety issues that I think will really make your hair stand on end.

Michel Martin

4:28 PM ET | 11- 7-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

About Saggy Pants:

I'd be the first to admit saggy pants are an eyesore. But I really have a problem with folks who choose to police fashion. Seriously! There are more urgent needs in society such as real crimes that require more law enforcement actions rather than exercising such laws on the crimes of fashion.

Sent by Moji | 9:26 AM ET | 11-08-2007

The saggy pants thing is a little wierd. I was brought up not to want to show my underwear in public. And it also looks uncomfortable to have to hike your pants up all the time. That's what belts are for. At the same time I think it basically old folks lamenting the ways of young folk. That dynamic has been going on for thousands of years and it's not unique to our culture. When I was growing up in the 1970's Philadelphia Afros were in style and my mother really disliked them. She was a child of the 50's and thought a young man should wear his hair short-cropped and maybe with a part either cut or brushed into the side. I don't think the saggy pants thing is any different and if I were 15 years old today I'd probably be coordinating the color of my underwear with the color of my shirts since both would be on display. It's the old folk/young folk divide.

Now some people say these young people can't wear that style on a job interview or at church. I bet most young people know when and where saggy pants are acceptable and act accordingly. Those that don't know should be taught by people who care about them. But those people who wring their hands because they see drooping pants as an indication of the fall of African American culture are exaggerating. The degradation of African American culture - to the extent it's taking place - is taking place in schools where students have to study in decrepit buildings and where too many students are receiving poor educations and in homes where poverty encourages unhealthy food to be put on the table and where young people don't have adults who can guide and support them.

If I had a son who wanted to show his behind when he's hanging with his friends I wouldn't like it, but as long as he was a good kid studying hard and preparing himself for adulthoon while also enjoying his youth, then I'd grin and bear it.

Sent by Stanley | 10:39 AM ET | 11-08-2007

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