Election Watch: Debate LiveBlogging
LiveBlogging – Because regular blogging isn’t as irrelevent as it should be.
7:03 – Each campaign is introducing itself. Dallas cut off for talking a bit too long. “We are the candidates for the tenants of Westmoreland since we have been there from the beginning.” – Mann
7:10 – Now doing questions: “How would you ensure your appointments to the senate would truly represent students [and remain accountable]”? Pretty generic responses. Both Daniels and Brown say that they want to establish independent committees in order to ensure that non-insiders are given a chance.
7:13 – Mann also says he wants to establish a committee. “We’ve put people in positions where they can excel and grow.” Grace makes a good point about a lack of communication between the ASUO and regular students in regards to the number of seats that are running unopposed.
7:14 – “We will remove any monetary incentive to be a part of the ASUO.” – Andy D. Claims that the rest of the candidates are just playing a game where they want to pad their resumes.
Now a question about the new diversity plan, asking if the candidates have read it and what their opinion is.
7:16 – Juliana has larengitis (sic?), but addresses the question by stating that diversity means more than just students of color and that there needs to be more student representation on the advisory board.
Dallas Brown says that Juliana is wrong and that there has been student input, including Jared Axelrod himself.
7:17 – The word “diversity” has been uttered 15 times so far by the various candidates. “We believe that it includes a diversity of opinion and a diversity of education.” – Emily.
7:19 – Jontae: “[The UO has an] increasingly homogenous student [and faculty] population.” Also says that there is a lack of accountability and timeline with the current diversity plan. Mann says process needs more student input.
7:21 – “I found the first draft [of the plan] a little bit offensive,” says Ben Hartley. “Needs to be a lot more clarification of what cultural competency is and [how teachers demonstrate it.]”
7:22 – “The change in language was a good step,” particularly in terms of cultural competency, says Amy. Jacob adds that we need to remember diversity in terms of gender, sexuality, and religion.
7:24 – Next question from the moderator: (paraphrased) “How do you keep the incidental fee down when groups continue asking for more money?” Brown says that he’s against groups being penalized for not spending all of their money, since that makes groups spend extra money near the end of the year in order to zero-out their account.
Diversity count up to 17.
7:27 – The microphone has cut out for some reason, in the middle of Todd and Jontae addressing the question. Not yet fixed. Andy: “I was a little fired up last time.” Says that the ASUO leaders get more power and more jollies because they get more of our (the students’) money. “They go in and raise [the incidental fee] every time. […] It’s the one part of the tuition bill that the students have control over.”
7:30 – “I want to have weekly meeting with Dave Frohnmayer,” says Daniels. He wants the UO “central administration” to bear more of the burden when it comes to programs like the Rec Center.
7:31 – Of the presidential candidates, Jared and Todd are easily the best public speakers. (Or at least the most experienced – both seem more relaxed than the others.)
7:34 – Next question is about the Recognition Review Committee. Goward laughs, then looks up to the ceiling and chews his gum furiously while Todd Mann criticizes its implementation and power. Grace: “It needs to stay.”
7:35 – It’s just another layer of bureaucracy and its completely worthless, says Dolberg. “Who’s really represented here [at this debate]? […] Wouldn’t you like to have your money or your parent’s money in your own hands?” His message is clear and focused: the fee must be reduced.
7:36 – Jared mentions Petkun for the first time, saying that it was originally his idea. Someone needs to remind him that Petkun isn’t running.
7:39 – Emily somehow ties “green energy” and the RRC. How, I don’t know. My ears were glossing over.
7:42 – Moderator asks what the three main problems are: Andy says that there is only one problem, and that’s the ASUO’s stranglehold on our money.
7:43 – Andy says that the second biggest problem is the squirrel infestation on campus. Gets laughs from the crowd, but I’m pretty sure he’s serious. He doesn’t mention a third problem.
7:44 – Amy namedrops the head of UO financial aid. She’s a pretty good speaker.
