Hi, Jim. Interesting post today. I'd like to chime in for obvious reasons!

While I don't agree with the Chamber PAC's endorsement, I certainly respect their right to endorse whomever they would like. I do think it's important to point out that the views of the 9-member Chamber PAC board do not necessarily reflect the entire business community in such a large city, as exemplified by the incredible support shown by the "Business Leaders for Ashley" coalition that was unveiled on Tuesday. Over 70 CEOs and business leaders provided their endorsement for my candidacy.

You can see the list at http://ashley4mayor.com/PRESSRELEASES/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/41/Default.aspx. I am very proud of my experience in bringing together broad coalitions of business leaders in Fresno and throughout the San Joaquin Valley to help improve the area economy.

I look forward to more opportunities and debates to contrast my record with any of the other candidates in the race and really talk about the concerns of the Fresno business community, which include a City Hall that is often difficult to work with.

So 70% agreement is good enough for FRESPAC's endorsement these days? Mr. Smith understandably didn't name the City Councilmembers with better business-friendly records, but I'm sure Jerry Duncan was one of them. Jerry Duncan knows what it's like to build a business, meet a payroll, work with the Bd of Equalization and EDD. Like Tom Boyajian, he knows what City residents and business-owners go through every day to make life go in this city, and to create jobs. Career public-sector bureaucrats like Perea and Swearingin, youthful as they are, sorely lack that perspective.

Swearengin's list of 'CEO's and business leaders' is wide and thin, including a number of truly big names as well as many retirees and self-employed owners of one-person shops. But she's correct about one thing: FRESPAC is not the Chamber, and the Chamber does represent only a small slice of Fresno's businesses.

As far as Henry's 'broad coalition,' heaven help anyone who gets elected to office because of the support of public sector unions and then tries to govern while they bankrupt the public treasury.

This is just another step for Perea on his way to Sacramento. He will have the support of many special interest groups and will probably end up in Sac. The winner has to be able to work ewith the council and supervisors.

First let it be noted that the Chamber has great respect for Jerry and Ashley. Both have been great friends to the business community. Our endorsement of Henry T. has as much to do about having a candidate who can speak to and motivate the entire community..not just one segment...if we want to continue moving Fresno forward. In spite of his broad support, Henry has continually used his common sense, not his political loyalties, in making his decisions. We have witnessed and tracked that and applaud his unique ability to cooperate with all segments of the community. By the way, his voting record in support of business is tied at the top with Jerry Duncan. Just to keep the record straight.

The good thing about this, is that all three of these candidates would make good Mayors. This is not a "good" "bad" decision...but more like a "good" "better". We just thought Henry was the better.

I don't agree at all with the Chamber's decision, and had a respectful conversation with Al Smith about this yesterday. Your first job as a CEO cannot be Mayor - period. With no management or governing experience, one cannot be expected to govern a billion dollar entity. This isn't personal - I am sure Mr. Perea is a nice person.

Second, this endorsement gives the SEIU a firm toehold in our community. The SEIU has already spent $100,000 on election preparations for our area, and will spend several hundred thousand more by November. Their goals: unionize Community Regional Medical Center, defeat FUSD school Board candidates who support Michael Hanson, and further inculcate labor interests in local government, and pass a local sales tax measure to fund healthcare in the County.

Perea and his influential father, Henry Perea, Sr., are the closest elected leaders to SEIU in this area. We need a counterweight to their influence and Perea is not it.

The Chamber has unwittingly opened up a Pandora's box that will cause its members great consternation over the next several years.

I would like to correct a little misinformation posted by Mr. Gastelum.

The Greater Area Fresno Chamber of Commerce represents nearly 2,000 businesses in the greater Fresno Area. Of course, the Chamber PAC does not speak for each and every one of these folks, any more than the union leadership and PACs speak for all of their members. The Chamber PAC would not have endorsed Henry T. Perea had it believed he would be consistently voting along union lines.

Henry has shown himself over his years as a councilmember to be an independent thinker who is concerned with what is best for the community as a whole. The Chamber PAC met with every mayoral candidate individually, most of them twice. It then conducted a forum-style meeting between what it considered its best 4 of the candidates.

