Great Debates
October 16th, 2007 by Bill ColleyDid you see the story in the News Journal about the lack of public interest in a new Governor? What amazes me is there are, for the time being, four candidates listed and a pair of them have 50 or more percent unknown status and these people have prior experience campaigning for statewide office. This in a state no wider in most places east to west than Manhattan is long from north to south. And with a much smaller population base than the big city up north. You can easily dismiss all of this by arguing the real campaign is months away.  Or so you could but as mentioned some of these folks have campaigned before and campaigned statewide.
I’m a talk show host. It’s my judgment to withhold on the campaigners until after the new-year and election season really gets to rolling. Now I’m having some second thoughts. Delaware doesn’t have a large concentration of news media. Daily newspapers are few and one of the benefits of a newspaper versus the web, and this is anecdotal, is that people more thoroughly read a paper than its companion website. You needn’t point and click because another story to the right catches the eyes as you flip a page. Television coverage has its own limitations. While not getting ink all over your fingers it’s also easier to set back and occasionally click a remote than to lean forward and constantly click a mouse. Yet is it a surprise to any of you that TV stations don’t have massive teams of beat reporters chasing politicians across the 2 to 3 states the local affiliates are serving?Â
Last night I watched the late newscasts and made a few observations. TV news is pretty much the same in Baltimore as in Salisbury as in Philadelphia. Pictures of crime and accident scenes and sound bites with police officers and pretty young ladies tying it all together before the weather are the staples of television. Honestly, there isn’t room in 30 to 35 minutes to adequately cover campaign issues.
I don’t have all the answers but I’ve got some proposals. A few crossed my mind Sunday morning as I listened to an interview one of my coworkers did with a newsmaker. First, and there must be a groundswell of interest from the public in advance, I propose radio debates. Not ordinary radio debates. What I’m conjuring is a two hour give and take between candidates with no moderator. First between primary candidates and then between party nominees and borrowing from a proposal Newt Gingrich has made for national debates it’s my desire that each candidate be required to say something nice about the opposition.  Not a comment about the selection of a tie or hairdresser but to say there may be some merit to at least one idea the other side offers.Â
This initial conversation will be criticized if one strong personality dominates. So be it. Sometimes as citizens it’s what we’re looking for. It’s also only a start. There would be another series of one hour discussions. There would be a moderator but each discussion covers but one topic. At the moment I’m considering 4 debates in this format. One would consider power generation and energy issues while another can ponder healthcare solutions. Housing and development could well be number three and there are numerous topics vying for chat number four. You get the idea. Moderators would be selected from a panel nominated by the state’s media outlets. Candidates won’t be granted veto power when it comes to selection of moderators. You agree to the terms or 53 percent of folks polled can go on not knowing your name. It’s the candidate’s choice to bow out but this will be very much noted by the hosts.
These ideas are for circulation. If there is a great interest I’ll present a more detailed plan to my handlers. As well as to Delaware’s combined media for a consensus and possible modifications and with a specific set of requests for my peers. No debate coverage will reference frontrunners and no winners or losers will be declared. After all, how can you even measure a subjective judgment? Leave it to the voters.Â
October 16th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
The idea of radio debates makes good sense to me. But as an outsider and a candidate that works in my favor so prejudice runs deep.
On the other hand I was reflecting this morning about this situation. Many voters today are so uneducated to any more than superficial appearances and in some instances not even that much. Any measure that offers voters some chance to know the candidates in order to vote on the issues seems to me to work to the advantage of the people overall. The lack of knowledge about elected officials and the political process reflects a measure of apathy that cannot be good for any part of the state.
Good luck with this proposal. I look forward to hearing more and seeing what others think of the idea.
Jerry Northington
October 16th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
It’s a good idea Bill, and you should run with it …
October 16th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Bill, like you, I was amazed at the lack of name recognition of the four candidates.
I like your idea of starting to expose your listening audience to these candidates for Governor, as well as candidates for Sussex County Council. the General Assembly and other elective offices after the candidates have announced.
There are two formats that I like. First, a single candidate, asked questions on qualifications and positions on issues, followed by time for listeners to call in with comments and questions. I think it important for all candidates to be invited, including those from other than the two major parties.
The second is the debate format, but with a moderator. For this the candidates should be supplied with a list of issues that will be covered. The debate should have strict rules regarding time allotments for answers and rebuttals. The end of the session could include the public calling in with their issues for debate.
Like Jerry, I look forward to these sessions.
October 17th, 2007 at 5:53 am
I agree with the above. Having callers question the candidates gives the candidates a real feel for what the voters are really interested in. It also sheds light on unintended consequences of previous voter results that could lead to, do I dare say it, rescinding or revising BAD laws/policies.
