Political Forum at Lopez Center

America’s attention has been focused on the televised debates between President George W. Bush and challenger Senator John Kerry. Bringing the discussion home to the local level, a group of Lopezians will sponsor a political forum at Lopez Center on Tuesday, October 19.

The forum will provide opportunities for islanders to hear local spokesmen talk about why they intend to vote for President Bush or for Senator Kerry, and why they think you should too. Moderated by Cam Devore, the forum begins at 7:00 pm and is sponsored by a group of interested individuals.

Pat Roe will speak on behalf of President Bush, and Wayne Martin will make the case for Senator Kerry. Each will get equal time. Devore will ask pre-set questions concerning the topics of Iraq, the U.S. economy over the past four years, and current foreign and domestic policy. The questions are being worked out by Devore, Ann Marie Fischer, and coordinator Jim Rohrssen.

The final details of the format were still to be worked out at press time, but at last word the plan was that Devore will be free to ask questions in response to remarks made, and after the allotted 45 minutes of speeches the audience will be allowed to ask their own questions.

Rohrssen said one thing that isn’t on the agenda is the flinging of allegations about the candidates’ actions in the distant past. Given the potential for high emotions, he said, the moderator’s job is to “keep things level.”

He said the forum’s organizers agreed that among desired qualifications for speakers and moderator were that they should not currently hold, or be running for, public office.

The forum is not intended to be a debate. Rather, Rohrssen said, the goal is “to create an understanding of why in the world someone would vote for John Kerry, or why in the world someone would vote for George Bush.”

Roe said that he felt ready for the forum, having taken part in a lot of seminars and also having kept up with the current U.S. and world situation “in considerable depth.” He said he would prefer a classical debate format in which one party states a position and the other puts forth a rebuttal, rather than allowing open questions.

“This will be my 18th time to vote for a President,” he said, “and I’ve never seen in all those years a campaign so bitter and tense as this one.” He has his opinions about why that is so, but said he will talk about that at the forum.

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