Debates And "Conventional Wisdom"

The People, (that would be you & I,) want our elected officials to come before us and discuss the issues of our lives. One good way to do that is through debates.  This is not just “conventional wisdom,”polls have shown over and over such debates are supported by a majority of voters.

 

Candidates, on the other hand, often try to avoid them. Why?

 

In politics, the “conventional wisdom” is that if you are ahead in the polls, you don’t need them (often fearing a gaffe that will cause you problems), and if you are behind, you call on your opponent to do so, hoping a good appearance will jazz up your faltering campaign.)

 

In the 6th district race for congress, we have seen such “conventional wisdom” supposedly vindicated,---and turned on its head.

 

For years I have maintained one of the major reasons Ben Chandler finally lost to Andy Barr was his refusal to debate.  Barr, who lost his first race against Chandler, kept after him to debate, and people were turned off when he wouldn’t.  Barr promised to debate if elected, but he didn’t. He shied away from such debates in his next two races (where “conventional wisdom” said he was way ahead of lesser Democratic opponents.)

 

But this year is different. Amy McGrath is a strong candidate, But she has agreed to only 1 debate, on KET next week. Some reports have said that Barr is running behind. He did recently call for more debates, most unlike the old Barr. (“Conventional wisdom” fed on reports he was running behind McGrath.) Most newcomers, such as McGrath would be delighted to get the free exposure on KET (and also requested by the League of Women Voters and the area’s #1 TV station, WKYT) but she has turned all such offers down—so far. “Conventional wisdom” may be in news reports her internal polls say she is ahead and, afraid of a bad debate showing, is turning all these requests down.

 

McGrath, however, has based her entire campaign on being the newcomer, the outsider, the independent, and not “the politician”—but here she is discarding all of that part of her image and –if those news reports are right---going along with the “conventional wisdom” of her hired political handlers—and is thumbing her nose at what she knows the People (you and I) want, which is a lot more than just one debate.

 

It is, I think, a major mistake, and she would be advised to rethink all this, and accept a few more debates in the closing days of this very crucial campaign.

 

I'm just sayin'...