Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Is his face(book) read?

When I last spoke with Brad Cole, a few weeks ago, he showed me the Facebook page a student supporter set up for his campaign. And now its in the news, as Eden Schulz reported Monday:
"A website that appeals to college kids is encouraging SIU students to vote for Brad Cole in the Carbondale mayor's race.

His opponent Sheila Simon says the site is misleading. The site, on facebook.com, claims Simon plans to raise the age for a person to enter a bar in Carbondale from 19 to 21, if she's elected. Simon says she's never talked about changing the age policy in bars, and just wants voters to be accurately informed."

There are more than 500 members on the site, including Brad Cole.

"I don't mind someone voting against me because they think they should be able to smoke at bars and restaurants in Carbondale. That's a fair decision. But I'm just not planning on raising the bar entry age," said Simon.

Mayor Cole did not want to comment on camera, but tells News 3 he only joined the website to police it.
Brad told me the same thing in February, too, but it sounds like he didn't police it well enough (due to a very busy schedule, I imagine). Unfortunately, in order to view the page you have to be a member, but the crowd's too young for me. (If any reader has actually seen the site, a screenshot would be nice to add to this post.

"Gadfly" believes this story could hurt Cole's chances with his old-guard supporters, but I doubt it. Rather, I think they will demand to know why Sheila Simon opposes raising the legal age of bar entry to 21, as God intended. (That's a joke, gadflies).

4 comments:

Parentheticus said...

Thanks to "gadfly" for sending a sscreenshot of Cole's Facebook page. A selection of text was not uploaded 'cause it was so viley expressed. I understand the site has been cleaned up, but I don't know.

Unknown said...

The site has been "cleaned up" to the extent that the cursing and over-the-top pictures have been removed. It still includes statements that she is "rumored" to want to raise the drinking age (a rumor started on that site, I should add) and that she will create "party free zones." As she said on Channel 3 the other night, none of this is true -- its a complete fabrication.

Anonymous said...

And there is a letter in the Daily Egyptian today from Simon calling on Cole to remove the fabrications that she intends to raise the bar entry age and create party free zones.

As she points out, when Cole's yard signs were defaced, she called him to express her concern and convey that she had nothing to do with it, as well has having her campaign manager write a letter to the Southern Illinoisan saying the same thing.

Why hasn't Cole come out and denounced these lies about Simon? Is it because of his 'busy schedule?'

Anonymous said...

Link

Check today's Daily Egyptian for a letter stating that Sheila Simon verbally declared she was in favor of party-free zones and increasing the bar entry age.