WVUE Mayoral Forum: 1/28/2010
The most recent mayoral forum, held at Tulane University and broadcast live on Fox, was by far the most intensive and revealing of the many public forums held so far during the campaign. Immense credit is due to the debate moderator, John Snell, who pushed the candidates far more on vital issues concerning New Orleans than moderators in previous forums. Instead of asking a question and then allowing the candidate to respond without any follow-up, Snell often interrupted and constantly demanded that the candidates not skirt the point of his questions. We only wish more time had been spent on youth related concerns during the debate, as Snell’s hard-edged approach could have yielded some fascinating insights into the approaches the candidates are taking on education reform and youth activities in the city.
The candidates gave almost unanimous approval for extending the current Recovery School District set-up for at least the next 3-5 years and for the burgeoning charter school movement here in New Orleans. Aside from that, discussion of youth concerns were limited to Mitch Landrieu voicing his support for NORD in his closing statement and John Georges saying that rebuilding the city’s playgrounds will be a key imperative of his administration. Too much attention was paid to whether the candidates would be open to hiring a police chief from New Orleans or a local parish instead of the qualifications each candidate is looking for in a new police chief — including how the new chief will help to address and reform the juvenile justice system and reduce arrests for minor offenses. But we do hope that future forums are as substantive as last night’s — with the primary just a little over a week away, voters deserve to be as informed as possible.
