Approxmately 150 attended the Milk Club’s State Senate District 3 debate. The moderator was Belva Davis, former anchor and chiar of MOAD. The candidates in attendance were Joe Alioto Veronese, Carole Migden and Mark Leno.

The first hour and half was devoted to questions from the panel of Steve Jones, SFBG: Kim Corsaro, Bay Times; Michelle “Meow” Singibath, the Quake and Cynthia Laird of Bay Area Reporter.

Howard Grayson was the impressario of the event and much credit should be given him for carrying it off. Howard is the e-board for politics for the Harvey Milk Club’ executive board. I acted as the stage manager, so it was difficult to write down answers at the same time.

The most awkward moment occured at the end. To ensure fairness, Ms. Davis rotate who got to speak first. At the end, each candidate got 2 1/2 minutes to do their summary. She noted that Assemblymember Mark Leno was to go first. He stated that she was incorrect and State Senator Migden was to go first. Ms. Davis was very firm and repeated that it was his turn in the rotation to go first. Again, Leno objected and said that it was Senator Migden’s turn to go first. Senator Migden used this opportunity to ask a show of hands if people thought that Leno was to go first. Ms. Davis was unyielding and Leno did his 2 1/2 minute closing statement.

Joe Alioto Veronese differentiated himself by stating that he would work with the governor. He also referred to his experience as a trial lawyer and his family’s civil service experience. Veronese did provide an awkward moment when he said, “I’ve grown up around Carole and Mark. We are friendly when they are talking to me. But I do think that Mark is sometimes too friendly with my wife.”

Veronese also stated that between Leno and Migden, there had only been one contested race and he alluded to the Leno/Britt race. Those in the audience who worked very hard to get Eileen Hansen (who received the Milk endorsement each time) elected in the two close elections that she ran against Leno for supervisor, were miffed.

Migden hammered that she felt that she had done more legislative work than Leno. Neither she nor Leno pointed out that she had been a legislator longer than Leno and thus had more opportunity. “I have sponsored 107 pieces of legislation and he, Mr. Appropriations Chair, has only sponsored three pieces,” Midgen stated.

One question that Migden fluffed was when one of the panelist asked how she was going to address the digital divide. Midgen said, “I would offer better education. So our students can get better jobs when they graduate.”

The best line of the debate came from Leno. Kim Corsaro noted that his marriage equality bill had gotten only a few supporters the first time that the legislation was in the Assembly. Then the second time, Leno gathered enough signatures to get it to the governor for signature. Carasco noted that Leno had reported that he had a strategy to get Governor Schwaggener’s signature if he got enough votes from the Legislator. But the legislation failed due to a lack of the Governor’s signature. So Carasco asked, “What was the strategy and why did it fail?”

Leno said, “Our strategy failed because it was based on a false assumption-that the Governor was a decent human being.”

The audience roared.

Grande Dame of Progressive Politics and former commissioner Denise D’Anne was at the debate.

Jane Morrison has been involved in Democratic politics since the days of Eleanor Roosevelt. Alan Wong is a new light on the Democratic activist circles. Jane told me, “I have known Alan since he was a teenager.” I had to laughed, since Alan is only 21.

Quake Personality Michelle “Meow” (in the glasses), Carla Hartley of Quake and Senator Migden

Howard Grayson, Assemblymember Mark Leno and Belva Davis

Civil Rights Commission Chair Linda Richardson and Morningstar Vancil, Harvey Milk Club’s Executive Committee Outreach Chair

Steve Jones of the San Francisco Bay Guardian with Media Benjamin, Global Exchange and Code Pink. Media’s question to Mark Leno was “Will you join Code Pink in die-ins at Congresswoman Pelosi’s house?” Leno said, “I admire Code Pink. And if I wasn’t a legislator, I would join you. But I think that I would be more effective as a legislator if I worked on legislator with my fellow elected officials.”

There was rumors of a rift from Debra Walker, president of the Building Commission and former Milk Club President and Howard Wallace, long-time activist and a friend of Harvey Milk when Milk was alive. Howard and Debra were discussing the debate outside of Harrington’s where the debate’s debriefing occured.