Get it together, already
Friday, Apr 29, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NBC 5…
NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago are partnering with the Chicago Urban League, The Latino Policy Forum and the Union League Club of Chicago to host a televised forum for Republican candidates vying for the party’s nomination to challenge Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the 2022 election.
The one-hour forum will take place on Tuesday, May 24 at 6 p.m., and will be hosted at NBC Tower.
NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern will moderate the forum, and Telemundo Chicago anchor Anabel Monge will take questions from a live-studio audience for the roundtable-format event.
“We are pleased to host the Republican candidates for Illinois governor in this forum,” NBC 5 Station Manager and Vice President of News Frank Whittaker said in a statement. “We’re committed to providing our community with unmatched political coverage.”
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin has announced that he will participate in the forum.
* Trouble is, Darren Bailey and Jesse Sullivan both committed to doing a WGN-hosted debate the same evening. And Irvin may only do one debate. Bailey’s campaign spokesperson sent me this exchange with NBC 5’s political reporter…
* Team Bailey is not happy and they unfairly took it out on MAA…
Either way, one or both of these TV stations needs to change their debate dates to avoid being used as pawns by the campaigns. Also, one Chicago debate is ridic.
- Rabid - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 9:51 am:
bailey calls it meddling, it sure is
- H-W - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 9:52 am:
Beyond these media outlets learning to collaborate, I wonder if the candidates who claim Trump will decide not to participate in statewide debates, and blame the decision on the Chicago media. Trump’s version of the RNC has declared televised debates problematic on the national level.
- fs - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 9:57 am:
Personally attacking arguably the top political reporter in Chicago seems like a bold move. Stupid, but bold.
- Arsenal - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 9:57 am:
==I wonder if the candidates who claim Trump will decide not to participate in statewide debates==
Be pretty dumb to do for Bailey and Rabine. Dudes need some free media.
- Nearly Normal - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:10 am:
If WGN was first to set up a debate on May 24 then Channel 5/Telemundo need to do another date.
- Arsenal - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:15 am:
One thing we need to stress here is how absolutely hilarious it is that ILGOP can’t even organize a debate without drama.
- Publius - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:16 am:
Why don’t all the stations in the entire state get togeather and set some dates as a whole state.
- ste_with_a_v_en - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:24 am:
Did Anyone see that poll she has tweeted about before it was deleted?
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:27 am:
This guy certainly has a thing about basements.
That can really only mean one thing.
Perhaps someone should stop over and look in his basement, and see what(who?) is locked in it.
- Elliott Ness - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:30 am:
Easy fix if they want to, the key is wanting to. They could even use same date with varying times to allow for candidate to get to two locations? Issue is WANTING a to. Seems NBC a was second scheduler so they should look at other possible dates.
- Lost in Shawnee - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:36 am:
Those big city folks sure know how to be professional.
- TNR - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:38 am:
@Nearly Normal is right. This is on the TV stations, not the candidates.
The debate controversy isn’t the only point of tension between NBC 5 and WGN. Mary Ann Ahern took a passive-aggressive shot at Tahman Bradley this week on Twitter, insinuating that Anna Valencia dodged her and did an interview with Bradley on the lobbying controversy to avoid her tougher line of questioning. Ahern’s shot was intended for Valencia and she tempered her tweet by saying Tahman is “great.” Felt kinda back-handed.
- NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 10:57 am:
Maybe this is a feature, not a bug. Driven entirely by Ratings.
- Arsenal - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 11:02 am:
==Did Anyone see that poll she has tweeted about before it was deleted? ==
it was something like Irvin 27 Bailey 25 Sullivan 16? So, close, fluid, large undecideds. Nothing too earth-shaking.
- Bruce( no not him) - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 11:23 am:
My question is who called “dibs” on the date first?
The other needs to move their debate to another date.
That being said, I have never watched a Governor’s debate and won’t this year. But, I realize for some, it’s a big deal.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 11:30 am:
I guess a lack of coordination by the crews themselves is a thing too… you’d think there would be back channels to the circus.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 11:33 am:
Agree this is on the TV shops not the candidates. OTOH, maybe Irvin’s camp suggested the date to Mary Ann knowing the WGN debate was the same night? It’s plausible.
Either way, I hope it gets figured out and they can all appear as one happy family on the same debate. I’ve already got my popcorn ready
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 12:04 pm:
It might be worth noting that Citadel Advisors LLC is reported to own 7.2 million shares of Comcast who is ultimately the parent company of the NBC Network owned NBC 5 Chicago and Ken doesn’t seem like the kind of guy that would be above swinging his weight around or at least creating the impression that he would on those who might be willing to do his bidding.
I don’t know why the network wouldn’t facilitate scheduling for a date that doesn’t conflict with another station and at this point it would definitely improve the perception if they facilitated a date that didn’t conflict with another scheduled debate that other candidates had committed to attend. It just doesn’t look great and when one of your major shareholders is has effectively sponsored political campaign all by themselves it is a good practice to avoid looking like you’re picking that candidate as a favorite.
- Say What? - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 1:10 pm:
Has there been a primary debate that has even registered on the viewership data scale? Ever? Will Smith punching someone here would go unnoticed . . . . . .
Irrelevant as a news item.
- Arsenal - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 2:10 pm:
==Has there been a primary debate that has even registered on the viewership data scale?==
Well, it’s not like just tons of people vote in primaries, either, but the real issue is the clips that will be generated at the debate.
- PublicServant - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 2:16 pm:
=== One Chicago debate is ridic ===
When none of them have any platforms that go substantially deep enough in detail to actually be anything more than just talking points, then one is too much.
- B Team - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 2:40 pm:
In the big picture this silliness doesn’t matter as JB is gonna walk to reelection. How many people would tune in for these debates anyways? I’m guessing not many.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 2:45 pm:
===JB is gonna walk to reelection===
Never know, run like your 10 points behind… if Pritzker draws Bailey, Rabine, Schimpf, or Sullivan… odds become far better for Pritzker.
One debate in Chicago market is ridiculous.
Debates for all these GOP folks could get messy if as nominee words haunt.
The GOP as a party is making it almost impossible for a moderate run, the base will abandon the nominee. Ask Rauner, Bruce.
- sal-says - Friday, Apr 29, 22 @ 3:30 pm:
Only 1 comment truly fits:
It Is IL.