7:46 – I really feel bad for Juliana. It’s obvious that her throat is really hurting and it’s difficult for her to speak for longer than a sentence or two without losing her voice.
7:48 – Emily brings up green energy again, says that we need to be spending money on “green tags.” Diversity count up to 19. Also says that she wants to purchase a wind farm near the UO. Dallas takes over and starts babbling about how they need to “develop student jobs.” They’re both hitting on their campaign’s main talking points, including graduate/law representation and a new bus stop.
7:50 – Todd starts talking about his endorsement from Bing Li, among others. Jontae: “Westmoreland is a representation of the diversity of this campus.” “Diversity” count up to 20.
7:53 – First non-moderator question is from Amy Higdon. She asks what experience each of the candidates have had with the Westmoreland issue, which is a good question for her to ask since Mann has been so involved in the efforts thus far. Dallas and Ben both say that the Westmoreland decision has been made and that there really isn’t anything that can be done. “It’s out of students hands,” says Ben.
I’ll be away for a min since I need to stand up and get in line to ask a question.
[While I’m standing, Dallas has a superb speech about the “outsourcing” of jobs to non-students. This particularly resonates with him since he opposed hiring a non-student to manage KWVA. The originating question came from Toby Peiring (sic?), who was wearing a green Daniels/DuFour t-shirt. Brown said (paraphrasing) “If I didn’t see that green shirt I’d have thought you were asking that question for my benefit.”]
7:58 – Damn. Too many people already in line. For the record, my question was going to be: “How do you feel about Marion “Suge” Knight’s recent bankrupcty, and are you worried about the future of Death Row Records?
8:27 – Nevermind. Got to ask my question. Axelrod didn’t miss a beat, saying that it was disappointing what had happened, particularly considering Death Row’s artists of the past. Daniels grappled with how to answer, mentioning that he wanted to tie it to the ASUO but couldn’t find a way. Grace pointed out that Death Row’s structure had changed from being artist-based to being top-down mafia style. All drew laughs.
Emily had the best response, pointing out how sad it was that the most exciting moment of the night was a joke question. Andy, coming back as always to his talking points, said that it was ridiculous that money was being spent on this and that he wanted to refund all of the incidental fee.
8:30 – Mann, obviously referencing the Jared/Juliana slate: “Having a slate where there are no divergent opinions [is a bad thing.]”
8:33 Someone asking about how a range of opinions would be encouraged by the executive. The most notable answers:
Dallas: “I don’t agree with many people”
Andy D: “If you elect me there will be riots in the streets.”
8:39 – Anthony Warren, the last questioner of the night, asks about faculty political diversity and clear political bias in the classroom. I’ve lost count of “diversity” now, but it has to be well over 50 by this point. Andy: “Maybe you can buy a textbook with the money that I give you, get smarter, and debate your professor in the classroom.”
8:42 – Closing statement time: Andy says again that he won’t accept any of his stipend and instead put it towards a tectbook scholarship. Mann/Grace start talking… “it doesn’t matter who wins, what matters is if these issues are solved.” – Mann
8:47 – Dallas asks if he can stand at the podium rather than sit in his seat. Elections head honcho Ryan Coussins (sic?) says no, so he stands in his place in order to see the entire crowd. “I have to say I’m a little disappointed with this platform,” says Dallas. “I haven’t had a chance to ask [questions] to my fellow candidates. […] This isn’t a debate.” “Everyone here has probably already made up their mind as far as voting goes,” says Dallas.
-He’s right. The crowd is filled with variously colored t-shirts… everyone here is supporting a campaign, it seems. And the debate format is set up perfectly for reciting talking points.
8:50 – Axelrod talks about students having rights, ends by asking students to “know the issues” and whether that means voting for him or not, he wants them to at least know the issues and have an opinion on things.
DuFour – Wants to “revitalize” EMU and turn it into the “hubbub” of campus. “[Adding] Panda Express? Good move.” Looks like she lost Parker Howell’s vote.
Ooops, battery is about to run out. Damn laptop. Ah, the debate’s over anyways. Time is 8:52.
