Hi, I'm Rachel Leon, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY checking in with my first post on this blog. I thought I'd share a commentary I do on a bi-weekly basis for WAMC/ Northeast Public Radio, a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states. These include New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. Stations and translators are in ten locations throughout the region. My first broadcast was on voting. The next, to air this Friday on midday magazine, will be on lobby reform. Check it out here.

I look forward to feedback, and be sure to let me know of any ideas for future commentaries in the Comments section!

So I have to admit when I learned I was going to debate Scott Cleland on RadioInsideScoop on Monday I got a little nervous. He served President George H.W. Bush as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for telecom trade matters and has about 20 more years on telecom issues than I do. He was representing his group, Netcompetition.org, a group funded by the major telecommunications companies to sway public opinion in favor of allowing companies to violate the long standing governing principle of the Internet that treats all content the same throughout the network. The show was an hour long (you can listen here) and I was happy with the way it went and would like to do it again sometime soon.

There were a few things I thought that Scott Cleland had a tough time responding to.

Tonight I will be appearing on The Inside Scoop, a nationally syndicated TV and radio show. The subject is "net neutrality" - the democratic organizing principle of the Internet that treats all content providers alike from giants like Google to the lone blogger to the websites of advocacy groups like commoncause.org. I am told they are looking to invite a representative from the telecommunications lobby to debate me on the issue. I hope they find someone because as I would welcome the opportunity. I think their arguments are specious and pretty transparent.

Large phone and cable companies like Verizon and AT&T want to charge not only consumers for access to the Internet, but also those who create websites (content providers) for bringing those customers to them. They would provide the largest bandwidth and highest speeds to the content providers who can pay them the most. Those who can't pay them will get put in the "slow lane," destroying the democratic nature of the Internet and creating a pay-as-you-go system. If they get their way, the Internet that we know today will be a thing of the past and it is likely future generations won't believe us when we tell them that once upon a time anyone could post content and big businesses were on a par with small businesses, and anyone could gin up a blog if they wanted to.

Watch Comedy Central tonight at 8pm ET, check your local listing for other time zones, to see a repeat of last night's Daily Show. Chellie is interviewed by Ed Helms on the plight of politicians in Washington trying not to be reelected.

It's a great segment, and you can find out more in a previous blog entry.

You will also be able to see it on our website very soon; we hope to have it available by tonight. For now, you can go to Comedy Central to see it. It's the one with Ed Helms in a leather mask - he's not wearing it when he talks to Chellie, luckily.

Enjoy.

REMINDER: The Daily Show appearance is tonight, Wednesday.

Wednesday night is the broadcast of our interview with Ed Helms of The Daily Show, which was taped nearly three weeks ago.  I always have mixed feelings when I know that I am going to be on TV -- on the one hand I want to be sure a lot of people know and watch, so they can hear more about the work we are doing at Common Cause and the issues that I am discussing, but on the other hand, there is always the chance that it will be embarrassing, and I would rather no one was looking!  

And, this is The Daily Show...and the interview is with the very funny Ed Helms!!  He does a really good job of poking fun at whoever they interview, so why should this be any different?  This is a segment about how easy it is for Members of Congress to win reelection (their 98% reelection rate, and how they use redistricting and fundraising laws to hold on to their comfortable seats) and the fact that Congress is holding its shortest session this year in a half-century.  I figured out early in the interview that it was more fun to play along - as Ed started showing great sympathy with the "poor trapped Members of Congress, who couldn't get out of their seats if they tried."  However, I was quickly reminded that I was there to be serious...oops! -- No more giggling or "smart-ass" remarks from me!

Well, watch and let me know what you think -- as they say in politics, as long as they spell your name right, the rest doesn't matter; or in this case, as long as people learn something about Common Cause and the battles we take on -- it is all good.  And, let's face it, for all the nights we are on NBC Nightly News or the Lehrer News Hour, it is telling people that you are going to be on The Daily Show that makes them say, "Wow!"

Chellie

UPDATE: We've just received word from a Daily Show producer that Chellie's segment has been pushed back a night, so tune in Wednesday at 11:00 pm EST to see her talk with Ed Helms.

Common Cause President Chellie Pingree will make her Daily Show debut tomorrow night on Comedy Central at 11:00pm EST.  

A couple of weeks ago, Chellie sat down with correspondent Ed Helms to discuss a wide range of issues relating to Congress.  The Common Cause community is nervous with anticipation over what the final product will look like on Tuesday.  The interview was hours long, and went very well, but you never really know what the footage will look like by the time it gets on the show.  

So let all your friends know, and tune in tomorrow night at 11:00 to watch Chellie - The Daily Show is one of her favorite shows, and she had a great time filming the segment.  Afterward, let us know what you thought of her appearance in our comments section.