Now is the time for those who believe Mayor Frank Jackson isn't the Mayor Cleveland Needs. PREPARE. Not for election 2009 but for the next election in 2013.

I’m not kidding. It is a shame. Cleveland needs leadership now.

But this year’s election is over. We don’t need to count the votes.

The supposed lead opposition to Jackson for this election – former Councilman Bill Patmon – showed he wasn’t prepared to run with less than a month to go. He did that in an interview with Tom Beres, senior political reporter for Ch. 3. Find it here: http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=119480

Patmon was unimpressive in a near 15 minute interview available on WKYC’s web site with Beres.

No theme. No program. No pizzazz.

He was unimpressive because he didn’t have foundation for a campaign. An election that would be tough even if he did. Patmon seemed unprepared and depended upon trite, predictable answers.

He should be elected, Patmon said, because Jackson hasn’t provided leadership and “I kinda bring that leadership to the table.” Ho hum.

Well, he needs to add a lot more to be convincing before anyone is going to believe him.

Beres offered a final word from Patmon after noting people believe the Mayor has the money and political backing.

Patmon wasn’t ready. He said to vote for him and “thanks to those who do and those who don’t….” Well, it sort of ended with Patmon tongue tied and with a grimace.

What I noticed was that Patmon never smiled during the entire interview. He was too tight.

He did come over as overly serious. It seemed that Patmon was trying to use a serious tone to substitute for a serious candidacy.

It won’t work.