A Political Forum on Saturday will offer the first of five opportunities for Mississippians to study issues and candidates before Election Day. Secretary of State Eric Clark will lead the introductory Political Forum, then U.S. Representative Benny Thompson and Mississippi Supreme Court justices will be featured in four televised debates sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Mississippi and WLBT-TV (Channel 3) this month. A panel of journalists and League members will question the candidates in each debate.
At 12:30 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 9) on WLBT in Jackson, the Political Forum will survey national, state and local issues and candidates on the ballot. Then, in subsequent weekends, candidates vying for the Thompson's District 2 Congressional seat and for three
State Supreme Court positions will face off in the debates.
"One goal of the League of Women Voters is to make
voters more aware of issues in our judicial system,"
said Fran Leber of Jackson, co-president of the
nonpartisan state League. "Oftentimes, voters leave
judicial races blank on their ballots — because they
don't know much about them.
"Since we also have two Congressional races underway
in mid-Mississippi, the League and WLBT invited those
candidates to debate as well," she said.
All candidates agreed to debate except incumbent U.S.
Representative Charles "Chip" Pickering (R), who
refused to debate, and one of his challengers,
Lamonica L. Magee (Reform), who did not respond to the
invitation, said WLBT news director Dennis Smith.
Thus, Pickering challenger, Jim Giles (I), who did
want to debate, will appear in an interview with WLBT
on Saturday's political forum, Smith said.
All four debates will be moderated by WLBT's Smith
and will include WLBT news anchor Howard Ballou as one
of the interviewing panel of journalists. A political
reporter from The Associated Press (AP) in Jackson
also will be on each panel, as will a League official.
Here are the five televised events on NBC affiliate
WLBT-TV. (One debate also will air on sister station
WLOX-TV in Biloxi.)
** 12:30 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 9) — A Political Forum
features Clark, WLBT news anchor Bert Case and Ballou.
In lieu of a debate for Congressional District 3,
Giles' interview will air.
** 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 — A debate among
Supreme Court candidates for District 1 / Central
(Position 2) features incumbent James Graves and
challengers Ceola James, Samac S. Richardson and
William L. "Bill" Skinner. Panelists will be Smith
and Ballou of WLBT, Shelia Hardwell of the AP, and
Neva Greenwald, past president of the Mississippi
League.
** 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23 — A debate among
candidates in the Congressional District 2 race
features incumbent Bennie Thompson (D), Clinton LeSeur
(R) and Shawn O'Hara (Reform). Panelists will be
Smith and Ballou of WLBT, Emily Wagster Pettus of the
AP, and Joyce Dortch, president of the Jackson League.
** 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30 — A debate among Supreme
Court candidates for District 2 / Southern (Position
3) features Joe Lee and Mike Randolph; Randolph was
appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to fill the unexpired
term of Ed Pittman, who retired early. Panelists will
be Smith and Ballou of WLBT, Jack Elliott of the AP,
and Margaret Ennis, president of the Gulf Coast
League. (This debate also will air at 5:30 a.m. Oct.
30 on WLOX.)
** 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 — A debate among Supreme
Court candidates for District 1 / Central (Position 1)
features "Richard" Ray Grindstaff and incumbent
William L. "Bill" Waller Jr. Panelists will be Smith
and Ballou of WLBT, Jack Elliott of the AP, and Leber,
co-president of the state League.
"Remember, bad officials are elected by good citizens
who do not vote — or who do vote, but are uninformed,"
Leber said.
The non-partisan, non-profit political League exists
to encourage the informed and active participation of
citizens in government. Smith said WLBT agreed to
co-sponsor the events as a public service.
The nine-member Supreme Court is the state's "court
of last resort" and hears appeals from the state's
lower courts. It has also has original jurisdiction
in cases that involve: public utility rate changes,
contested elections, the death penalty, annexations,
bond issues, and other matters of statute, judicial
process, the constitution, etc. Justices serve
staggered, eight-year terms.
Election Day is Nov. 2. Visit the Mississippi League's Web site at http://www.lwv-ms.org or WLBT's Web site at http://www.wlbt.com
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