Mayoral candidate Howard Gentry said “the more, the better” today via email in terms of mayoral debates. He listed brief (and very fair) expectations for the debates (below), which are a sharp contrast to a recent exhaustive request by Clement’s campaign (scroll down the linked page to “Rules of Engagement”).

I will participate in a debate under any format. But I do have some suggestions that might help us move forward:

 

• I think all candidates should be included;
• I think debates should be geographically balanced to take in all sections of our diverse city;
• I think it would be good to have as many debates as possible umpired independently by an organization like the League of Women Voters;
• And I think it would be great to have as many debates as possible televised live.

I am excited about opportunities to share my message about how a great city can become even greater.

In my personal opinion, Clement’s lengthy debate requirements fit right in with his alleged PAC manuevering as a good reason why he is not our best choice for the city’s next leader. To be fair, though, he is considered the frontrunner at this early point in the race, and he stands the most to lose (yet possibly plenty to gain) by participating in debates. Gentry, on the other hand, is at best in the middle of the pack, and would benefit from as much of this kind of exposure as anyone in the race (as would Karl Dean, who clearly has some anonymity to overcome). From the Scene:

A more recent poll commissioned by one of Clement’s opponents shows the former congressman’s numbers have fallen, according to one competing campaign operative: Clement at 22 percent; Briley and Dozier at 17 percent and 18 percent, respectively; Gentry with 14 percent; and Dean, the latest to jump into the race, at 3 percent.

I for one agree with Gentry that more debates make for a more enlightened electorate. The question I would ask, after seeing Clement’s debate restrictions and his reluctance to address the media (below), does Bob want to talk to us?

Neither [campaign chairman Larry] Woods nor Clement returned telephone calls last week for this [City Paper] story. The newspaper attempted to reach Michele Collins at the Clement campaign office in Nashville and at the Ashland City address. Those telephone calls were not returned.

I personally have yet to hear anything from the Clement campaign that makes me excited about his candidacy. I’m not sure yet whether hearing nothing at all would be an improvement. I’ve only heard items, such as those above, that have me rooting for all four of his competitors at this point. Go field! Go field!