Saturday, October 16, 2010
 
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Debates could be critical to gov and Senate hopefuls

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[October 16, 2010]  SPRINGFIELD -- The final three gubernatorial debates could be critical to both candidates, with just more than two weeks before the state's general election on Nov. 2.

HardwareThe polls show a tight race between Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, so the three debates could make or break either candidate.

Kent Redfield, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield, said he preferred debate formats that prompted improvisation.

"The more that you put them in situations where they have to kind of think on their feet as opposed to give you the 15-second answer, ... you know much more about both the policy, but you can also get a sense of the candidates as individuals," he said.

Quinn and Brady will meet at Elmhurst College this Sunday in the only remaining debate that is open to the public, according to Elmhurst College spokeswoman Desiree Chen.


"The debate is going to go for 90 minutes, starting at 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and the focus is going to be on the economy and the state's fiscal crisis," she said.

Both candidates will field questions from a three-person panel. Each candidate will have one minute to answer a panelist's question, then the other candidate will have a chance to respond.

Following that, ABC 7 will host a debate in their studios, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

Jan Czarnik, head of the League of Women Voters of Illinois, said their debate would allow follow-up questions from the panel if either candidate does not give a substantial answer.

"After every question, the person who asked the question will be able to ask a follow-up question. If the questioner feels the candidate, either or both, haven't answered, then the questioner will ask a follow-up question. We're going to keep at them until we get them to answer our questions," she said.

Voters will get their final impression of the candidates head-to-head on Oct. 28 on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" program.

Veteran reporter Carol Marin will moderate what WTTW supervising producer Jay Smith is calling a "forum" for the candidates.

Smith said the exchange between Marin and the candidates would be more like a conversation, without the formal time limits of a debate.

"I think it's a better way to get information, it's a better way to not give scripted answers, not give stump speeches. If a candidate starts filibustering, our host will jump in and follow up (with a question)," he said.

Smith said the planning process for the forum took months -- he and his team were reaching out to candidates before the primary election results in February had been finalized.

Redfield said the head-to-head meetings would be the candidates' final opportunities to make an impression.

"Whenever somebody talks about somebody winning a debate, it's rarely the policy content. It has to do with somebody looked like they were up to the job and somebody else looked like they weren't up to the job," he said.

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Remaining meetings of gubernatorial candidates state Sen. Bill Brady and Gov. Pat Quinn:

  • Sunday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m., at Elmhurst College

    Moderator: Steve Edwards, program director, WBEZ radio

    Interviewers: Phil Ponce, host of WTTW-TV's "Chicago Tonight"; Bruce Dold, editorial page editor of the Chicago Tribune; and Dr. Jennifer Boyle, chair of the Department of Political Science at Elmhurst College

  • Wednesday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m., at WLS-TV(ABC 7 Chicago) studios in Chicago

    Moderator: Ron Magers, ABC 7 anchor and reporter

    Interviewers: Charles Thomas, political editor, ABC 7; Andy Shaw, executive director of the Better Government Association; and TBA.

  • Thursday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m., at WTTW-TV studios in Chicago for "Chicago Tonight"

    Moderator and interviewer: Carol Marin, "Chicago Tonight" host, NBC 5 investigative reporter and Chicago Sun-Times columnist.


Remaining meetings of U.S. Senate candidates state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m., at WLS-TV (ABC 7 Chicago) studios in Chicago

    Moderator: George Stephanopoulos, chief political correspondent for ABC

    Interviewers: Charles Thomas, political editor, ABC 7; Andy Shaw, executive director of the Better Government Association; and Kerry Lester, political reporter at the Daily Herald

  • Wednesday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m., at WTTW-TV studios in Chicago for "Chicago Tonight"

    Moderator and interviewer: Phil Ponce, "Chicago Tonight" host

[Illinois Statehouse News; By KEVIN LEE]

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