Our Capitol rotunda is the place of choice for many demonstrations and news conferences related to state government issues. Some days there can be a different group holding forth there every half hour or so. There’s so much interest in using the venue that a state employee is assigned the task of setting up a podium, sound system, and a few folding chairs for the "working press" when they deign to drift down from the newsroom upstairs. All of which means that it takes a significant effort to make an impact with a rotunda news conference.

Pennsylvania’s Green Party tried on September 25 with about a dozen of their members and four members of the mainstream media, but ended up with barely a ripple, outdone by a six–year–old girl who mounted the marble steps to belt out "The Star Spangled Banner" just 20 minutes before the Greens started calling for Ralph Nader to be part of the forthcoming presidential debates.

Of course, no one reading local newspaper or listening to radio or television would have known about the rally to check it out. The only reason I knew to go was that my anarchist brother, who for years has not been registered to vote and has steadfastly eschewed the whole disgusting political process, has gotten religion. In the last few months, after watching Ralph Nader’s acceptance speech on C-SPAN, he’s registered to vote, tried to get other people to sign petitions for Nader, and put a Nader bumper sticker on his car. So the Green Party feeds him information and he passed on to me the date and time of the Capitol rally and news conference.

Since I didn’t remember the time correctly, I arrived 35 minutes early, but it was just as well because I got to see the best show of the day and possibly the week, as well as to check out the Greens as they arrived and got themselves organized.

As I wandered into the rotunda and took a seat on one of the marble benches to wait and see what would happen, I became aware of what appeared to be a family group standing off to the side, looking a bit too dressed up to be simply tourists visiting the Capitol. After they talked amongst themselves for a few minutes, the mother led a little girl dressed up in her best white dress with black patent leather shoes and frilly white socks up several of the steps in the grand marble staircase leading up from the center of the rotunda and deposited her there. She then told the state employee on duty "We’re ready," and he handed her a microphone, which she took to the little girl.

As the father snapped some pictures, the girl suddenly started singing "The Star Spangled Banner," easily grabbing a good starting note for her range and tearing into it with gusto. People in the rotunda froze. Those of us who had been sitting slowly came to our feet. People came out from nearby legislative offices to see what was happening. While some of the words were a bit mangled in six-year-old pronunciation, there was no doubt that the girl had memorized the song well, and no doubt that she knew how to sing it. When it came time for "…land of the free," she hit the right note for "free" and then broke it to nail the much higher note that sopranos and trumpet players use to show off, and finished to thunderous applause.

Hoping that the little girl was the warm-up act for the Greens, I asked the state employee which group she was with. "No group. They just called and asked if she could sing and we said ‘why not.’ One of the hardest songs to sing and she did it just because she can."

And then all was quiet again until three Green Party statewide candidates and some campaign organizers and campus coordinators entered the rotunda and huddled together to plan last minute strategy. Plans made, several of them mounted the marble steps and unfurled banners reading Green Party while Dauphin County Greens coordinator Frank Divonzo introduced Anne Goeke, their candidate for Auditor General; Tom Linzey, candidate for Attorney General; and Barbara Knox, candidate for treasurer.

Since the rally was intended to call attention to the Greens’ demand that Ralph Nader be included in the three presidential debates, the candidates did not have much opportunity to tell what they would do if elected.

Goeke said Nader’s participation in the debates (something I personally would like to see and for which I’ve sent a supportive message to the federal debate commission), would "restore party politics to their historic legitimate role in our system." She did take time to say that unlike many career politicians she’s "not hijacked and not for sale," and to list her three priorities if she is elected Auditor General: (1) to be sure that our tax money is spent more effectively and efficiently; (2) to seek use of alternative energy sources in state buildings (perhaps hot air piped directly from the legislative chambers?); and (3) to make the Auditor General’s office more transparent so people can see how the state invests its funds. Except for the alternative energy usage, her points are very similar to those espoused by all candidates for that office.

Knox, a retired psychologist and mental hospital administrator (undoubtedly good training for working in state government), says her biggest challenge as state treasurer would be to convince the administration and legislature that their goal should be to create a sustainable, community–based economy. She says such an economy could be brought about through "fiscally conservative management and socially responsible investment" of state funds. She also stressed her integrity, declaring, "I’m not for sale," and noting that she will not accept campaign contributions from investment bankers, lawyers, lobbyists, and others of that ilk, a stance that’s good to have even if it is extremely unlikely that any of them would want to contribute to her campaign.

By far the most effective speaker of the three was Linzey, the candidate for attorney general. The key question about the presidential debates, he said, is, "What are the Democrats and Republicans afraid of? Why are they afraid to allow Ralph Nader into the debates?" His response is that they are afraid of the 10,000 people who showed up in Portland to hear Nader; the 12,000 who heard him in Seattle; the 8,000 in Minneapolis; and the 13,000 expected to hear him in Boston. "Those people came to hear Nader talk about the things that the other candidates aren’t talking about," Linzey thundered. "They’re afraid to hear the real voice of the working people, small businesses, ordinary citizens." And with that the half-dozen people wearing Green Party buttons who comprised the audience starting shouting "Let Ralph Debate," their voices echoing through the rotunda.

It was strange being there to cover the rally. I feel at home in the Capitol because I worked in its newsroom 30+ years ago when I covered state government for United Press International and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Over the years I have lost my fervor for politics and devotion to following and reporting on its many nuances. I have become of those non-involved people that Nader is seeking to reach.