| Ronin (Ronin) | Monday, September 03, 2001 - 12:00 pm
Is David Yassky a fit candidate for the City Council?
In the Debate Format message (reprinted below) Yassky's disrespect for RWN was outlined. By no means did his disrespect end with his dishonest behavior.
Yassky stands out as the only candidate to make statements that could be interpreted to be racially insensitive. He stands out as the only candidate to harass members of my crew.
But does that make him a racist?
Racism is a serious charge, especially in the diverse world of New York City. To casually call someone a racist is irresponsible. So, in the messages below I explain my analysis, and explain why I think he is an arrogant, obnoxious, privileged snot who would destroy the district by making enemies of the rest of the City Council. Despite being such a cretinous jackass, in my opinion based on what I have observed to this point, he is not a racist, but rather a snob who views all working families with contempt. |
| Ronin (Ronin) | Monday, September 03, 2001 - 12:01 pm
The following is a repost of the Debate Format post, it is included to provide instant context to my analysis that follows:
On July 27, 2001, at the BCAT studio where Rent
Wars tapes, David Yassky enthusiastically accepted
the debate challenge of David Reiss during the taping
of his interview. He was then provided with a written
copy of the original debate format that allowed
candidates to pose questions to one another and ask
followup questions to one another.
Subsequently, Rent Wars sent debate notifications
and set up accounts for each candidate. While there
was some confusion as to whether or not Mr. Cohn
would participate*, the remaining candidates were
notified that the debates would begin on August 8th
after each candidate checked in. Mr. Reiss checked
in, tested his account, and stood ready to debate.
After giving Mr. Yassky an entire week's grace and
sending several warning notices, we will no longer wait
for him. He has not contacted RWN since his
interview, and he has shown nothing but contempt for
RWN and its viewers. Therefore we default him from
our forum. We will post his enthusiastic acceptance of
our debates on this website at Rent Wars Radio, and
you can hear him lie to us for yourself.
We are very surprised by Mr. Yassky's actions here,
traditionally politicians wait until they are elected to
break campaign promises, especially those promises
caught on videotape! We will post more details about
Yassky's unprofessional and immature behavior later
(including his temper tantrum outside the RWN control
room during the taping of the Marty Markowitz
interview- this was before he agreed to debate).
Due to Yassky's remarkably arrogant, unprofessional,
and dishonest conduct, we have changed the format
to reflect the fact that there is only one candidate
left standing**. We will ask Mr. Reiss several
questions and afford him an opportunity to answer.
Ronin
*Though Cohn had originally declined RWN's initial
offer citing his unfamiliarity with the internet, his
campaign manager Loren Weiner accepted after the
Yassky acceptance. However, once given the format
Cohn withdrew stating that they were under the
impression that the debate would be videotaped and
then streamed over the internet.
** Ken Diamondstone's office never responded to any
of RWN's inquiries or invitations. |
| Ronin (Ronin) | Monday, September 03, 2001 - 12:35 pm
What the message above failed to do was expand on the words, "temper tantrum". While they are certainly descriptive of Yassky's actions, they fail to convey the full import of his outrageously insensitive behavior.
Not only did Yassky refuse to sit quietly and await his turn at an interview, he purposely insulted Rent Wars talent coordinator by refusing to speak to her. He refused her requests to stay in the guest waiting room (the Green Room) and disrupted an ongoing interview with candidate for Borough President, Marty Markowitz.
His actions were so absurd that I personally was called from the control room during the shoot to contain the situation. It appeared that Yassky felt that his importance outshined Markowitz's and that he should have been interviewed first.
In expressing his displeasure he made such statements as "these people* are the most incompetent crew I've ever seen" referring to the all-minority, all-volunteer studio crew that RWN had there that day.** He also explained that he was a busy candidate who had regular television interviews on MSNBC and other major stations and didn't have time for public access.***
My response was to praise him on his importance to MSNBC and invite him to leave. After all, I reasoned to him, with his busy schedule, Rent Wars 300,000 Brooklyn households was insignificant to the tens of millions of homes nationwide that MSNBC reaches. At that point he complained that I didn't apologize to him for upsetting him! He then returned to the Green Room.
