More Debates, Now!
Last night, the Democratic candidates vying to win the primary and thus (almost certainly) win the seat from the 11th Congressional District debated each other on Inside City Hall.
The nearly hour-long debate, moderated by Dominic Carter, touched upon some things that should be aired on the public stage. However, due to time constraints and trying to fit in the bigger headlines surrounding the race into the debate, the talk about the issues pertaining to the residents of the 11th CD was curtailed.
There is only one logical conclusion: There must be more debates. There must be more opportunities to hit upon all the issues of the district, as well as air all the dirty laundry and baggage that the candidiates carry with them.
This should apply to all the races.
While the issues of race in the 11th CD contest are best left out (and was not so, as City Councilman David Yassky tried to defend his candidacy as the only white candidate), questions pertaining to the motives and credibilities of the candidates were covered during the debate. Unfortunately, it left little time for issues outside of those pertaining to the candidates themselves.
For instance, each of the candidates were asked to name what they thought were the top three issues in the 11th CD. However, few issues were touched upon to any further (although still shallow) during the debate. The issue most discussed in some detail was the Atlantic Yards project that has received an opinion from nearly everyone in the area.
From the NY1 article on the debate:
"Beyond the controversies, the candidates did discuss the issues. They all agreed that affordable housing, immigration and healthcare are the most pressing issues facing the district, but when the proposed Atlantic Yards development Project came up, Owens was the fiercest critic. Yassky said the buildings proposed were too large, while Clarke and Andrews supported the plan."
This is not necessarily the fault of NY1 or Dominic Carter that these issues were only lightly touched upon. The only thing that is needed is more time.
The same can be said of most, if not all, races throughout New York. For instance, the Democratic candidates for Governor have only had one debate, on July 25th, at a time when not as many people were aware of the race.
Although it was wonderful that the debate explored many of the issues that were critical to New York City (and some to downstate New York), there also has to be more attention being paid to the issues of upstate voters, much as I'd love New York City issues being in the spotlight.
The upcoming Town Hall meeting, featuring Democrats Tom Suozzi and Eliot Spitzer as well as Republican John Faso, will likely help to alleviate that deficit, with three audiences upstate as well as one in Pace University. However, to fully explore the differences and the issues, there will still be a need for more time to be devoted to the subject, especially for the Democrats as the primary is rapidly approaching.
NY1 and the other news organizations that have been promoting the debates and Town Hall meetings thus far have been valiant in their efforts to promote debate between the candidates, there is still more that needs to be done.
BCAT is also getting in on the action with another debate between the candidiates for the 11th CD that was recorded and will be aired multiple times over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, a good number of the voters of the district will be able to watch this debate as well, moderated by Errol Louis of the New York Daily News.
This should be a starting point for future election years. Next year will not see much action, but this should be a model to build upon for the years 2008, 2009, and 2010. We need more debates. Let the conflicts, the soundbites, the back and forth between the candidiates that we have witnessed this summer grow. No longer should any debates be so contained and scripted as they have been so often in the past. The clashing and the direct confrontation has provided some of the best moments during the campaign trail this summer.
Let it grow. Let it expand. More debates, now!
The nearly hour-long debate, moderated by Dominic Carter, touched upon some things that should be aired on the public stage. However, due to time constraints and trying to fit in the bigger headlines surrounding the race into the debate, the talk about the issues pertaining to the residents of the 11th CD was curtailed.
There is only one logical conclusion: There must be more debates. There must be more opportunities to hit upon all the issues of the district, as well as air all the dirty laundry and baggage that the candidiates carry with them.
This should apply to all the races.
While the issues of race in the 11th CD contest are best left out (and was not so, as City Councilman David Yassky tried to defend his candidacy as the only white candidate), questions pertaining to the motives and credibilities of the candidates were covered during the debate. Unfortunately, it left little time for issues outside of those pertaining to the candidates themselves.
For instance, each of the candidates were asked to name what they thought were the top three issues in the 11th CD. However, few issues were touched upon to any further (although still shallow) during the debate. The issue most discussed in some detail was the Atlantic Yards project that has received an opinion from nearly everyone in the area.
From the NY1 article on the debate:
"Beyond the controversies, the candidates did discuss the issues. They all agreed that affordable housing, immigration and healthcare are the most pressing issues facing the district, but when the proposed Atlantic Yards development Project came up, Owens was the fiercest critic. Yassky said the buildings proposed were too large, while Clarke and Andrews supported the plan."
This is not necessarily the fault of NY1 or Dominic Carter that these issues were only lightly touched upon. The only thing that is needed is more time.
The same can be said of most, if not all, races throughout New York. For instance, the Democratic candidates for Governor have only had one debate, on July 25th, at a time when not as many people were aware of the race.
Although it was wonderful that the debate explored many of the issues that were critical to New York City (and some to downstate New York), there also has to be more attention being paid to the issues of upstate voters, much as I'd love New York City issues being in the spotlight.
The upcoming Town Hall meeting, featuring Democrats Tom Suozzi and Eliot Spitzer as well as Republican John Faso, will likely help to alleviate that deficit, with three audiences upstate as well as one in Pace University. However, to fully explore the differences and the issues, there will still be a need for more time to be devoted to the subject, especially for the Democrats as the primary is rapidly approaching.
NY1 and the other news organizations that have been promoting the debates and Town Hall meetings thus far have been valiant in their efforts to promote debate between the candidates, there is still more that needs to be done.
BCAT is also getting in on the action with another debate between the candidiates for the 11th CD that was recorded and will be aired multiple times over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, a good number of the voters of the district will be able to watch this debate as well, moderated by Errol Louis of the New York Daily News.
This should be a starting point for future election years. Next year will not see much action, but this should be a model to build upon for the years 2008, 2009, and 2010. We need more debates. Let the conflicts, the soundbites, the back and forth between the candidiates that we have witnessed this summer grow. No longer should any debates be so contained and scripted as they have been so often in the past. The clashing and the direct confrontation has provided some of the best moments during the campaign trail this summer.
Let it grow. Let it expand. More debates, now!
posted by Will at 5:02 PM
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