First of all, no organization in this state comes close to doing as great a job on debates as NY1. Hours and hours of preparation go into the debates. Hours and Hours of meetings and research.
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t doesn’t matter if your politics are Left, Right, Conservative, Liberal, Progressive. Or Independent. These debates are an opportunity for the public, a “snapshot” for you to see the candidates without some type of a media filter.
See them under pressure, observe their personalities, where they stand on the issues, see them in situations that they don’t control where anything can happen.
For example, Christopher Callaghan did a good job during the campaign hammering away at State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, but then froze during the debate. Bill Thompson held his own against Mayor Michael Bloomberg. For his part folks also expected Bloomberg to duck and avoid Thompson, but Bloomberg was on the attack. There are plenty of stories about the Hillary Clinton debate, the one with Elliot Spitzer and John Faso. Again, anything can happen, and think about this? These officials represent you. Where do they stand on Education, Abortion, The Budget and Taxes, Crime, Death Penalty, Drugs, Affirmative Action, Political Reform, the Environment, Foreign Relations, Free Speech, The Internet, Gay Rights, Guns.
You ignore the debates and the political process at your own peril.
Now to next week. (Monday & Tuesday)
Polling indicates it’s highly unlikely, but one of these individuals in the debates could defeat the incumbent senators Charles Schumer or Kirsten Gillibrand, so you might actually be looking at your next US Senator.
But there are a million reasons why you should watch the debates and especially now be involved in the political process. If your not involved, you don’t have the right to complain about anything.
Another reason, If you’re a supporter of President Obama, the President could lose the support he needs from his own party to carry out programs that may directly benefit you. Stated another way, the balance of power in both houses of Congress are at stake in the 2010 “midterm election,” as is much of President Obama's policy agenda.
These are Republican Debates live from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.
Debates when it comes to fast moving TV, sometimes take a while to get going. But stated another way at least they are not like the Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 where one candidate spoke for an hour, then the other candidate spoke for 90 minutes, and then the first candidate was allowed a 30-minute response.
Monday- Gary Berntsen will debate against Jay Townsend. Both men are vying for the Republican nomination to run against Senator Charles Schumer in November.
Tuesday- A three-way GOP debate. Bruce Blakeman, (known to the NYC area) Joseph DioGuardi and David Malpass. They are battling to take on Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
The Debates air on NY1 at 7:00 PM, and again at 10:00 PM. I wish my colleagues great success, but more importantly it’s about you, the public. Enjoy the debates!!!