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Kevin Powell Likes Demeaning Teenagers **Exclusive**
Yesterday, Kevin Powell did something that really, really upset me. So much so that I felt obligated to put my thoughts in the blogosphere. So, here is the deal ... Imagine if you will, Brooklyn, August 13, 2008 ... A couple Towns campaign volunteers are going door-to-door, canvassing the neighborhood. As it happens, they cross paths with rival candidate and former "Real World" contestant Kevin Powell. Kevin Powell, as we know, is running to unseat 13-time incumbent Congressman Ed "Marlboro Man" Towns in the Brooklyn 10th Congressional District. Powell bills himself as a social activist and author, but most people recognize him as the hot-headed roommate from the original series of MTV's "The Real World" (1992), and for his 2006 failed bid against Towns. So, back to the teenage volunteers ... As anyone that's worked in politics can tell you, door-to-door canvassing is just about the most tediuous, thankless, yet vitally important activity any campaign can do (maybe a step below the phone bank and folding mailers). Even in the age of social media and email , if you don't go door-to-door, you're out-of-touch with the people. And clearly Kevin Powell realizes that, hence why he was doing the exact same thing, at the same time, in the same place. I won't get into the gory details. Luckily, the Powell Campaign has posted a play-by-play on their official website. I encourage you to check it out: http://www.kevinpowellforcongress.org/featured_blogs2/2008/08/13/i-got-a-story-to-tell Okay - maybe just some highlights (mind you, from Kevin Powell's personal blog): 1. "After an exchange of pleasantries, the women confessed to us that they were not familiar with Ed Towns, would work for anyone who would pay them and even offered tips to Kevin and me regarding lit dropping and campaigning... " 2. "Inevitably we crossed paths several times with the two young women and observed them transposing the name of the current congressman when speaking to residents, arguing over the amount of time wasted speaking to residents and talking about after work extracurricular activities that I hope the current congressman (or any law abiding citizen) would not endorse." Wow, what a great story! Look, Powell even captured the moment on film for posterity:
So, what does this all mean? I personally think it tells you something about Kevin Powell as a man. Here we have Candidate Kevin Powell actually deriding two motivated young campaign volunteers, actually mocking their contribution to the Ed Towns campaign. C'mon, let's face it. The majority of teens who get involved in politics do it for one of four (4) reasons: 1. They are overly-idealistic and someday want to work in politics 2. They are doing it as a favor to a family friend 3. They are doing it to earn a little bit of cash 4. They are doing it because it looks good on the resume and may help with college applications I mean, which of us hasn't taken a job just for the money? Or done something just to put it on the resume? Or sometimes, even done something out of idealism? And how often have all of these motivations swirled together? Fact is, politics is about incentives. So regardless of their motivation, these young women are out there helping get the word out, reminding people that democracy is important (something people on Georgia are dying for at the hands of Russia right now). Frankly, I applaud any young person who would rather be out there working hard, making a little money rather than being out drinking, loitering at malls, getting into fights or otherwise getting into trouble. But no! Instead, they are out spreading the word for Towns, making a little scratch (hopefully for them), and getting something they can use for college apps. Maybe even a free t-shirt to boot! And what does Kevin Powell do? Does he try to convince them they are backing the wrong horse? No. Does he win them over with his ideas, so they switch shirts right then and there?? No. He calls them out on the internet! To the entire world! Kevin Powell crucifies two young, impressionable campaign workers to the world! Kevin Powell attacks them and questions their motivation and integrity. Kevin Powell decides to mock them and to pass judgements on their "after work extracurricular activities." Kevin Powell decides to make them a proxy for the level of service that folks in Brooklyn can expect from Congressman Ed Towns. Man, Kevin Powell is a disgrace. A real disgrace to score political points by attacking two young women just out to spread the word and make a little money for movie tickets and shopping. And what has he scored, in the