Live Debate Post

7:24 Boy, am I glad I didn't have to run one of these. What a disaster on all sides right now. Neither guy is answering questions, that annoying beep in the background is making me crazy, and this is just a total waste of time right now.

DiNatale was totally thrown by the SBAB/Academy School question. Worse answer I've seen from that guy.

What's with the rebuttal period being wasted for a dumb question? By the way, the opening statements were waaaaay too long.

Two sub-sub-sub par performances so far. More later if worthy.

7:26: That hum will not go away, and it is really making me nuts.

7:28: Niemczura offers nothing on FSC parking. DiNatale is more long-winded, but is saying the same thing. He just said some colleges limit what years kids can bring cars. It is a commuter school, by the way.

7:29: DiNatale was just asked what he's done in public office. Open the high school (already in construction when he was on the School Committee). For council, putting sex offenders on TV. He harps on public safety, through funding. Niemczura says he'll get state money for the senior center boiler, and will allow state gun licenses to be valid in other states. This is not picking up.

7:31: Ben is 11 months old. Here are his thoughts: k tyhvyvcrtc67tyt6ttfyfg. Might be the best comment of the night so far. We gotta run and do some bedimes. Don't think we'll miss much.

On TiVo: We're behind, and we have to run, so we may or may not post more later, but DiNatale asked Niemczura why he's running for office now. What does it matter. The guy's running, which is more than can be said for just about 99.9 percent of the population. By DiNatale's logic, Deval Patrick can't be governor, and no one should ever run for office the first time. Good for Niemczura for not going absolutute ballistic on a question that was just cheap, unfair, and self-serving. Can you tell we think DiNatale is sucking wind tonight?

From Earlier: DiNatale pointed the finger at the Rappa guy for being so hard on the city's school. Both guys say the MCAS situation isn't that bad. It's not Rappa's fault the city's schools have been poorly managemed by city officials for years. He may have an ax to grind in Fitchburg (debateable point, by the way), but he has plenty of grist.

Back on TiVo: DiNatale tried to make lowering the income tax into a bad stand on Niemczura's part. Niemczura just talked about how $700M can go a long way. DiNatale is playing the scare tactic: Seniors impacted, blah, blah, blah. He pointed out to Niemczura that seniors were in the audience. We know pandering when we see it, DiNatale doesn't have to draw attention to it.

Really, we have to run. Maybe more later, but this mess was a doozy.