Observer panel reacts to television election debate

Leaders' debate a draw

Observer panel reacts to television election debate
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By JACK POIRIER
of The Observer
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
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Seen as a crucial forum to sway votes, Tuesday's make-or-break provincial leaders' debate ended in a draw.
At least that was the general opinion of a panel of five local residents, asked by The Observer to dissect the performances of Liberal Dalton McGuinty, Tory Ernie Eves and New Democrat Howard Hampton during the televised provincial election leaders' debate.
There was no knockout punch delivered by McGuinty and no decisive win by Eves, to close the widening gap in the polls separating his trailing Tories from the Liberals.
The latest polls leading into the debate showed the Liberals with close to 50 per cent support, the Tories at 33 per cent and the NDP at 14 per cent.
"I really think there were no definite blows struck during the entire debate," said longtime Tory supporter Vic Dudek, who was once the local president of the PC association and a campaign manager for Tory MPP Andy Brandt.
Dudek said McGuinty scored well on health care, one of the key issues in the election.
"No matter what Eves said, McGuinty could always come back that Ontario ranked at the bottom in (Canada) in health care."
He also said Eves likely touched a positive nerve with voters with his pledge to ban teacher strikes, while Hampton was hammering home the point of public power.
"Several times (Hampton) said, 'This is where I stand' and that resonates with people."
Current president of the Sarnia-Lambton Federal Liberal Association and retired teacher Larry Scully also found all three leaders performed reasonably well, considering the pressure cooker atmosphere.
Scully found Hampton the most relaxed, understandably with the least to lose, of the three.
"He had a good presence and had his facts pretty well mastered."
Scully said McGuinty did a good job erasing his past fumbling and wooden-like image, which cost him dearly in the last provincial election, while Eves managed to defend the Tory record pretty well.
"I don't think Eves grabbed the bull by the horns and McGuinty didn't screw up."
Ken Glassco's political affiliations run left of centre as former president of CEP Local 914 and past campaigner for NDP candidate Glenn Sonier.
He said while Hampton scored some points during the debate, so too did Eves and McGuinty. And all three showed some weaknesses.
"They all dodged the questions from the media (panel)," Glassco said.
Glassco said, "If the polls are correct, (this debate) will favour Dalton the most."
Admittedly a Tory supporter who worked in the past for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Marcel Beaubien's campaign, local businessman Marty Raaymakers said all three candidates came across as "very smart guys."
While Raaymakers, chairperson of the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce, personally finds the Tory platform most realistic, he thought Eves looked a little stressed at times last night, "but he is the man running the province.
"I thought Howard Hampton looked the most confident."
He said all three leaders showed some weakness on their stance on education, but he thought all three stuck to the big issues, health care and education.
Former St. Patrick student and political activist Darcy Higgins was glued to his television set last night, following his Environment and Resources Studies classes at the University of Waterloo.
Higgins, who has been active with the Green Party and helped create the local Teens for Our Education activist group, said he doesn't foresee the debate having much impact on the polls as all three party leaders rolled with the punches during last night's verbal brawl.
"I think McGunity maintained his lead. Eves was fairly weak on health care and education," he said.
"I think Hampton appealed to student voters with his promise to lower tuition fees."