end? Well, let's do a quick accounting ... Kevin Powell has probably gotten them in hot water with the Towns campaign. Kevin Powell has probably jeopardized their getting the recommendation from Towns which could help get them into college. And last but not least, Kevin Powell has probably cost them their jobs. Way to go Kevin! Way to be a professional in the face of challenges! I hope this isn't part of your job creation plan in the borough, to get people fired ... Okay, let's get serious ... Kevin Powell has run an unprofessional campaign from day one. He has not delivered on promises at fundrasiers (Dave Chapelle, anyone); he has been culturally insensitive (telling Orthodox Jews he will "Bring Home the Bacon"); he is belligerent with the press (see his Junior's fiasco); he has a history of violence (threatening female roommates on the "Real World;" beating former girlfriends; biting - BITING - other men in nightclubs in 2004); and his platform is paper thin as is. I mean, look at the picture that he gloats over in his blog, with the Towns campaign worker. Jesus Christ almighty, what a shit-eating grin! That just shows how arrogant and pompous Kevin Powell really is. Okay guy, you scored your point and you even have a photo to prove it. You could have at least just had a normal smile on your face? It would have at least let you carry a sense of dignity and grace about the matter. But, no, that is not Kevin Powell's style, to take the high road. If he isn't shoving someone into the mud, it isn't worth it. Then again, given Powell's history with women, maybe this is just how he like to treat women in general. He enjoys being in power over them, he enjoys talking down to them and demeaning them, getting them in trouble. And now he takes to mocking teenage campaign volunteers. And you know what makes it worse? The Powell Campaign has their own teenage online wunderkind - one Mr. Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein - the self-proclaimed "Internet Director" of Powell for Congress. Michael is apparently a resident of Los Angeles (which last I checked does not lie within the 10th Congressional District), and his only connection to Brooklyn I can see is his association with Powell (although he does have a broader connection to NY as he is apparently attending the ivy-magnet of Columbia). Michael is another young, impressionable teenage volunteer - he claims he has "not received a penny from Kevin Powell" - who is involved "because I really believe that we need to clean up Washington" (see: http://www.r8ny.com/blog/gatemouth/a_salute_to_michael_sptizer_rubenstein_really.html). Anyway, Michael had the dubious distinction of getting into an online tussle with Rock Hackshaw and Gatemouth over on r8ny.com (see: http://www.r8ny.com/blog/gatemouth/a_salute_to_michael_sptizer_rubenstein_really.html). I won't go into details. Needless to say, Michael made the cardinal mistake of making the campaign about him, not about the candidate. Bad move, Michael. The folks online didn't take too kindly to that, and eventually, like a mother breaking up a fight between her son and a net-borhood bully, a woman identifying herself as the Campaign Manager for "Powell for Congress" - Erica Perkins - waded into the argument. And, what did she have to say? I will quote verbatim from her posting for the readers: Something happens when young people come of age, have an opinion and start making choices: you are no longer told by elders "you can do anything you want" or "you can be whatever you want." Nope. SOME elders attempt to remove and stomp that last bit of glimmer in your eye because their hearts have been hardened ... Michael, keep doing the right thing. You will prosper in all that you partake. Wait, so Erica Perkins - Powell's campaign manager - is defending the right of young people to be enthusiastic about the process and to contribute. She is defending the right of Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein from Los angeles to contribute to the Powell campaign. Yet ... The candidate - Kevin Powell - is out there mocking Towns's own teenage campaign volunteers. Kevin Powell is making an example of two Brooklyn-based teenage women taking part in the political process. Wow. I think that should give anyone pause over the depths to which the Powell for Congress campaign with stoop. Talk about rank and unabashed hypocrisy at its worst. Kevin Powell, shame on you. Shame on you for talking down to the locals and attacking teens, making them objects of scorn, for using them in a proxy war with Towns. Brooklyn deserves better. Maybe those girls got the last laugh because I live in that coop complex and those girls picked up Powell cards along with Towns cards before knocking on doors. They handed them both to us and said that Powell couldnt be for the people because he is asking for money (they pointed to the request for donations located at the bottom of his lit!) LMAO! Gutter politics by Powell here, I'm afraid. Leave the kids out of it. If he wanted to gloat about having passionate volunteers on his staff versus pay-to-play kids, there are better, more dignified ways to do it. For the record, my wife says she saw Towns and his staff personally working the dekalb/flatbush subways station last week. So, he is out and about at long last.  "I'm sick of people attacking Kevin Powell's past. He has said repeatedly that he is reformed and has been getting help for many years." Are you mental, seriously?! Fine, let the past be the past. But he did everything I described on August 13 ... 2008 ... it is NOT THAT PAST!!! Kevin did this two days ago and is gloating about it online! Christ, those girls probably lost their jobs already!! Gimme a break. The Powell campaign is desperate and will stop at nothing to pursue some kind of slash-and-burn politics. I stand by my own analysis. They defend someone like Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein for his contribution, but attack and get all self-righteous on two teenage Brooklynites working for the competition? And take pictures so he can personally gloat? There are only a few explanations. Either Powell is really that arrogant and pompous that he actually, ACTUALLY believed this was the right course of action, and that knocking two teenage girls on their asses in public would help him. Or else, this speaks to something deep rooted in his soul that comes out every once and awhile, and shows up as a violent streak. Either one shows he doesn't have the temperament to be a Congressman, period. Just remember, a wise man once said that details tell alot about a man's character. I personally think the way Kevin holds himself in his picture, the attitude, the way he comes across tells alot about his personality and the type of Congressman he would be. Kevin Powell is not what Brooklyn needs in Congress. "They handed them both to us and said that Powell couldnt be for the people because he is asking for money (they pointed to the request for donations located at the bottom of his lit!)" Hey, sorry Guvna, didn't see your comment before. LOL! Good for them then, props to the girls on that one.
I am going to be shocked and saddened if Kevin Powell is ever my Congressman. For someone who compares himself to Obama all the time, he seems to only be about the same old smear politics.
I am the supervisor of the young ladies in question. To answer the question if these young ladies have been fired, the answer is no they haven't. Why? Because they did nothing wrong. I was called to the site by the young ladies because Kevin Powell was FOLLOWING AND HARRASSING THEM. I can assure you they did not offer Kevin Powell any tips on campaigning. In fact, Kevin was the one who made the offer. Kevin offered to pay the young ladies to leave. If these young ladies were in it just for the money, they may have taken him up on his offer, but instead they rejected it and him and continued to campaign for Congressman Towns. Furthermore, Kevin's campaign person "Gene Thompson" blogged about this event as if he personally witness everything blow by blow. That too is a complete LIE just like the rest of the post on Kevin's blog. The only truth to it was that they all were at the same place at the same time. When I arrived at said site, I calmly went to talk to Kevin Powell and he ran into the building and in an elevator as to not be confronted about what he was doing. Kevin was following the Ed Towns volunteers door to door and would interrupt them and reach over them while talking to voters. I came over to ask Kevin to leave them alone because we didn't want any problems. Instead of Kevin talking to me at first glance, he ran away like a coward because he had been caught doing something that he should not have been doing. Something that is very unbecoming of a mature adult with self control let alone someone running for Congress. Anyway, I asked one of Kevin's volunteers to call Kevin to come downstairs and he did. I asked Kevin to leave my people alone and let them do their jobs. He insisted he wasn't bothering them, and wanted to know why there wasn't more civility in black politics in Brooklyn. I chose not to engage Kevin in a philosophical debate about black empowerment in Brooklyn because he knows nothing about it first hand, so it would have been a pure waste of my time. Kevin then got up and walked away and accused me of not being civil because I didn't want