All-candidates meetings
Posted April 14, 2009 by Sacha Peter - Link
Category: NDP
Comments (2)
Anybody that has worked on a campaign know that all-candidates meetings at the federal and provincial level has little to do with genuine debate – it generally is about stuffing the audience with as many supporters as possible and being able to cheer on your preferred candidate. If the moderators make the mistake of allowing the public to ask questions, the questions that will be asked will be as supportive to the candidates’ platform. Finally, everything will be digitally recorded and any comments made that could be considered incriminating will be put instantly up on Youtube and will be attempted to be made into a huge issue.
Candidates have much more to lose than to gain by going to these events. Incumbent candidates especially have more to lose.
The public is generally aware of this; as a result, candidates lose very little by not showing up, especially if their presence is “visible” elsewhere in the election campaign and they are not seen as “hiding”.
I observe with great amusement (courtesy of the Public Eye Online) that the BC Liberal candidate in Victoria-Beacon Hill, Dallas Henault, challenging Carole James to show up for an all-candidates’ debate in the riding. James, quite correctly, is probably not going to show up.
On Geoff Sharpe’s weblog on this issue (who is siding with the BC Liberals), he posts about this issue, but the BC Liberals themselves have smartly keep their mouths shut about this issue because as I commented, I doubt Premier Gordon Campbell would want to be going to all-candidates’ meetings in his riding. I would love to see him debate with the leader of the Sex Party, who is running in Vancouver-Point Grey.
Very true Sacha, they do have much more to loose. I honestly wish both leaders would debate. It certainly would add a bit of excitment to an otherwise boring race (in their constituencies). I say this knowing that the Premier’s riding is much closer then the Victoria Beacon Hill.
By the way you’ve got a great site going on. I would be hard pressed to find another one with as much analysis.
The best idea I heard was on CKNW – Christy Clark vs. Carole James in a cage match.
Thank you for your comments. I do get things incorrect sometimes as well, but that’s one of the consequences of tossing out a lot of content.