Ah, the memories.
I can't help recalling the time in 2015 when the incumbent mayor had the opportunity to participate in Leadership SI's mayoral debate at New Albany High School, thus ensuring there'd be at least one session with all three candidates (yours truly and Kevin Zurschmiede) present, facing each other before the public.
I can remember all the prominent Democrats encouraging the mayor to do so, because the community could only benefit from such a gathering, and ...
Wait -- no, actually I don't remember.
That's because none of them did any such thing. Democrats were stone dead silent, and in the end, the two of us, Independent and Republican, had a conversation about issues, allowing the mayor's empty chair to speak for itself.
The point of this recollection is while I agree that the former sheriff Darrell Mills and current sheriff Frank Loop should debate, I'm unmoved by staged crocodile tears from undemocratic Democrats, who were perfectly willing to manipulate the debate schedule in 2015 to ensure the mayor would not be burdened with having to think on his feet.
What's more, for Mills to simultaneously reference his Leadership SI program participation while at the same time criticizing the organization with an unsupported inference that a relative of Loop's somehow is influencing Leadership SI's debate stance strongly suggests Mills wasn't paying close attention to the lessons being taught during his class days.
In short, this strange press release linked below indicates a willingness on the part of Team Mills to (a) offer conspiracy theories about dark forces arrayed against it, and (b) throw both Leadership SI and IU Southeast under the bus in the process.
I find this attitude worrisome, but of course it's just my 'pinion. If NA Confidential had the resources, I'd offer to sponsor the debate, although only as governed by my own impeccable set of rules.
I've got nothing whatever against either candidate, both of whom are experienced. For the community's enrichment, Loop and Mills do need to debate, but for Mills to attack organizations and institutions for not undertaking the responsibility seems a rather petulant way to approach the ultimate goal.
Perhaps he needs to rethink this tactic. Let's hope the candidates come together and have that chat.
Mills' opponent continues to dodge debate ...
The lengthy process of trying to secure a debate for the benefit of the voters in Floyd County now continues. Mills was originally disappointed when he learned that Leadership Southern Indiana (LSI) was not going to sponsor a Sheriff debate this election cycle, as has been the case in previous elections. This was especially disappointing since both candidates for Floyd County Sheriff are graduates of the LSI program.
The Mills campaign was also concerned when it learned that a relative of the current Sheriff is a member of the LSI Advisory Board where they also serve on the organization’s community relations committee. This committee has been previously charged with running the logistics of LSI debates. The LSI Board of Directors issued a statement in late August stating that the organization will not host debates this year. Conversations between LSI and the Mills campaign reveal that the organization will likely continue to host debates again in the future, but for “capacity reasons” they are just taking a break from debates during this election cycle.
Based on his comments to the News and Tribune on August 28th, Sheriff Loop seemed open to a debate, but only with the two community groups who had already stated they were not interested in hosting a Sheriff debate this year. Loop said he would "absolutely" debate Mills. "I would be glad to entertain the possibility," Loop said. "I think somebody like a 1si (One Southern Indiana) or LSI (Leadership Southern Indiana) ought to put it together to make sure it is fair, but I would be glad to participate."
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