However, predictably not in attendance, was front-runner, Bobby Jindal.

Not that Jindal was in Congress doing the people’s business.  Instead, he was in Lafayette doing his campaign, again, far away from the spotlight of the media and their questions.

Some say that we now have a statewide debate on Thursday on PBS and that is enough.  There will be two other televised debates that are not statewide.

While some daily newspapers are beginning to place comparative questions and answers of the four main candidates in their papers, which are helpful, nothing is more important than watching numerous debates to get a better feel for the competition.

Thinking about all of the issues that confront this state and comparing it to the lack of debates can really blow your mind.

We have questions concerning ethics in government, education at all levels, crumbling roads, hurricane preparation, economic development, hurricane recovery, storm preparedness, life versus choice, women’s rights, municipal services, workforce, culture and the economy, national questions such as Iraq and Afghanistan and funding, wetlands, budget surpluses versus deficits, technology in Louisiana, tax credits, law enforcement and I can go on forever.

So many organizations and groups have legitimate questions and they needed to hear from the candidates.  Again, as I have mentioned, four years ago, there were dozens of forums and debates attended by very large groups of people who wanted to get a feel for the competition.  Farmers, technologists, parishes, students, agriculturists, city planners, legislators, lobbyists of all sorts, bankers, realtors, the young, the old, the rich and the poor and so many more wanted to know what these candidates meant to them.

So, no, one statewide televised debate is far from enough.  The process requires churning of ideas, not commercials, not single debates focused upon one hour or so of time between four candidates. 

Ultimately, as I have written, I might vote for Bobby Jindal as I did before.  But, I truly do feel cheated by him and the entire process including how the parties chose their candidates.  In the case of Jindal, his dodge will definitely play a factor in my entire decision-making process once I go to the polls.  But, it will only be a factor among many including comparing him to the other candidates. 

By comparison, I watched a sorry football game last night and realized that the New Orleans Saints coaches researched, processed information, weighed decisions and considered a full variety of factors before deciding upon whom they wanted on the field. 

Also, by comparison, ironically, the Presidential candidates spend tens of millions of dollars trying to convince Iowa and New Hampshire voters, they frequently hold open forums for a primary and a caucus that are relatively meaningless compared to what Louisiana is facing this election for its Governor.  Yet, we get hardly obtained any information from the person we are supposed to coronate.  There is something utterly wrong with that entire political phenomenon.

With both the Saints and the Iowa and New Hampshire primary analogies, Louisiana voters will have gone through one thousandth of that entire decision-making process before they ultimately vote. 

When we do vote, many will vote along party lines which in my view would be  unfortunate.  Others will vote on skin color or TV slogans or who is the fastest talker or who is the richest or who had the best commercial.  Hopefully, we take in all the factors including national issues before we pull those switches, come election day and not the email spats or even the single statewide debate spin.  

I urge that we listen intensely to what is being said these next few weeks.  Hopefully, all the candidates have the guts to stand up and speak their minds and not be plastic candidates but real people who happen to want to serve the real public.  

With oil prices being what they are today, Louisiana has a chance to make major inroads and be competitive or we can decide to save much more for those very rainy days.  Whomever, we decide, we will need an honest decent leader and administrator to take us through the first decade of the 21^st century.  It is just a shame that we were deprived of being able to have real conversations with those who want to be Governor.  It will be a moment in our state’s history where we look back at what could have been and we will see a black, blank void.  If there is any shame being thrown around this campaign, the lack of information should top the list.  

Other News

  Doors open at 7:15.  Punch was founded by Bayoubuzz Publisher and is co-owned by Stephen Sabludowskhy and Jeff Crouere who is the moderator.  For more information, contact steve@bayoubuzz.com or jeff@ringsidepolitics.com

The East Baton Rouge Republican PEC endorsed Wayne Carter for Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry. Competing with Carter is Republican Mike Strain and incumbent Democrat Bob Odom for that statewide position.   

Politics With A Punch
Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 26, you will not want to miss Politics With a Punch at our new venue, the Cricket Club on Saint Charles Avenue, formerly the Eiffel tower and the Red Room.  We got so big, we had to move to accomodate.  As usual, our panelists will be fun, irreverent, serious and everyone will have a great time.

Here are the guests: