"Two men enter, one man leaves"

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

Televised debates have become an anticipated feature of the American campaign process, as voters tune in, anxious for a “gotcha” moment, or at the very least, a searing sound bite that will seal the deal for a candidate. While today’s voter considers it a staple, the presidential debate is actually a fairly new phenomenon. The Kennedy-Nixon debates of 1960—often referred to as the “first televised debates,”--were in fact the first presidential debates on or off the air.*

The famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, held over one hundred years earlier, took place when both candidates were running for US Senate in 1858. The debates consisted of a series of seven meetings that led the candidates on a road show around Illinois, drawing large crowds and national newspaper coverage. The debates centered on the extension of slavery into free territory, and even though he lost the election, Lincoln became a national political figure and was, of course, elected President in 1860.

Voters may eagerly await debates during the primary and regular election seasons, but they don’t always get their way. Some candidates just refuse to debate. Incumbent presidents and front-runners have often resisted participating in debates for fear of giving their opponents credibility just by appearing in the same venue. A verbal faux pas or a bad make-up job can cost a candidate valuable votes, but in the end, fear of being accused of dodging scrutiny usually leads candidates to belly up to the podium.

Style sways

Issues and policy are ostensibly the centerpieces of any political debate, but many voters are swayed by the presentation of the candidate. In 1960, voters who heard the first Kennedy-Nixon debate on the radio felt that Nixon, who appeared on television pale and sweaty--recovering from a hospital stay and a grueling campaign schedule--had won the debate, while television viewers were impressed with JFK’s boyish good looks and relaxed confidence, and believed he won the debate. A gesture, such as glancing at a watch (Bush, 1992), or audible sighs during an opponent’s response (Gore, 2000), can bring down a firestorm of media criticism, and may influence voters more than the substance of the debate itself.

Substance counts

Sunday March 15, Hinsdale residents will have a unique opportunity to watch the candidate debate live, without the filter of media interpretation. It is unclear at this date whether the debate, to be held at the Hinsdale Middle School at 3 pm, will be televised, so please plan to attend. The issues that our elected trustees will confront this year are critical, as the Village struggles to maintain basic services, cut spending and repair our crumbling roads. Voters are encouraged to study the issues and base their candidate selection on substance and not on style.

*There were two presidential primary debates in 1948 (Dewey vs. Stassen) and 1956 (Stevenson vs. Kefauver).

March 11, 2009

Candidates face off in grand American tradition

Lincoln-Douglas Debate attracted national attention in 1858. Douglas is seated to Lincoln's right.

In anticipation of the April 7, 2009 election, the Hinsdale Monitor is preparing for the upcoming candidate debate. Only one debate has been scheduled for Tom Cauley, Mike Woerner and Cindy Williams, the three candidates for Village President. Sponsored by Suburban Life Publications, the debate will be held on Sunday, March 15 at 3:00 pm at the Hinsdale Middle School. Residents are encouraged to submit debate questions for the moderator's consideration to Carlene Peterson: cpeterson@mysuburbanlife.com. The Village of Hinsdale has not committed to broadcasting the debate on Channel 6. (Please see the ad in the right-hand column for more details.)

"Sir, I have found you an argument; I am not obliged to find you an understanding."

Samuel Johnson

The Village is facing serious challenges. As the issues around this election become more clear, the candidates merit more scrutiny. To that end, the Hinsdale Monitor, a long-time observer of local government, compiled its own list of debate questions to submit to Suburban Life. Admittedly tougher than our first candidate interviews, these questions are intended to initiate discussion among candidates and residents alike and to spark a virtual debate in the decision-making processes of our readers.

Questions for Presidential Candidates

Mike Woerner: With 18 months of hindsight, do you regret your decision to commit the Village’s resources to pursuing the dismissal of Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Tom Nelson (see "ZBA Timeline" HM 10/07>) and suing 60 residents, who tried to appeal the legality of the Hinsdale Club plan to the Zoning Board of Appeals? In legal fees alone, these actions cost $350,000+. Do you feel this action was justified, in light of the fact that this volunteer was approaching the end of his term, with nothing of consequence on the ZBA agenda?

Cindy Williams: As a member of the majority block of trustees, you voted consistently with Trustees Follett, Orler, and Schultz, who have actively endorsed your candidacy. The excessive spending approved by this voting block, particularly for consultants and attorneys--while our roads have been falling apart--has put the Village in a precarious financial position. How would you reassure voters that the next four years with you at the helm would be different from your last 6 years in government?

Tom Cauley: You have publicly stated that you would vote for any development that is code compliant, yet your opponents are implying that you are "anti-development". How do you respond to this accusation?

Questions for Trustees

Trustees will be answering questions at a Hinsdalean Q & A on
March 19 at the Community House.

Bob Saigh: The Zoning Code Rewrite Task Force appears to be poised to recommend a form-based zoning code for Hinsdale. As a Zoning Board of Appeals member and as Vice President of the Hinsdale Historical Society, how do you feel about this proposed change to the Code?

Laura LaPlaca: At a recent town hall meeting you discussed the role of the Plan Commission and emphasized its important role in the plan development approval process. Two weeks ago the majority of the Board (Follet, Connor, Williams and Schultz) voted against a unanimous Plan Commission recommendation. As Trustee, will you actively solicit the PC's input?

Doug Geoga: You are a candidate with extensive business experience. With your development and finance background how do you view your opponents' campaign promises to "fix" crumbling infrastructure given the Village's dire financial condition?

Bill Seith: As a paid Village consultant, do you think that your run for trustee may be premature, or even a conflict of interest, given the fact that you have earned over $100,000 from the Village for the ongoing negotiations with Flagg Creek Water Reclamation District?

Craig Chapello: You served on Cindy Williams's Electric Utility Task Force. After an expensive education and promotion effort, voters rejected the initiative. How would you go about discerning the actual will of residents and begin to earn their trust on other issues?

In the 1976 Carter-Ford second presidential debate on foreign policy, Ford blundered when he said, "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration." After this mistep, Carter went on to win a very close election.

Read interviews with candidates previously featured in the Hinsdale Monitor You Choose 2009 series. (Click on photos below to link to each candidate's interview and biographical information.)

Candidates for Village Government

President	Board of Trustees

Tom Cauley*	Doug Geoga*	Laura LaPlaca*	Bob Saigh*


Mike Woerner	Bill Seith	Craig Chapello

Cindy Williams
NOTE: The Hinsdale Monitor does not have a profile on Presidential Candidate Cindy Williams, who did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed.
* Candidates endorsed by the Hinsdale Village Caucus and Hinsdale First.