UVa’s Cavalier Daily has a good lead editorial today about the recent Kaine/Kilgore debate:
If Saturday’s debate verged on useless due to the cloistered nature of the supposedly democratic exercise, it became shameful when Russ Potts was excluded. Potts, a four-term state senator running as an independent, was barred from the debate after Republican candidate Jerry Kilgore threatened to pull out if Potts was on the stage.
Potts had every right to be up there, pressing Kilgore and Kaine as is the necessary role of third parties. Potts is not some loon who collected a few thousand signatures on a candidacy petition; he is polling at five percent. If Kilgore refused or continues refusing to show up for a debate containing Potts (and the same goes for Kaine), the charges of cowardice ring true; it is farcical to shut out a legitimate candidate because another one is whining.
Virginians gleaned only the most marginal of benefits from Saturday’s debate. If the goal of competitive elections is to produce the best official, events that are not broadcast live, are not accessible to ordinary citizens and are not filled with every reasonable candidate simply fail. As November continues to approach, everyone associated with the election would do well to remember that.
Last I checked, the Cavalier Daily’s editorial board was rather conservative, but that was in the spring semester. (Or maybe I’m confusing it with The Collegiate Times, which is VT’s answer to the Cav. Daily. You know, like Bob Denton is VT’s answer to Larry Sabato, or The Monkees were the United States’ answer to Britain’s Beatles.) I don’t know where their board lies during the summer semester, but I agree with ’em one way or another. I do, though, know where their columnists lie — on the floor of the office after streaking the lawn.
Hat tip to Duane Gran.
Hahahah oh my lord.. I’d just like to thank you for directing all of the professors and political folk who read your blog to THIS of all posts. I should have known the traffic spike was bad news.
The Cav Daily board actually has more liberals these days, and so does the opinion page. People are used to thinking of the Cav Daily as conservative because in recent years, we’ve had a few REALLY conservative columnists that got a lot of attention. I certainly remember the offensive columns more than I remember any of the liberal columns that I agreed with. But overall, we have more liberal columnists than conservatives. But then again, we only have four women, and no black columnists.
And one of those females is the most irrational, kool-aid drinking female columnist that I believe that I have ever read.
She is certifiable, I tell you.
And she is back this year.
Mmm…Kool-Aid.
I’ve been out gardening in the hot sun. I think some Blue Raspberry Kool-Aid is in order. Thanks for the suggestion.
I agree with Cari. The CD is definitely more liberal, but the conservative columnists get more attention in general (at least, the letters to the editor seems to suggest this). Also, the Lead Editorial has always struck me as, at the very least, leaning liberal.
But Waldo, I have to disagree with you; Purplesaurus Rex would be better.
I have never even heard of Purplesaurus Rex, but I am definitely getting some at the grocery store this weekend.