I just got back from the 30th and 31st State Senate District debates at the Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC) meeting in Ballston. I’ve got a ton of video, which will take a while to process. I’ve also got some thoughts on the debates. In the meantime, here are Miles Grant’s tweets from the debate, which I largely agree with:
*”Content of opening statement from @JAreizagaSoto is carbon copy of his announcement speech, but not as well delivered.”
*”Opener from @BarbaraFavola was fine but also boilerplate. Save the bay, etc.”
*”Opener + 2 questions go by + @JAreizagaSoto still hasn’t said 1 difference with @BarbaraFavola.”
*”Question on redistricting – neither @JAreizagaSoto nor @BarbaraFavola criticizes atrocious process. Weak.”
*”You know it’s an exciting @ArlingtonDems debate when I’m RTing a dog in the middle of it.”
*”‘This can’t just be about moving more cars. It has to be about moving more people.’ – @JAreizagaSoto. Also calls for gas tax hike.”
*”@BarbaraFavola calls for 1 cent gas tax hike. That’ll fix everything.”
*”Favola vs. Areizaga-Soto not really a debate, more a forum. Probably a draw. Missed chance for Jaime to draw distinctions.”
*”Best opening statement of either debate was @RobKrupicka. @LibbyGarvey also really good”
*”@LibbyGarvey on offshore oil drilling: “How short-sighted can we get?”
*”@AdamEbbin calls for ending mountaintop removal coal mining.”
*”@AdamEbbin only 1 in either debate to say words “Dick Saslaw”. Everyone says they’re bold, he’s only one to actually BE bold so far”
*”@RobKrupicka criticizes estate tax repeal but doesn’t say it was @TimKaine who signed it”
*”ZOMG someone pointed out a difference! Libby jabs Rob on BRAC, though not by name.”
*”All 3 candidates in [30th] were more impressive than either candidate in [31st].”
*”RT @dannybarefoot: @RobKrupicka called out @AdamEbbin for voting to repeal the estate tax”
For now, I’d just add that I thought that the format of the debate, and also the questions asked (mostly bland, not pointed, nothing about the hot-buttons that are flying around the campaigns’ mailers and in the press), were not especially conducive to fostering a give-and-take between the candidates.
More on the “flip”
Still, I felt like candidates, particularly in the 31st, were very much holding back from going after each other. In fact, about the only hard shot I observed was by Libby Garvey against Rob Krupicka in the closing statements, with Garvey strongly criticizing the Alexandria City Council, of which Krupicka is a member. Other than that, I’d say it was a pretty tame 1 1/2 hours overall. Maybe they were all exhausted from knocking doors in the oppressively hot, humid Virginia-in-July weather? If so, I wouldn’t blame them one bit!
UPDATE: Rebecca Jaramillo writes on Facebook:
The LA of the Caucus Chair confirmed to me, to my face that she Is now telling everyone that Jaime, Georgetown grad, Stanford Law, corporate international lawyer, White House Fellow in the Treasury Department, Director of Latinos for Deeds, Lt. Col JAG Officer and USAID Counsel Obama appointee, was a “volunteer intern.” And Barbara Favola told me she had no problem repeating it far and wide…He was the Caucus Chair’s policy adviser. He was not paid, but as you can see from his credentials, he was not an “intern.” They are saying that now to diminish his role in her office.
Wow.
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