to engage in a conversation with him about anything other than him leaving my people alone. I am personally offended by Kevin's blog as a woman and a professional. What he attempted to do to the young ladies was disgusting and not very becoming of a man who claims he wants to empower black people. More than that, his behavior is disouraging to young people trying to exercise their rights by becoming involved in the political process. I didn't realize denegrating women was apart of Kevin's agenda for change. He and "Gene Thompson" owe the young ladies an apology for lying on them and trying to publicly humiliate them. If either one of them are real men and want to apologize, Kevin knows how to find me. "In fact, Kevin was the one who made the offer. Kevin offered to pay the young ladies to leave. If these young ladies were in it just for the money, they may have taken him up on his offer, but instead they rejected it and him and continued to campaign for Congressman Towns." That has *GOT* to be a violation of some campaigning law or regulation, no? It sounds like outright bribery of a rival's campaign staff, no? And if not, you think they'd be saving their pennies and leaving bribery for the better funded campaigns. I'm surprised thePowell campaign even has the cash on hand to make such an offer. Whoa, my first attempt to post was not accepted, odd ... Anyway, you said: "I can assure you they did not offer Kevin Powell any tips on campaigning. In fact, Kevin was the one who made the offer. Kevin offered to pay the young ladies to leave." Whoa! Hold a minute ... Isn't that some kind of violation of state campaigning laws, like bribery or something? Offering to pay a rival's staff not to work for them? I'm surprised Powell's campaign has the money to do that, I thought they would have left that kind of behavior to better financed campaigns.  I think that comparing these girls to Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein is unfair to Michael, who has established that he is working for Powell out of idealism, albeit misguided. These young women were paid. How big a deal this is is another matter--virtually every canvasser the WFP sends out, whether for Dan Squadron or Sheldon Silver, is paid as well. But there is clearly a real difference between Michael and these young women. On the other hand, this episode, and its subsequent publication by the Powell campaign, cast doubt upon Powell's fitness to be a part, not merely of Congress, but of civilized society. My gibes to Michael were not meant to be mean-spirited (although that seems to be how they were taken by nearly everyone but Michael), and, in fact, were made with love; I included a link which showed that Gatey was once young and idealistic himself--Michael is me, give or take 30 years or so. In addition my piece did not come from a campaign. As Michael has been happy to show with links, I am not a big fan of Mr. Towns either, even if I support him in this race. By contrast, the piece about the young ladies was posted by the Powell campaign itself, and was the purest of coyote ugly spite. I am thinking of sending Powell a poem about my feelings--I am calling it "Son of a Bitch to Motherfucker". And I know blogs won't give anyone a chance to catch their breath and look into what happened (although we will try anyway), but the post on our blog (which was not written by Kevin Powell) was merely a look at a chance encounter with canvassers for Ed Towns' campaign. It was not meant to offend anyone, least of all the canvassers. Instead, we simply wanted to illustrate the human side of campaigning.
If the canvassers do not like the attention, we would be more than happy to take the entire thing down. However, all we have heard is from Towns staffers and supporters who are searching for a way to attack Kevin Powell.
Your attempt to negatively position Kevin is what young people call “hating.” If you spent more time reviewing Kevin’s work with young people and less time executing your blog attack strategies, you’d better understand that your commentary is as baseless as supporting CAFTA or reelecting Towns. There is no way Kevin would demean teenagers. His entire career has been based on empowering young people with information and access to resources. Kevin has consistently given his time to organizing young people as evident with his Katrina on the Ground relief work. Our staff demonstrates his belief in young people to write a vision for success and activate that plan. He has listened to the youth tell their stories on the many blocks in Brooklyn where they congregate. Kevin has made the trips “upstate” to fellowship with the forgotten sons from the unpronounced War on Black Boys.
