Green Party Watch

At the NYC Mayoral Debate last night, the public were only allowed to hear from two candidates. Reverend Billy Talen, the Green Party candidate, took part in protests outside, before attending the function. Bloomberg got one sentence out before Rev Billy stood up and shouted out in a well heard “disruption” – caught at the beginning of this Youtube video.

At Independent Political Report, Kimberly Wilder has a great write up on the story with press coverage:

Billy Talen, an activist and performance artist who uses the name “Reverend Billy” is running for Mayor of New York City on the Green Party line. Reverend Billy and other third party candidates were excluded from the October 13th Mayoral debate. Reverend Billy attended, heckled, and was escorted out of the venue. A commenter at the NY Times site says that two supporters of the Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate Frances Villar were also thrown out. Reverend Billy received extensive press coverage, including: The NY Times; The Daily News; Gotham Schools and Ballot Access News.

Some press snips:

Gotham Schools:
Thompson and Bloomberg spar over their education records in first mayoral debate
by Anna Phillips

“Nothing the candidates said during tonight’s mayoral debate was more surprising than the Rev. Billy Talen’s spirited heckling, but a few choice comments were made about the city’s schools and mayoral control…”

The New York Times:
Bloomberg and Thompson Spar in First Mayoral Debate
By Sewell Chan AND Michael Barbaro

A Heckler Interrupts [a Subheading of the article]

7:02 p.m. | Mr. Bloomberg’s opening statement was interrupted by a jeering heckler — later identified as the Rev. Billy Talen, a Green Party candidate for mayor — who shouted epithets attacking the mayor’s support of legislation last year extending term limits to allow himself to seek another term.

“Eight is enough” he shouted. “Mike, what are you doing here? We voted for term limits.”…

Also, on the NY Times blog, in the comment section, posted by reader “FrancesFan” was the following (thanks to Ballot Access News for the tip):

Also with Rev. Billy, two supporters of Frances Villar (the first woman of color on the ballot for mayor) were thrown out. The coverage of this debate and the 3rd party candidates in general have been so skewed. Stop ignoring the other candidates standing outside demanding their right to be part of the debate! Frances Villar for mayor of NYC!!

Daily News:
Mayor Bloomberg, Bill Thompson slug it out in first debate for Mayor of NYC
by Celeste Katz, Erin Einhorn and Adam Lisberg

[Note: The Daily News story includes a picture of Reverend Billy, dressed in his shocking blue suit with white collar, being dragged away by someone in a uniform.]

…”The debate went briefly awry during Bloomberg’s opening statement, when the Rev. Billy Talen, the Green Party’s mayoral candidate, jumped up from the audience and shouted at Bloomberg about term limits.”

The Village Voice (thanks KW) summed up the debate with the headline: “Bloomberg-Thompson Debate Blah Blah Blah Who Cares It’s Over We’re Fucked”. The VV said:

At least Green Party candidate Billy Talen heckled the Mayor from the audience: “What are you doing here, Mike? We voted for term limits!” In a statement Rev. Billy said, “The missing voice tonight was the voice of New York City’s neighborhoods, which Bloomberg and the Democrats have victimized in their lust for the bubble-based economies of tourism, chain stores and Wall Street…”