After the Markowitz interview finished, Lora interviewed Yassky. He was very charming, if dishonest. Afterwards, he refused to do an equal time 10 minute interview for streaming internet use, and refused to speak to me. Addressing me in the third person while being charming to Lora.
* A few people would say that statement may have been innocent, but during the 1992 campaign then-President Bush used the phrase "you people" to the NAACP and was roundly criticized for doing so. You would think that a "liberal" Democrat running in New York would be more sensitive to such a publicly acknowledged slight than a right-wing conservative from Texas!
** The particular crew that was fielded that day was "the most experienced crew at BCAT" according to the BCAT staff. Obviously they were "professional" volunteers, had they been anything less they would have refused to tape Yassky. RWN fields diverse and minority crews representing the volunteer pool at BCAT.
*** Major television is hardly spending efforts to cover local council races. Even the mayoral candidates have to struggle to get airtime. Yet another Yassky lie. |
| Ronin (Ronin) | Monday, September 03, 2001 - 12:46 pm
It is true that the BCAT studio had a staffing problem that day, something that is far beyond RWN's control. As a non-profit venue it cannot possibly match the budget and staffing of major media studios. This should go without saying.
In fact, once we determined that there was a delay, we informed the candidates. Marty Markowitz, 30 year public servant who had been promised a set end time so that he could make a doctors appointment said, "These things happen. Don't worry about it, I'll just have to make another appointment for the doctor. I want to speak to your audience."
Yassky demanded a phone and, surprise of all surprises, BCAT let him use one of theirs (never have I seen that done and here's why-). Yassky stays on the phone for over 30 minutes burning up non-profit budget dollars with contempt. After BCAT throws him off the phone, he comes back to the green room threatening to leave (as you can see above it is an empty threat and would have been welcomed by all of us). He then pulls out a cell phone and begins happily chatting away with a sneer towards us. |
| Ronin (Ronin) | Monday, September 03, 2001 - 01:00 pm
Each and every member of my crew that day left with the strong impression that Yassky was a racist.
Is he?
Maybe.
But one thing is for sure, he is an idiot. Perhaps an idiot savant, but an idiot none the less.
What sort of moron charms the host of a show while ticking off the guy with final edit powers?
What sort of idiot lies enthusiastically on video tape about a campaign promise and then breaks it before the election? It is customary for politicians to wait until they are elected to break campaign promises! Yassky represents a new paradigm in politics- don't even pretend to be sincere.
Yassky also has a penchant for dishonesty. As if the above examples are not enough, he even takes credit for putting 6000 police officers on the streets, something claimed by Guiliani and possibly really the work of former mayor Dinkins. Listening to Yassky one gets the very real impression that now-Senator Schumer was a mere figurehead bowing to Yassky's 'genius'. Nothing could be further from the truth, and that might explain why Schumer gave his former employee a luke warm endorsement (Schumer refused to make any statements to the press about the tersely worded endorsement). If given enough time, what will Yassky take credit for next? The Ten Commandments?
Yassky's is a life of privilege. He went to all the right schools before sliding through Princeton and Yale Law School. I don't think he acted in a racially insensitive manner because of my crew's race (although it may have been a large factor in his attitude). I think he acted the way that he did because they are community volunteers beneath his notice and beneath his contempt.
I have no doubt that if some of RWN's white volunteers had been there that day, I feel certain that Yassky would have spat on them as well. In fact, I think Yassky spits on all people who make less than $200K a year and who didn't live the Life of Privilege.
Yassky works at one of the finest law schools in the country, but its claim to fame is that it teaches law functional to the general practitioner. How they let this moron slip through I'll never know.
Yassky lack common sense. Yasky lacks humanity. He is a silver spoon robot devoid of a soul.
I can't tell for sure if he is racist because he appears to despise all of humanity that doesn't share his life of privilege.
Ronin Amano
Note- The RWN interview policy did not apply to Yassky for three reasons: 1. He directly insulted RWN crew members during his visit; 2. He made false statements during his interview; and, 3. He closed the line of communication which the policy was designed to protect. |