burlingtonfreepress.com

Sponsored by:

vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


9.20.2006

 

The debates

"Anonymous" asked for some debate about the Monday Rainville-Welch debate. Let us not forget, too, last night's Parker-Douglas debate.

I caught just the last bit of Monday's House debate on account of family obligations. Ergo, some members of our staff who are in the witness protection program filled in with the "staff report" that appeared in the next day's paper. AARP might have done a better job getting the word out that the debate was being televised on VPT. Nonetheless, a fine thing to provide the forum.

I tuned in in time to hear Martha Rainville say Peter Welch has not done anything in the campaign to particularly annoy her, not that she was willing to admit anyway, lest she be accused of being negative. Not the most revealing or riveting aspect of the debates to date.

Riveting might not be the right word for political debates, but the House debates, as well as last night's gubernatorial debate, have beeing revealing. Vermont voters have had a chance to see a good contrast in political offerings. These are not the sort of debates where you walk away thinking, despite what Liberty Union gubernatorial candidate Bob Skold tried to say, that all the candidates are the same.

What did you, the viewers, think? Were there clear winners or losers in the debates in either race? On what grounds? Don't just say "Wonderful Candidate X kicked butt because I like X so much better than worm-sucking Candidate Y."

Were there questions not asked that you'd like to see asked? Did the debates reveal what you wanted revealed about the candidates? Please, do tell.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Comments:
To be fair, it was a Dem audience. But, the reaction was not only dissaproval, but I think shock that Douglas cast off the question in the way that he did. He's a shmuck who needs to replaced.
 
"He's a shmuck who needs to replaced."

Yeah good luck with that
 
I liked the contrast between the two House candidates. Welch was clearly very well versed on all the issues brought up by the moderator and the audience, but he also seemed like a nice guy. Also, a bit off the subject, it's so disingenuous of Martha to act like she will have a choice of House Speakers to vote for. She will vote for Hastert. He will return his most faithful comrades to their chairmanships. It's a fact.
 
"Welch proposes an education agenda: no coverage."

I don't see anything resembling an "education agenda" on his website either.
 
"I don't see anything resembling an "education agenda" on his website either."

Try:

http://www.welchforcongress.com/educationplan

There's a link to this page right on Senator Welch's front page. Pretty easy to find when you take the blinders off.
 
"Pretty easy to find when you take the blinders off."

Wow, are all Welch supporters such knobs?

Your link is the wrong page by the way, all that one says is that he thinks education is really important. There's a different one linked from there that goes into all the swell things he'll not have the chance to do after he loses in November.
 
Here is a letter to the editor from the Welch camp. It runs in today's Times Argus. Will it be effective? Maybe. Its the only arguement the Welch folks have left to play - Welch is a wimp, but Martha is a Republican. I'm embarressed for Welch. Serious Lack of self respect. Here is the letter...
Rainville sounds good... at first

September 21, 2006

I was listening to a debate between Peter Welch and Martha Rainville today on the radio. My first impression was that Rainville came across as forceful and intelligent with canny ideas while Welch sounded kind of wimpy, tentative and surprisingly dependent on political clichés for such an experienced and successful politician.

Rainville sounded especially convincing when talking in her comfort zone about the military.

But when I listened more closely as the debate continued, and tried to cut through the rhetoric to the core issues, it was clear that a vote for Rainville, regardless of how dazzling she seemed, would just be another vote for the Republican ruling class in Washington.

After a while, Rainville was either espousing the good old Republican causes - lowering taxes, pro-business policies, military solutions to diplomatic problems - or saying silly things, such as that two of her first three legislative priorities if elected were 1) immigration, and 2) establishing an ethics commission to oversee Congress [how about one to scrutinize the White House where it's really needed?]. (Both Welch and Rainville agreed that electing a member of their own party as House Speaker was their first priority.)

Against this, Welch posited his choice of 1) balancing the budget, and 2) raising the minimum wage - much more fundamental problems that can be readily fixed by Congress.

Although wowed by Rainville initially, I came away realizing that a vote for her would only ensure business as usual in D.C. and two more years of King George's heavy hand.

Welch may not have the polish, but he certainly has the job experience and the right ideas. Being sent to Washington is a great responsibility and, of the two candidates for the U.S. House, it's apparent only Welch fully qualifies for this honor.

The same could be said for the Senate race where a rank political beginner is desperately trying to unseat the seasoned and experienced Bernie Sanders.

Like filling any job, my vote would definitely be for the more qualified candidate who has earned his position the hard way.

Marge Garfield

E. Calais
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

June 2006   July 2006   August 2006   September 2006   October 2006   November 2006   December 2006   January 2007   February 2007   March 2007   April 2007   May 2007   June 2007   July 2007   August 2007   September 2007   October 2007   November 2007   December 2007   January 2008   February 2008   March 2008   April 2008   May 2008   June 2008   July 2008   August 2008   September 2008   October 2008   November 2008   December 2008   January 2009   February 2009   March 2009   April 2009   May 2009   June 2009   July 2009   August 2009   September 2009   October 2009   November 2009   December 2009   January 2010   February 2010   March 2010   April 2010