I was over at the Italian American Club tonight for a fascinating speech by Wil Haygood, a Washington Post reporter who just wrote a biography of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. Sugar Ray of course had ties to Watertown and boxed at the former Starbuck Arena. Great speech, great dinner.

As sometimes happens when you are seated next to WWNY anchorman Brian Ashley the talk turned to politics and the race in NY-23. I started out by scolding the media for what I have seen as a leisurely, detached effort at covering a truly historic event, the election of a new Member of Congress.

I, of course, have been appalled at the total lack of coverage of this race and the ability of the candidates to totally avoid any tough questions; debates; or interviews. I suggested a reporter be dispatched to Plattsburgh to find out about the man observers say will be our next Congressman.

Brian pushed back and said the media has been trying to pin these guys down but that the campaigns, particularly that of Bill Owens, have been adept at ducking, weaving, bobbing and obfuscating. He says Plattsburgh media says the same. In fact the Press Republican recently editorialized that Mr. Owens ducked a forum in his home town.

The Owens speech in Cape Vincent was covered only by me.....Brian says the weekend trip was only announced to the press after it was over. I was there only by coincidence as I was invited by Harold Wiley to the event. Brian says requests for interviews are routinely denied in favor of prepared statements. He also says the Owens campaign is assiduously avoiding anything that smacks of a debate.

Not that Doug Hoffman is all that available and the Scozzafava campaign is seen by media wags as a complete lay down.

Then I was chatting with the publisher of the WDT. He too has never met the next Congressman. Its very unusual for a person running for such office not to do the editorial board meetings. I know newspapers are not as important in some minds, but its part of running. Publishers represent the institutional knowledge of the area and should be met with.

So Bill Owens is being kept in a bubble and all we see is the carefully scripted image of his TV commercials. Not me saying it...The professionals you depend on every day for your news are saying it.

A lot of people who read this blog plan to vote for him, and he is known in the legal community as a smart, somewhat quiet attorney always associated with the GOP through the law firm of former Senator Ronald Stafford.

It should be pointed out that for the honor of succeeding John McHugh in representing this district, Mr. Bill Owens has undergone no vetting, and exposed himself to no questions by the media or by the people he seeks to represent.

A lot needs to happen in the next 17 for the voters of the 23rd to be truly in a position to wisely choose their next Member of Congress.

Jeff Graham is the Mayor of Watertown, NY, a business owner, talk show host, and avid political blogger.  His blog can be found at http://mayorgraham.blogspot.com/