Up & Coming Weekly

September 29, 2020

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1293178

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 8 of 24

8 UCW SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 6, 2020 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM D.G. MARTIN, Host of UNC's Book Watch. COMMENTS? Editor@upand- comingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. What is more interesting than the debates between candidates for major po- litical offices? Of course, it is the de- bate about the debates. Some friends, well- informed and experienced in political activities, say the importance of such debates is vastly over- rated. For instance, one said the recent first debate between North Carolina U.S. Senate candidates Republican om Tillis and Democrat Cal Cun- ningham was meaning- less because nobody was watching. ey reminded me about the 1992 U.S. Senate televised debate between Terry Sanford and Lauch Faircloth. Most viewers agreed that Sanford won the debate with sharp authoritative responses to questions while Fair- cloth fumbled. But Faircloth came out on top when it counted. Republican campaign consultant Carter Wrenn strongly disagrees. He thinks debates are critically impor- tant. Undecided voters are the key to winning elections. To win their votes, they have to see a difference between the candidates on an issue that is important to them or on a difference in the way they handle themselves under pressure. Wrenn is a legendary expert on developing hard-hitting campaign materials such as the ones Jesse Helms used to defeat Jim Hunt in the 1984 U.S. Senate race. In a recent radio interview with Wrenn, I agreed with him about the importance of televised debates. Citing the 1960 presidential debates between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon, I argued that demeanor of the candidates is a key factor. Kennedy looked calm, cool, and collected, while Nixon was nervous, sweating, and fidgety. A candidate who appears authorita- tive, courteous and nice has the edge, I said. But Wrenn does not go along with my reasoning. He says a debate is the place to take advantage of your opponent, to show the differences on matters important to potential supporters, to set traps and jump on the opponent who falls into one. It is a battle, not a beauty contest, he said. In their first debate, Tillis turned the tables on Cunningham and tried to trap him for saying that he would be hesitant taking a coronavirus vac- cine if one were available by the end of the year. Tillis called that irresponsible. "We just heard a candidate for the U.S. Senate look into the camera and tell 10 million North Carolinians he would be hesitant to take a vaccine. I think that that's irresponsible." In the next two debates Cunning- ham will have the opportunity to push back on the issue of irresponsibility of the Republican president's campaign organizing coronavirus-spreading ral- lies in North Carolina. ese Cunningham-Tillis events are a warm-up for the presidential debates, beginning Tuesday, Sep. 29. Wrenn took me back to his work in the Hunt-Helms race in which Helms overcame a 25% early lead by the popular Hunt. Wrenn remembers discovering inconsistencies in Hunt's views on controversial issues. en the campaign developed ads and debate themes in which Helms set out his positions on the then-current issues such as the Martin Luther King holiday, busing, school prayer and the Panama Canal "give away." en Helms would ask, "Where do you stand, Jim?" Wrenn said again that debates give candidates the opportunity to tell voters where they differ from their opponents. Carter Wrenn and I do not agree on lots of things, but I think he wins the debate with my friends who say candidate debates do not matter. Debates are gold mines and mine- fields for candidates and important for voters searching for candidates whose views and character are worthy of their support. Who wins the debates? by D.G. MARTIN POLITICS Pundits often disagree about the importance of candidate debates during election season. 54 holes of individual stroke play, gross scores only. The eld will be divided into four divisions based upon age and sex. Players may choose to compete in any division in which they are eligible. Field will be ighted within their respective division based upon their 36 hole scores.* A minimum of four entries is required to create a division. Otherwise, divisions are combined together. Division changes are not allowed after entries close. All rounds will be played at Gates Four Country Club. Social Distancing and Covid-19 prevention practices will be in eect. *Super Senior and the Women's Division will play 36 holes at Gates Four Country Club October 10th & 11th. • All amateur entrants must be 16 or older and reside in Cumberland County. • Past CC champions who are not golf professionals are eligible. • Golfers 50 years of age or older are eligible to participate in the Senior Division or the Men's Division. • Entry fee is $175.00 for Senior and Men's Division. $145.00 for Super Senior and Women's Division. Includes: 3/2 days of USGA tournament golf, a practice round, commemorative gift, range balls, food**, on course beverages, trophies and door prizes. • 2018 USGA Rules will govern all play. Additional local rules will be posted and announced prior to play. • Gates Four Country Club requires collared shirts and denim is prohibited. • Field Limited to 96 participants. No preferred pairings. • Practice round green fees only, cart not included. Practice rounds are limited to weekdays and after 1 p.m. on weekends seven days prior to tournament after fees are paid. Call 425-6667 for tee time. Print & Sign Shop Westwood & Ft. Bragg The UPS Store

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Up & Coming Weekly - September 29, 2020