Towns, on the other hand, has demeaned young people in the district with sheer neglect. Isn’t it considered demeaning that he has failed to deliver any solutions for all of the socio-economic ills that have left our young people so disillusioned they now get high on cough syrup? But this may be foreign to Towns and his cronies. They haven’t engaged young people long enough to understand it takes more than a Maino concert to undo what he’s allowed to transpire. Bye Hater. Brooklyn is ready to give change a chance. Erica Perkins Campaign Manager Kevin Powell for Congress I think you'll find that I am neither a Towns staffer nor supporter, at least not yet. Like many people that I've met, I would like to see Towns account for his low visibility in the community in non-election years. Too many times we let elected officials treat their jobs as a cycle. Work one year, off the next, etc. Meanwhile our communities require and deserve to be represented by people who are always on the job, and accessible. For this, I was hoping to see Towns pushed by new blood, and let the chips fall where they may come voting time. However, from what we've seen of your guy Powell, he leaves much to be desired. Something about his judgement and decision making seems way off. While it appears that he is understandably trying very hard to detach himself from his past, his recent and now current actions suggest that he cannot get away from his past because what lead to his past actions is something that is firmly attached to his personality. Beating up girlfriends, biting people in clubs, and now manipulating young ladies working for Towns campaign all exhibit the same thing: Things the vast majority of us would not do! When most people would face thos circumstances and come away making certain decisions, Powell consistently seems to make the wrong decisions. In a big way too. This looks like a character flaw to me. We as constituents can make Towns work harder if we organize a little and demand more. We cannot make Powell think rationally. Even under the scrutiny of a campaign he continues to act irrationally. Even posting it on his website. And (s)he that tells lies will perish. It is written. It's unfortunate that you have opted to condemn yourself with this long, eloquently written deceitful tale of events. But desperation has been known to bring out the worst in humans.
“His entire career has been based on empowering young people with information and access to resources”
And bribes too, as long as it convinces young campaign volunteers to stay home and stop taking part in the Democratic process! Because God knows, only Kevin Powell has a monopoly on the efforts of young people in Brooklyn, right? "Your attempt to negatively position Kevin is what young people call “hating.”" - Erica Perkins, Powell Campaign Manager Erica - Do you think using "thug" style language is a professional way to run a campaign? Young people, like myself do not consider a well thought out argument "hating" - that is a term used by ignorant people unable to express themselves intelligently. Do you have any proof of Towns demeaning teenagers or is this just more rhetoric being spewed from a struggling campaign? Perhaps when you decide to begin acting like a professional and running a professional campaign (with a professional candidate, not a reality-tv faux celebrity) you might have a chance, but until then, I will work day and night to enure the people of Brooklyn have better representation than someone who hires staff who retort with a comeback like "bye hater" Wow, you really won me over with your thought out and intelligent argument. I am the author of the blog that is generating all of these comments and yes I witnessed the events and wrote a first hand account of what took place. The blog was meant to illustrate a day in the life of Kevin Powell campaigning not to “demean teenagers”. It is unfortunate that the room eight blog made a conscious effort to frame the encounter in such a way. It seems that the conversation has moved from what actually happened to Mr. Powell’s commitment to the youth of Brooklyn. Mr. Powell continues to work with incarcerated youth in our correctional systems and works with youth monthly at his Black Males in America Program. There are youth working on Mr. Powell’s campaign in key positions and they know him and support him. Unlike our opponents canvassing staff that evidently have never met the candidate and nor do they know his name (which I witnessed with both ears). This is not a reflection of the canvassing staff but a reflection of the congressman’s campaign. You state that he is interested in the youth in his district, but he nor anyone on his staff can find the time to better prepare his canvassing workers. If we are having a dialogue about which candidate is more focused on the youth, what has the incumbent done for the youth in his 25 years in office?
