A candidates event, where we'll never get to vote? That's right.

Somehow I was invited to a forum for the candidates jockeying for the Maine Attorney position. The AG is chosen by the legislature, so our only strategy is to lobby our legislators for the candidate of our choice. This was a rare opportunity to hear all three legislators who are seeking this position in the expected-to-be democratic legislature.

Why I was invited to this forum I might never know. Looking around the room, I didn't see anybody from the Maine Civil Liberties Union, or the NAACP, or any other activist groups with a vital stake in this office. I might have been the only "activist" there. Evidently nobody from NAACP was invited; I'm not sure about MCLU. The meeting was held at the offices of Pierce Atwood, and most of those in attendance looked like they worked there or at other top law firms in the city.

Listening just to what was said in this forum, I'd have to say that Sean Faircloth was the clear winner. He spoke clearly of taking leadership on civil rights issues, noting that he'd be in much better company if the next US attorney in Maine is appointed by Barak Obama, and he promised to take a "significant and activist" role. Brautigam was not as clear or articulate, didn't sound as strong to me, but was still impressive in this performance. Enough said.

The Attorney General position is incredibly important. Look at at the recent history of racist incidents, anti-gay violence anti-Muslim displays, and it's clear that the civil rights agenda for the AG's office is vital. I certainly hope to hear more about this contest, and want to see stakeholders such as NAACP and MCLU invited to take part -- even if we don't get to vote on it directly.

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