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 Answer the questions and address the issues
by Tom Campbell
January 30, 2008
Count me among those who sat painfully through the gubernatorial debate staged by the NAACP. The debate was a great forum for the group’s political agenda, but we found many of the questions so loaded with the organization’s opinions that it was often difficult to understand the questions being asked. Nobody can accuse the NAACP of asking impartial questions.
If the questions were loaded, so were the answers. Curiously, the lesser known Democrat, Dennis Nielsen, and the sole Republican, Bob Orr, came closest to actually answering the questions posed. Repeatedly the two major Democratic candidates failed to do so. It was obvious they were well rehearsed on points to emphasize and equally skilled in avoiding other subjects.
To be sure tough questions were being asked, but time after time questions about issues such as the great disparities between blacks and whites in school performance, health issues, and in criminal justice were met by rehearsed answers that shifted the discussion to a more preferable and almost related subject.
We kept hoping the moderator would interrupt and insist that the candidate answer the question asked instead of the often unrelated point the candidate wanted to make. It never happened in this debate and won’t in others. The plain truth is that candidate forums and debates have become worthless in an era of high-dollar, high-stakes campaigns, where a single misstatement will be instantly reported on cable, the Internet, web blogs, or talk shows. Perhaps candidates have too much to lose and not enough to gain to really speak to the issues.
And you have a greater chance of getting hit by a bus than meeting a statewide candidate face to face. The current trend is for candidates to work the phones and appear at fat cat fundraisers instead of actually crisscrossing the state to discuss issues with voters at the neighborhood coffee shop or a rally in the park. When they do venture outside, these statewide candidates visit the 25 urban counties that produce two-thirds of the votes in elections.
The major way candidates address voters today is through the slick, focus group tested television ads that carefully position each candidate. Unfortunately, as Election Day draws closer, it becomes harder to distinguish the candidates from the cacophony of ads.
It would be easy to point the finger of blame for the state of today’s political campaigns to the candidates who run for office, but to do so would be a grave injustice. The real blame lies with the voters. We allow candidates to get by not answering questions, not addressing the real issues, and slinging mud at other candidates.
We deserve better than this but we won’t get it until we send a clear message that the current way is the wrong way to select important leaders.
You want more meaningful campaigns with real substance? The vote is yours. |
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