Keeping that 'story' on your website flies in the face of everything that you just posted. If you guys want to be taken seriously, I suggest tightening up the ship. Who is in control over there? This is madness.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Sometimes no matter how much "therapy" and "enlightenment" one recieves, some people only understand one language. I'd bet anything he'd be truly reformed only when he gets his teeth kicked in....literally. When the bully gets his ass kicked he stops picking on you. I will no longer engage in the back and forth with Powell staffers.It is neither productive or even fun. As someone who has worked on more than a dozen campaigns over the past 16 years, I have never seen a more pathethic excuse of a candidate in my life. Kevin and his campaign want to scrutinize the record of Congressman Towns which is fine and totally necessary. However, when you run for office as a challenger your record and past is under just as much scrutiny and people should not forget Kevin's violent streak that has gone on for many many years. A streak that has not ended as of yet. He no longer physically beats women, he choses to mentally abuse and assault them instead. Same crime, different method. Anyways, Gene you were NOT there when I had my private conversation with Kevin so you quite frankly should not speak of things you were not a witness to. You were told what your candidate wanted you to know.In your attempt to stop insulting the young women, you proceeded to do more damage. I assure you this stunt has cost Mr. Powell some votes because his true character is rising to the top. The young women who work for Towns also happen to be registered voters in the 10th congressional district, as am I. I have nothing else to say. Erica, Gene and Michael please continue to converse amongst yourselves. For God's sake, please try to be a little more professional in your operations and dialogue then I can at least feel like I am dealing with someone on my level who is worthy of a response. Unlike the both of you, I do have work to do. Have a great day! Guvna, Erica Perkins is in controll. From what I've heard from a few Powell staffers and volunteers she's a complete joke. Absolutely no political experience with a 9-5 job. She's proven to be illiterate too. Great. Powell must be sleeping with this women, why else would he have a part-time, uneducated, political incompetant "manage" his campaign? Powell had so much opportunity, but has showed that he can't make decicisions that make him fit for Congress. Yes, Ed Towns is awful, but let's wait until 2010 to get a real candidate in the race. Erica Perkins and Kevin Powell, go to bed, Brooklyn is sick of you. I can only hope that now you will spend more time working with your canvass workers. I stand by what I wrote to be accurate. All the best, Gene Comments like this: "then I can at least feel like I am dealing with someone on my level" bring you down a notch. Stay on the high ground. If you fight with hogs you'll end up just as muddy as them, if you get my drift. James: between the "Open Letter", the Chapell no-show, and now this, I have to wonder whether anyone is truly in control. Every campaign needs someone that functions as the voice of reason. Someone that listens to the daily chatter in and outside of the campaign, but maintains a big picture view of things. Someone that could edit the open letter several times. Someone to veto the idea to post that blog entry. Even someone to handle Rock's interview request at the media event. It didnt have to be cold. An experienced person 'in control' wouldve counselled Kevin on how to finesse that meeting and schedule an interview at a later date. Dates can always be moved later, or cancelled altogether if need be. However, on the day in question, why give Rock something to write about by being dismissive of him? A bigger worry is that no matter who is in control, ultimately Powell has to be able to make the right calls on his own. So far, he has not been very convincing. There's still some time left before November, but my gut tells me they need some major shakeups in their campaign. That will not happen until they first recognize the need. Stay tuned . . . . Until then, my new slogan is: "Towns Again, until 2010!" lol
Well Gene, The lady appears to have said all I that she need to say and your rebuttal is futile. But as they use to say back in the day " If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything." Be more careful with what you stand for and who you stand with. You appear to have lots of growing up to do, you should get busy. I've worked as a volunteer on the Powell campaign. I'm very impressed by Kevin and his ideas. I've met Erica Perkins and I too, was unimpressed. Jeff Keilholtz seems to be running the show and is brilliant. I still believe that Kevin can win this race. Towns has to go, like NOW!
Sorry, tried responding to this once already, but I think there was a problem and it didn't get posted. I still had it in my cache so thought I'd try again. ********** Man! I didn't expect such a back and forth when I put my post together, I just wanted to vent about what I felt was Powell's unfair treatment of campaign workers. Post new comment |
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I'm sick of people attacking Kevin Powell's past. He has said repeatedly that he is reformed and has been getting help for many years. I think he will bring the change that this country so desperately needs - for cheaper health care, better education, more jobs and so on.
Powell for the People!
Kevin Powell for Congress