Election forum at library tomorrow night

I got a call from Richland County Public Library this morning. Looks like I’m going to be filling in at the last minute as moderator for this forum, as the far more mellifluously voiced Charles Bierbauer will be participating in a memorial service for longtime SLED spokesman Hugh Munn, who passed away over the weekend:

Get a Local Perspective on the Presidential Election

Library and Central Carolina Community Foundation host Panel Discussion

Hear former CNN correspondent and USC Dean Charles Bierbauer and a bipartisan panel debate the hot issues of this year’s presidential campaign at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 23 at the Richland County Public Library.

Panelists include:

Matt Moore, SC Republican Party Executive Director;

Amanda Loveday, SC Democratic Party Executive Director;

Rep. Nathan Ballentine (R), House District 71; and

Rep. Bakari Sellers (D), House District 90.

This free event is cosponsored with Central Carolina Community Foundation. For more information, call 231-6329.

Y’all come on out. It could be your only chance to see a political forum this year moderated by a guy who looks like a refugee from 1810. No, I won’t be in costume, but there’s little I can do about the ‘chops and hair.

9 thoughts on “Election forum at library tomorrow night”

Kathryn Fenner October 22, 2012 at 3:48 pm

Why does this forum exist?

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Phillip October 22, 2012 at 4:01 pm

Well, with your current “do” you can expound at length about where things stand in the race between James Madison and DeWitt Clinton.

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Brad October 22, 2012 at 4:05 pm

I was thinking about starting out by proposing that we all drink to the King’s health, God bless him.

Kathryn, it’s just a community get-together to talk about the election — the presidential election in particular, as I understand it, a fortnight out. I expect tonight’s debate will provide some fodder.

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Kathryn Fenner October 22, 2012 at 4:52 pm

So basically this blog, except we just sit and watch and can’t comment? Different strokes, I guess.

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Brad October 22, 2012 at 5:02 pm

Well, I think PART of the point here is that folks might want to hear what the panelists have to say…

In the format I proposed to the library in an email a few minutes ago, about 20 minutes would be devoted to audience questions. Of course, when I say “audience questions,” I mean questions written and and submitted to someone who will select some to pass to me, and I’ll ask them.

I’m not a big fan of the open-mike method of taking questions when I’m trying to moderate a panel. I like it fine when it’s just me up there speaking — Q and A is always my favorite part of a speaking engagement — but when I’m trying to keep track of a panel and keep things moving along, I don’t like to just hand a mike to whoever steps up. Then you find yourself asking a little old lady in tennis shoes whether, after five minutes of warm-up, there is an actual QUESTION in her remarks, and I’m more reluctant to have to do that as moderator than when it’s just me speaking, if that makes any sense. (When I’m moderator, I’m kind of representing the sponsoring organization, and I hate being rude on their behalf.)

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