Debate blackout

Dear Editor: The Downey Patriot and the Whittier Daily News have reported on the first and only public debate state Senate candidates Tony Mendoza and Mario Guerra recently had before the upcoming run-off election on Nov. 4. Neither of these media outlets nor any other outlet was able to post a video of this debate.

The technology of the 1960s was enough to provide video evidence of political debates but with a camera on just about every smartphone in 2014, the public is still left to gauge the authenticity of these candidates’ statements by printed quotes reminiscent of the way voters had to do in 1787.

To add to the mystery and to highlight the evasiveness of both of these candidates, neither of their websites provides a full printed transcript of the debate, let alone a video.

Mendoza and Guerra are lucky the ballot on Nov. 4 will not have a checkbox indicating “NEITHER” but if it did, “NEITHER” should win.

Dan Chantre

Downey

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Published: Oct. 23, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 28