Back in the Saddle Again

It's been only six days since the preliminary election, but the two remaining mayoral candidates face off again tonight.

The debate is sponsored by the Fitchburg Exchange Club, and is at Fitchburg High School. Game time is 7 p.m., and it's live on FATV. Panelists include Chuck Morse from AM 1280 "The Blend," Bill Gates from FATV, and your's truly from the Fitchburg Pride.

While there's only five weeks left before the election, it's still kind of a long time for tonight to have any real impact in the long term. However, it will likely set the tone for the rest of the way, so let's try to figure this out.

Does Wong try to keep the pressure on and put in a performance like a few weeks ago, or does she play it a bit more conservative and try to maintain her status? She set a high bar in the debate a few weeks ago, so anything short of that will be a letdown in some ways. But she doesn't need that kind of performance again.

She has the advantage in votes and the advantage in past debate performances. She can sort of dictate her style and goals and not really worry, unless she throws in a clunker. But you have to think that won't happen.

For Donnelly, the stakes are much higher. He needs to prove tonight that he's still viable. He needs to move off the 45-35-25-1 message. He said last Tuesday night he knows the city wants change, and that he wants change. Tonight, he needs to start doing that. He won't be able to make all of that change ground up tonight, but he needs to start now if he has any chance of getting the job done by Nov. 6.

The question is, how does he do it? He's been fairly even-keeled (to put it somewhat generously) in previous debates. He needs to show some fire tonight. He's been pretty critical of Wong in past debates, but it's been wrapped in a pretty condescending, how-dare-you veneer so far. He needs to be on her case, but not in the dismissive way he has been. He needs to come up with some specifics on how he wants to do things, and for the love of God, he needs to make it seem like he's done something, anything, as a council that's fostered change.

It's certainly not the high stakes of the last two debates, but it's the first time these two get the stage for themselves. I'd expect Wong to keep on as she has been in recent weeks. The biggest thing will be seeing how Donnelly comes out and begins his resurrection effort.