After the candidates have gotten to know the area (through callers lines of questions), they would have a chance to formulate their thoughts and policies, thus be in a better position to debate each other.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Why in the world would a serious Democratic person lower themselves to appear on your radio show? In the recent past you have been childish and hateful to anyone who has a different view.
It was Saturday, Bill, when someone called to disagree with your admiration off Ann Coulter. While that guy was talking, and trying to explain himself, you shouted over him, making some kind of whiny, crying sound.
With the next caller, you went off on a kind-voiced woman who expressed concerns that your comments were mean-spirited. I think you told her, and like-minded people to go away, “We can do this without you,” you shouted at her.
Telling much of your audience to “go away” is not only revolting behavior, but it is also un-Delaware. Here we value the opinions and points of view of others. We do not belittle those who have a different opinion.
We do not make childish noises when others try to express themselves, we listen and try to have a conversation. Your behavior on air last Saturday was revolting.
Is that what the WGMD brass had in mind when they hired you? I hope not.
Lefty
October 17th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Hey, Marxy, I mean Hoxha, or Lefty or whatever you are. Where is it written I’m the host of the debate??? Where is it written the radio station is hosting the debate???
It should be mentioned that the woman calling the show Saturday started her presentation by calling Ms. Coulter names. You folks in the wacko universe think it’s O.K.? Where I come from we say what’s good for the goose…
The woman, by the way, hanged up her telephone when I pressed her on some questions about her church. You also have stated these callers out of order. A sin of omission is a lie. From the earliest Christian teachings. Which is why you folks can’t follow Coulter’s point. You don’t have an underpinning when it comes to the Almighty. Another man telephoned the show and opened his call by calling Ms. Coulter a hag. What’s this you’re saying about folks in Delaware and dialogue and the thoughts of others and not being childish? Oh, you’ve shut out the comments of your co-religionists, oops, sorry, leftist wacko pals.
I’ll also share that the majority of the folks I’ve met on the streets and calling the station think differently. You Cabernet sippers need to get out more often.
October 17th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
WGMD has brass? Brass what?
October 17th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Bill, I expect someone in your position as talk radio host to set an example, regardless of how certain callers have behaved.
October 17th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Way to go, Lefty…Bravo!
(Neither Right, Left or Neo-con…)
October 17th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
No neo-con? Huh? Does that mean far left?
Set an example? This isn’t NPR. It’s talk radio. When I was a little boy I helped my dad build houses. So many times I asked him what certain tools were he replied they were designed to make little boys ask questions. Like moths to a flame.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:53 am
Have you ever called Sen Biden’s office with a differing point of view? They don’t even take your name, they just start spinning to the point you can’t complete your sentence. If you aren’t a Dem you don’t have a senator in this state.
October 18th, 2007 at 6:28 am
I guess Bill is the ‘flame’ in his analogy? Nothing like a good flame to spark controversy
October 18th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Mr. Bill needs to be kinder to the listeners. He made very negative comments about the church listener Jay attends because they have “pot-luck” dinners. Now, just what kind of person would place negative statements about a house of worship that undertakes such social functions such as having a meal together. A lot of these worshippers thrive on the social happenings that take place in the church so that they might be together with their fellow christians. The gentleman really needs to “lighten up”. It is his way or the “highway”. Also, even after the caller is finished with his statement, Mr. Bill still continues to belittle the caller and/or his thoughts.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:59 am
To my knowledge, I’ve never drank cabernet. Fact is, I’m a veteran of the first Gulf War, enjoy a good NASCAR race, and I’ve never backed down from a fight.
You see, the right tries to convince others that thoughtful democrats are somehow less than masculine. Which is why Bill resorts to making girly, crying noises whenever someone brings up a fact he cannot dispute.
Now to address some of your points: While you never said you should host the debates, clearly that is where you were trying to lead us.
The lady did hang up, but only after you challenged her faith and her knowledge of Christianity. She said she did not like the way you were treating the callers, and you questioned her faith in God. Hanging up was probably the most charitable action she could have taken.
And you are going to say that you somehow know more about Delmarva people than me, or any of your other callers?! Your driver’s license is probabbly still from New York. I marched in a parade in front of Governor Carper, fished for flounder in Indian River Bay, paddled past the turtles in Trap Pond, and cried with the Cliftons.
Treat your listeners with more respect. Without us, your just some middle-aged guy yelling at the TV.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Lefty, If you’re going to listen to Mr. Colley’s show on a regular basis, I have always found a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon go well with CHICKEN.