I came up with this during tonight’s just concluded televised debate between the Republican gubernatorial candidates, broadcast by NBC Channel 30. I’m sure it can also be played during tomorrow’s Democratic debate, also hosted by Channel 30, and pretty much any future gubernatorial face-offs.
Take a drink when:
1. Candidates use out-of-date movie references to make a point. Tom Foley of Greenwich referred to the Democrat-controlled General Assembly as “No Action Jackson” when dealing with the budget crisis. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton referred to legislators as gremlins from the movie of the same name as in “if you give them money their bad ideas and policies will multiply.” Subscribe to Netflix, guys.
2. Candidates awkwardly give out their campaign websites when answering questions.
3. Candidates awkwardly try to apply otherwise noteworthy prior experience when answering questions, such as when Newington Mayor Jeff Wright said as a U.S. Marine he has “the courage and stamina” needed to go to Hartford and make tough budget cuts. Not knocking his military service, but that just seemed like an odd time to mention it.
4. Candidates use overly dramatic language, such as when C. Duffy Acevedo, referring to his campaign, said “the reason I make this journey” and when Chester First Selectman Tom Marsh called a proposal for a regional sales tax “an abomination.”
5. Candidates ignore a question and, instead, re-iterate what they believe to be more important talking points, as just about every one of the Republicans did when asked if they support the death penalty.
6. The moderator, in this case Gerry Brooks, kindly reminds the candidates to answer the questions they are asked and not stray from the topic.
7. Candidates DO NOT somehow work job creation and making Connecticut more business-friendly into their answers, regardless of the question.
8. Candidates proudly mention their involvement in an organization that your average voter has never heard of, such as when former Congressman Larry DeNardis referenced his time as president of the
Connecticut Public Expenditure Council.
9. Candidates refer to lawmakers in Hartford as political insiders and themselves as outsiders. Take two drinks if the candidate referring to himself or herself as a Hartford outsider is a mayor/first selectman.
10. Take a drink when the candidate doing the talking IS NOT from Fairfield County and/or Greenwich.
And for actual coverage of the debate, read my colleague, Ken Dixon’s report here.
Good Morning Brian…let me respond to your point;
Take alook at the Capital testimony I gave:
http://ct-n.com/ondemand.asp?ID=5250
go to the 1:13:30 on the time line
this should give better reason to my journey to
fight for jobs by fighting for small business in Connecticut
and fighting for small business access to credit which
has brought commerce to a halt in our nation.
I wrote House Bill 5501 to make a difference and the
Legislature has voted in unanimity last year.
Governor did not sign the Bill. We are year too late?
Small business owners are dying. Homeowners are
foreclosed. (past tense)…we are at a personal crisis
or involved with someon in crisis. This Bill works NOW.
Yes….IT’s A Journey….a journey through a process
unkown for me…taking blows from a Governor who
gives no pause to my need to address small business.
Why not…?
When we arrive at the end of the ‘journey’ …
I hope it’s together…and in safe hands….we
will be heard. …altough folks ‘laugh’ and ridicule’
my attendence in the debate…I am there to make a
stand…perhaps you can understand this.
See you on the other side of victory.
+duffy
Comment by Duffy Acevedo — March 19th, 2010 @ 9:49 am