Latino Debate Tomorrow
In the first gubernatorial debate since Adgate, the Bluewater Wind deal, and the Eminent Domain Debacle, John Carney, Jack Markell and Mike Protack will appear together in a forum sponsored by La Esperanza, the Latin Community Center and Voices Without Borders, in a Delaware’s first debate focusing on Latino issues. The debate will take place at the Dover Downs Conference Center at 7 pm tomorrow.
However, I wonder if the debate will focus entirely on Latino issues. Could there be an opportunity for Jack and John to address Adgate and the other contentious issues that have arisen between over the last weeks?
Given that the September 9th primary is fast approaching, I am sure one or both of the Democratic candidates will seek some confrontation with the other. Having a debate concentrating on Latino issues does not bar such confrontation, since Latino Delawareans are also concerned about alternative energy, the economy, healthcare, good and open government, ethics and property rights. Those are Latino issues too. But the more interesting thing to me is the presence of Mike Protack at a Latino debate, and the absence of Bill Lee.
First, given Mike Protack’s recent criticism of Bill Lee’s short lived approval of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants, I wonder what reception will greet Mr. Protack. It is one thing to attempt to win a GOP primary using the failed wedge issue of illegal immigration. It is quite another to do so at a debate sponsored by Latino groups.
Second, GOP Frontrunner Bill Lee will not be attending due to his “policy” of not debating prior to the September 9th primary. Here, Bill Lee is demonstrating cowardice. Obviously he has declined debates with Protack because he and his fellow establishment Republicans view Protack as a perennial nuisance, and they rather not give him a voice in this election. But if all Protack is is a nuisance, why would Bill Lee be afraid of debating him? If he is such a better candidate than Protack, with better Republican positions, surely Mr. Lee can defeat Protack on the issues in any debate at any time. I hope Protack points out Lee’s cowardly absence from this debate. I am sure he will.
If you want to go to the debate, bus transportation is available from both La Esperanza in Georgetown and the Latin American Community Center in Wilmington. For more information, call La Esperanza at 854-9262, or the LACC at 655-7338.
Why in God’s name would Bill Lee ruin a perfect opportunity for Markell and Carney to go at it?
I think Markell and Carney would still go at it even if Bill Lee were there. And if he were there, and Markell and Carney did go at it, he could appear even more “gubernatorial” in comparison.
But not going, he presents Protack, and Carney and Markell, an opportunity to wonder why he is not there.
If, without another voice to disagree with them, a candidate can’t convince someone that the validity of their ideas merits the support of the listener, they shouldn’t be running. To put it another way, if Mike Protack corners you and tells you why his plan for Delaware is correct – and you don’t like it – why would the presence of two other candidates make him more palatable?
Remember the VP debates of 1996? I’m old enough to, and there was a scorcher of a line where Bentsen told Quayle “I knew Jack Kennedy, I worked with Jack Kennedy, and you are no Jack Kennedy.” Now, Quayle and Bush won that year, but to this day, Quayle was diminished by that remark. There isn’t a snowball’s chance that what Protack (or Graham) has to say can help them enough to win a primary, but they could hurt Lee once he reaches the general election.
Most importantly, the local papers haven’t given much coverage to the primary as of yet. When it is infrequently mentioned, the News Journal rightly states that Lee is the likely Republican candidate. Because so little is written, there isn’t any reason to require that the News Journal prints the names of the other candidates, thereby elevating them in stature. In the case of Protack (and Graham), no news is good news.
Actually, the debate between Quayle and Bentsen took place in 1988.
I’m going to try and make this tomorrow night. Anyone else want to meet up and sit in the peanut gallery?
I am thinking about it. I was to be in York, PA tomorrow on business, but that was postponed.
I’m so tempted Mike. Dover Downs 7pm…? Man that is just on the edge of doable.
Ugh…just read where it said Dover Downs. Now I’m reconsidering. Gas…tolls…George Bush’s economy.
Not looking too good.