Gubernatorial candidates looking forward to Sunday's debate

Gov. Jim Douglas (R-Middlebury), House Speaker Gaye Symington (D-Jericho) and Anthony Pollina (Progressive- Middlesex) are all eagerly anticipating the first gubernatorial debate of the 2008 election cycle this Sunday. And after sparing over the issues, the three will mix and mingle with the constituents at an informal gathering.

The Vermont Natural Resources Council, American Flatbread, and Vermont Localvores are co-sponsoring the "Vermont style debate," which will take place at the Ladreau Farm in Waitsfield and will focus on the environmental and food policies of the individual candidates.

Leaders from the Symington, Douglas, and Pollina camps said that all three candidates are enthusiastic about holding the debates so constituents would be able to better compare their respective positions, and the picnic afterwards would allow Vermonters to speak with each of the candidates on an individual basis.

And while environmental and food policy issues will dominate the debate, the candidates agree that such issues are crucial to Vermonters, given that they are interconnected with the state's economy.

Michael Carrese, communications director for the Symington campaign, told PolitickerVT.com that the debate issues were of particular interest to the House speaker, who has been a long-time consumer of local products, and felt "the environment is the foundation of the Vermont economy" and the reason "why Vermont is so well-known and well-loved."

"There is really only one issue in this election and that's the economy," said Dennise Casey, Douglas' campaign manager. She continued adding that food and environmental policy connected were inherently attached to that.

Pollina's campaign echoed that sentiment. Meg Brook, the progressive candidate's campaign director, said that the economy was the central issue in the upcoming election, but that Pollina had long supported buying locally grown produce and reforming environmental policy.

And this weekend's debate almost surely will not be the last this year. "Above all democracy is a participatory sport," Brook said. "Debates offer something very unique - the opportunity for three people to answer identical questions. I cannot foresee any debate or any forum that offers a fair opportunity for candidates to present themselves that we would turn down."

Just less than three weeks ago, the Symington campaign challenged Douglas to a series of debates held in all fourteen counties. Carrese said they would make good on their promise should the Douglas camp accept their request.

Casey said the governor would be more than willing to participate in a debate if it met a certain set of criteria such as working with community organizations. "We've never had a debate in Waitsfield," Casey field. "It's always nice to go into a community that we haven't partnered in the past: new partners bring new perspective."