 The 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.
[to top of second column] |
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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