As Al Smith said, we are lucky to have more than one very good candidate for mayor and the decision was not easy--but for many reasons, we believe we made the correct decision.

As others have pointed out here, FRESPAC's decision was a terrible contradiction of the Chamber's widely expected role as advocate of the business community in Fresno. As the Chamber representatives posting here have indicated, they apparently see the scope of the Chamber's role as prioritizing the non-business interests of the broader community as a whole, however I'd be surprised if the dues-paying business owners who are members of the Chamber would agree.

Ms. Salisch is correct that unions are notorious for the disconnect between their leadership and their membership, however it's nothing to brag about to say that FRESPAC suffers the same affliction.

I'm not sure what is the basis for the claim of misinformation -- FRESPAC is distinct from the nonprofit Chamber as a matter of Federal law, and if the Chamber itself only has 2,000 members, 16.9% of local business is in fact only a small slice of the Fresno area's business community (not even counting entrepreneurs, business startups, or any establishments that opened here after the 2002 U.S. Census).

Mr. Der Manouel makes some extremely important points: the Mayor's is not an entry-level job, and both Pereas are union pols.

Other candidates, especially current and former City Councilmembers, also compete for the unions' support, but almost all bring long records of accomplishment and substantive experience as well.

If the Chamber was truly looking for a candidate who can represent the entire community, Tom Boyajian has a proven record of succesfully advocating for a highly diverse constituency comprising families, business owners, seniors, homeowners, and residential and commercial neighborhoods for 8 yrs as a Councilmember and many years as a civic volunteer and business owner before that.

Other candidates such as Jerry Duncan also have firsthand experience with what it takes to create jobs as a business owner in Fresno; Mike Dages has worked many years in the streets of our community as an advocate for the people of Fresno's neighborhoods.

As Mr. Smith indicated, the Chamber had an extraordinary opportunity to use FRESPAC's endorsement to 'move Fresno forward.'

Unfortunately, they blew it.

No experience running anything or leading anyone...Maybe change and hope will be the centerpiece of his candidacy too. He has a lot in common with Sen.Obama.

Brian I assume you are simply not informed on Obama's experience.

I would encourage you to do a little research on Obama's work experience.

You stated:
"No experience running anything or leading anyone...Maybe change and hope will be the centerpiece of his candidacy too. He has a lot in common with Sen.Obama."

This is not a true comment, at all.

I agree with Michael Der Manouel, Jr. that the key to the Mayor's Race is experience in Leadership. A strong leader needs to create vision, a strategic plan, build a great team, and inspire that team to do great things. The toughest part of Leadership, though, is the ability to hold people accountable for achieving the organizations goals. If you have never done that, you are not prepared to lead. If you look at the Mayoral Candidates, there is only one Candidate who has done that in both the public and private sector. I created and lead a school community with a constituency of over 10,000 people. Contrary to other candidate’s statements, I also own a successful publishing and motivational speaking business, you can out more information on my website at www.ebenformayor.com . Contrary to Mr. Smith's comment above, there were four finalists in the Chamber of Commerce debate, not three. I really enjoyed the debate and felt I represented my candidacy well. I'm confident that I proved to the PAC that this is more than a three person race. The Chamber PAC has the right to endorse any candidate they want, but I look forward to making this a race about leadership. Ultimately all the downtown politics will mean very little, as it is the general public that will decide.

All of this fighting for the endorsements of big business and Pacs who have not interviewed all of the candidates has me thinking the same things I have been thinking since the beginning of this Mayoral race. What about what is best for the people of Fresno? A candidate with an influential Dad, who has big money friends, who runs around climbing in bed with the big money and special interst groups and who has not done one thing in eight years for the people of Fresno is someone who will NOT work for the people as Mayor. If they haven't done anything for the people in eight years, you can bet they won't as Mayor either. Our next Mayor needs to have business experience, leadership skills and most of all, the best interests of the people in mind. We need a Mayor who will put the "public service" back into our administration, not someone who works for special interests groups. I know, maybe a candidate who has proven leadership skills and has developed (not pirated) plans that will benefit ALL of Fresno. A candidate who has been honored with National, Congressional and State Assembly Awards and who has actually EARNED these awards by working for the people and for a better Fresno for EVERYONE.

