Debates do matter
|
Debates do matter. Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wis.) Published Opinion. September 27, 2002. Editor: Debates between political candidates matter. Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura was polling at 10% in Minnesota in September 1998, before being invited to the debates. Ventura went on to win in November with 37 percent of the vote. As the election of Ventura demonstrated, debates can change the outcome of an election. But despite Libertarian Ed Thompson's Sept. 18 letter to Wisconsin Broadcaster's Association president John M. Laabs, the WBA refuses to allow candidate Thompson into a debate being sponsored by the WBA. Talk about stonewalling democracy. An organization purporting to represent Wisconsin broadcasters and their commitment to fair and objective reporting has taken an abominable, ridiculous course by excluding Thompson and other candidates. So, to echo the sentiments of Milwaukee columnist J.J. Blonien, "Voters can ignore the media's bi-opoly and choose the most undercovered and most qualified candidate, Ed Thompson." AARON J. BITERMAN Brookfield Wisconsin Coordinator, Open Debates of America |
 |
Published Letters Index |