Watch out Baldacci, they’re lining up to take a swing.
Seven candidates attended Monday's gubernatorial debate hosted by the Portland Regional Chamber and the Muskie School of Public Service. Bacon, eggs, and home fries came with a side of political discourse at the Sable Oaks Marriott, and though the event was scheduled for 7:30 in the morning the attendees were all spry and ready to spar.
Each candidate gave a ninety-second opening statement, and then they all answered the same question, “If you could do one thing as governor to improve Maine’s economy what would it be?” With a range of political backgrounds, from ardent Constitutionalist to Green, Democrat and Republican, the answers were from all different angles. The two-minute responses addressed the organization of government, energy policy, and tourism. Next came the lightning round, a series of questions the candidates could only answer yes or no. Some candidates had trouble adhering to the rules; Green Independent Pat LaMarche qualified nearly every answer with, “Yes, if...” Over the course of the debate others sounded like broken records. Democrat Christopher Miller kept pushing rail transportation and the importance of developing "energy-efficient infrastructure," and independent Alex Hammer said about seventeen times, “You can read all about it on my Web site, Hammer2006.com.”
Questions from the floor were nearly all directed to Republican candidate David Emery as if he were the only person on stage. The audience had already made up its mind who was going win the Republican primary.
After one minute cool-down closing remarks the candidates mingled and milled about; everyone else shot out the door after the final “Thank you.” But the politicos all shook hands and held hushed conversations as the news media weaved from cluster to cluster, sticking microphones in their faces and asking them questions.
Noticeably absent were the incumbent and Republican Chandler Woodcock, but nine of the sixteen candidates wasn’t bad. Each candidate is vying for what moderator John O’Dea called “a $70,000 a year job with a lot of heartache.” Keep your gloves up, and tuck your chin.