Rich-you're right.After researching Sen. Obama at various websites Henry T. Perea seems more qualified for the position he is seeking than Obama is for his. Victor Davis Hanson had a great column on the hypocrisy of Sen. Obama and Clinton in the Sunday opinion page. Does it fit?

I wish I could appreciate your partisan view. Agreeing with Victor Davis Hanson just reconfirms your polarized bias.

Rich-did you even take the time to read it? VDH is a registered Democrat.Sorry to interrupt your fantasy. I have no expectation of changing your mind Rich but I took the time to check out Sen.Obama's info at your direction so as to be better informed.I might as well have gone to The Men's Warehouse to find out about an empty suit.He's sponsored some legislation but that's about it.Mrs. Clinton is a profile in contradiction and never has one person parlayed being a P.O.W. into so much as Sen.McCain. His whole political life has been fueled by it.Not much to be inspired by from either party and now the "Dinosaur" Ralph Nader has entered the race to feed his ego.Who will that help?Who cares?Nothing on this menu worth ordering.

VDH is an enigma. Yes I know of VDH read his books, listened to him speak at FSU. Yes he is a Democrat a stick man of sorts for Republican partisans. I'm sure he fits in well at the Hoover Institution with all the other like minded "Democrats".

Senator McCain was a P.O.W. it does not give him a right of passage above anyone else.

I'm not sure if you seen McCain as compared with Nader the both seem to be older then dirt.

If you apply the same standards for lack of expierence in the Senate or Congress you may have not voted for Reagan, or Bush for that matter. Neither spent one day in the Senate or Congress.

We need more people in Washington less corrupted by lobbyists, and self rightious pragmatism.

Nader, Dems and Independents are not going to be swayed by his antics. I welcome him but trust people won't take him seriously. We do live in a democracy, let him speak.

Rich I don't find Victor to be mysterious. He seems very much to be his own man based on his education and life experiences.He agreed with you that Nader will probably not be a factor in this election.I listened to him speak today in Visalia and chatted briefly with him afterwards.I agree-let him(Nader) speak but I also ponder the notion of what our nation and the world would be like today if Perot had not delivered the presidency to Bill Clinton in '92 and Nader the presidency to George W.Bush in 2000.I should have asked Victor but wouldn't that be a great creative writing assignment?

I said I believe VDH to be an "enigma" not mysterious. Just because VDH votes as a Democrat does not mean he speaks for Democrats. He is not a standard bearer for Democrats.

Well...an enigma can be defined as mysterious or hard to figure out. Right? Does your reply mean he speaks for Republicans or maybe it is just his own personal take on things.

Yes it can be defined as mysterious, I meant more as hard to figure out. He has a personal unique take on things, and so happens to be registered as a Democrat.

His explanations are a little convoluted, and does seem to change his perspectives on issues, which is ok because we live in a changing world.

I guess if he gave simple answers he would not be a part of the Hoover Institution, nor be able to have the opportunity to publish books.

No matter how many "business" endorsements that Perea gets he needs to remember that those "70 votes" or whatever it ends up being with the business owners does not compare to the THOUSANDS of people that will be backing Jim Boswell for mayor of fresno.

The endorsements that count to me personally are the ones that come from ME, YOU, and OTHER residents who live here and support the only mayoral candidate who will work FOR them.

I agree with Perea using this position to get to Sac and odds are he would not deny that either because YES he is a politician which is FINE but fresno needs much more then a politician like perea can offer.

Fresno wants a mayor to work for them and Perea and even Swearingin for that matter are NOT the ones to do it.

Special interest groups is not even close to describing what perea and swearingin would be bringing to fresno. That is NOT a good thing.

I want someone like Jim Boswell who will work for OUR special interests here in FRESNO.