The PRC and a Congressional Debate
We've had a busy week here at KNME, and it's only going to get busier! Next week the NewsHour is in town, we have our third and final presidential debate, and we are also working on a special episode dealing with the proposed Desert Rock Power Plant up in the Four Corners. It would be the third coal-fired plant within a 40 mile radius, but the Navajo Nation says it will bring jobs and tax revenues to the reservation. More on that to come next week.
As for this week, we spent a lot of time talking about the Public Regulation Commission races, which have no shortage of drama. One thing I cam getting really tired of as a member of the media, is candidates that are determined not to go before the cameras and answer questions. We've been trying for well over two weeks now to interivew PRC candidate Jerome Block, Jr., but in the end his people just stopped returning our calls and emails. Very frustrating. But, Block is not alone. More and more candidates seem to think their best strategy is to stay in hiding. I guess the voters will ahve the ultimate say on whether or not it is a smart tactic.
Down from my soapbox! We did get to talk to two PRC candidates this week, Democrat Jason Marks, who is running in District 1, and Rick Lass, a Green Party Candidate running in District 3. In this week's show, we gave you a taste of those interviews. Click belore to watch the full conversations.
Jason Marks
Rick Lass
Also this week, we put the 2nd Congressional District race in the spotlight. Along with the other two PBS stations (KRWG in Los Cruces, and KENW in Portales) we simulcast a debate between Republican Ed Tinsley and Democrat Harry Teague. You can watch the debate, plus our analysis and opinons (recorded immediately after the debate) by clicking below.
Next Thursday, tune in right here live at 7pm for the 3rd Congressional District debate between Democrat Ben Ray Lujan, Jr., Republican Dan East, and Independent Carol Miller. We'll ahve live reaction and opinions again from 8-8:30pm. And on October 23rd it's the 1st Congressional District between Republican Darren White and Democrat Martin Heinrich.
And, don't forget to keep up with our citizen journalists! They are hard at work blogging their thoughts on the elections, and even filing some video reports, which you can see on their blog, which we are calling "By the People, for the People".
The Public Affairs Team
As for this week, we spent a lot of time talking about the Public Regulation Commission races, which have no shortage of drama. One thing I cam getting really tired of as a member of the media, is candidates that are determined not to go before the cameras and answer questions. We've been trying for well over two weeks now to interivew PRC candidate Jerome Block, Jr., but in the end his people just stopped returning our calls and emails. Very frustrating. But, Block is not alone. More and more candidates seem to think their best strategy is to stay in hiding. I guess the voters will ahve the ultimate say on whether or not it is a smart tactic.
Down from my soapbox! We did get to talk to two PRC candidates this week, Democrat Jason Marks, who is running in District 1, and Rick Lass, a Green Party Candidate running in District 3. In this week's show, we gave you a taste of those interviews. Click belore to watch the full conversations.
Jason Marks
Rick Lass
Also this week, we put the 2nd Congressional District race in the spotlight. Along with the other two PBS stations (KRWG in Los Cruces, and KENW in Portales) we simulcast a debate between Republican Ed Tinsley and Democrat Harry Teague. You can watch the debate, plus our analysis and opinons (recorded immediately after the debate) by clicking below.
Next Thursday, tune in right here live at 7pm for the 3rd Congressional District debate between Democrat Ben Ray Lujan, Jr., Republican Dan East, and Independent Carol Miller. We'll ahve live reaction and opinions again from 8-8:30pm. And on October 23rd it's the 1st Congressional District between Republican Darren White and Democrat Martin Heinrich.
And, don't forget to keep up with our citizen journalists! They are hard at work blogging their thoughts on the elections, and even filing some video reports, which you can see on their blog, which we are calling "By the People, for the People".
The Public Affairs Team
posted by Kevin McDonald at
3:17 PM
1 Comments:
Vis a vis the tactic of candidates staying in hiding, don't you think that the parties should also have some leverage in this situation? I almost feel that the Democratic party of this state is silently supporting this modus operandi as this is their second stealth candidate for the PRC. I further get a sense of acceptance by the elected leadership that is only belied by the fact that the PRC race is generally largely ignored.
I wouldn't stand for a candidate in my party to adopt such an undemocratic and insulting attitude so I am just left amazed that there seems to be nothing coming from the DPNM .
Watching the interview, I sensed that Mr. Garcia was trying his best to cast Mr. Lass as "not Coke, not Pepsi, but Squirt," but he did a disservice to all voters in dragging up the topic of old run-ins with the law of both candidates, but not spending more time on the fact that today, here and now, Jerome Block has ignored questionnaires, forums, interview requests, a debate proposal and his own website, and how this stonewalling bodes ill for NM politics should this jig be rewarded, again.
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