Excellent editorial from the Daily Press slamming Virginia Bar Association debate moderator Judy Woodruff for her question regarding whether Republican nominee Ed Gillespie would support President Trump if he released former FBI director and special counsel Robert Muller in his role investigating Russian influence in American elections:
But it’s really our election, not the nation’s.
We’re voting on the individual who is ultimately responsible for executing the laws of the commonwealth.
. . .
In a way, Ms. Woodruff’s questions about President Trump were as much a distraction from the debate as the protester who interrupted Mr. Northam’s opening remarks because that young man felt Mr. Northam ought to oppose a proposed pipeline intended to carry fracked natural gas from West Virginia to Hampton Roads and points south.
Could not agree more. The rest of the editorial (rightly) outlines a bevy of issues that our candidates should be talking about, ideally in forums designed for the exploration of same (like say, debates?)
Of course, Gillespie’s call for 10 debates would help explore the issues the Daily Press editors are keen to get at. Northam’s evasion of such forums — primarily because his campaign staff is perhaps frightened that Northam’s stiff, mercurial style of speaking may come off as off-putting — is a concern that they should ignore entirely.
In 2013, the Republicans who were spoiling for a fight begged their gubernatorial campaign to let the candidate be the candidate — advice listened to only in the last three weeks of the campaign. Early advice to Northam’s handlers might very well be to do the 10 debates… and let Ralph be Ralph (and let the chips fall where they may).
Read it all — and scroll past the ads… it’ll be worth it.
