The Race For Governor
A Campus Forum hosted by Emerson College recently brought the Gubernatorial debate to its students and faculty. It attracted college students from all around the Commonwealth. For a while politics merged with technology as Journalism and Communication majors fired tweets, blogs and podcasts live from the Semel Theater.
Fox News Anchor Maria Stephanos who moderated the debate started by commenting on the drama surrounding the race for Governor.
Mr. Patrick made it clear that this race is not about the candidates but about the students and the people of Massachusetts. When asked about the attack ads out there, he dismissed them as politics of opportunism, tailored to winning at any cost. Governor Patrick, who is running for re-election declared, “My vision is about the public…building a stronger community”
On the other hand Tim Cahill, an Independent, playing on words, joked he never took drama in college.“Notwithstanding he said, I would like to get back to the drama surrounding the economy”In a somber mood however, he said the loss of his running mate a few weeks earlier took him by surprise and was a great setback.
Jill Stein, the Green/Rainbow candidate complained that the election was not engaging the public adequately but was more focused on the candidates themselves and their records.
Charlie Baker, The GOP candidate, cited the importance of Education but noted that there were some more pressing issues at stake. He said he was convinced that the top priority in the minds of voters was Jobs.After 10 years as CEO at Harvard Pilgrim Baker said he had no idea what sort of drama he was getting into.
The first question from the student panel was what each candidate planned do to engage the voters once again.
Cahill seemed to dodge the question and so did Stein. At this point, the student panel redirected the candidates to the question of re-engaging voters.
Patrick cited the need for more level headed interaction between candidate and voters, where the candidates don’t talk down to the voters but talk with the voters. “We also need to use the social media tools like Twitter etc” he said. Patrick proposed longer school days and a longer school year as part of the solution to curb crime and making Massachusetts safer. He also defended his position on giving children of illegal aliens in-state tuition as a matter of fairness, citing that they didn’t choose to come here but their parents brought them. He pointed out how the system lets them get into a public college straight from high school but then require them to pay out-of-state rates.
Stein agrees that all students deserve an in-state tuition and that the alternative creates a backlash against foreigners and people against each other.
Cahill rejected in-state tuition and so did Baker. Baker said that the longer we go without addressing that issue, the worse it will get.
A question to Baker about what he considers cost efficient when it comes to alternative energy was his opportunity to take a stub at Patrick saying that he doesn’t think the current state policies on green technology are smart. He suggested that we go after proven sources like Hydro Quebec vs Cape Wind. There were chuckles in the audience because Massachusetts is leading the country in green technology.
Patrick’s rebuttal was that for the past three and a half years, he his administration has been negotiating with Hydro Quebec, a government -owned company that distributes electricity in Quebec, to bring their Hydro Electricity to Massachusetts. “For 3 1/2yrs they said we’ll do it if your rate payers pay for the transmission…we said no, that’s not how it’s done…this year they entered into an agreement with Nstar, and they are paying for the transmission” Patrick disclosed.
The last question, by panelist Taylor Gearhart “If you could be any living politician, who would you be?”
Cahill chose former President George H.W. Bush, citing his ability to work across party lines.
Baker chose former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, commending him on his handling of the 911 attacks.
Stein chose Founder of the Institute for Community Building Mel King, saying she wants to emulate his community organizational skills.
Patrick said he doesn’t want to be another politician but stated that what he admires is political courage and so he chose New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, for his courage to stand up to political and public pressure especially about the Muslim center.
The debate was a joint collaboration between Boston Herald, Fox News and Emerson College.
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