By By Sid Salter/ syndicated columnist
July 24, 2002
It's the Chip and Ronnie Goodtime Hour, live from Founder's Square Pavilion under the old oaks. Be there.
For the second time in the venerable Neshoba County Fair's 113-year history, a head-to-head campaign debate will headline the annual "Giant Houseparty's" political offerings. The first fairgrounds debate came in 1995 when Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice and Democratic challenger Dick Molpus squared off under the tin roof of the Pavilion on a stormy, muggy afternoon.
Pavilion packed in 1995
More than 3,000 fairgoers packed the Pavilion for the 1995 event. The debate as did much of the entire campaign saw Fordice and Molpus engage in a contentious exchange of accusations and counter-accusations.
The sheer force of Fordice's bulldog style gave him the nod on most scorecards as the winner of that first Neshoba debate although many who read transcripts of the affair thought Molpus won it on the strength of ideas.
I had a good seat for the Fordice and Molpus debate in 1995 as moderator. Seems I'm going to have a good seat for this year's debate as well in the same job.
Campaign debates on the political stump in front of live crowds are in most cases a lost art. There is a different atmosphere to a debate before a large audience than that which develops when only the television camera links the candidate and the voter. Unscripted, candidates are at no small political risk.
Earlier this year, the Neshoba County Fair Association's board of directors authorized a Third Congressional District campaign debate between Republican nominee U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering of Hebron and Democratic nominee U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows of Bassfield on Thursday, Aug. 1, at 2:10 p.m. at the Founder's Square Pavilion.
Media panelists invited
Media panelists for the debate will include: Buddy Bynum, editor of The Meridian Star; Jim Prince, publisher of The Neshoba Democrat and The Madison Journal; and Emily Wagster, capitol reporter for The Associated Press. All are seasoned journalists.
Jack Rhea Tannehill, publisher of The Union Appeal, will be an alternate panelist for the event.
Citing schedule constraints, the Fair Association extended the debate invitation only to Shows and Pickering, the nominees of the major parties. But independent and minor party candidates were afforded an opportunity to speak on the fair's regular speaking program.
The decision is consistent with the fair's 1995 debate format which also consisted of only major party candidates.
The one-hour debate format will consist of opening statements by both candidates followed by questions from the panel. Both candidates will be afforded a chance to address each question. The debate will end with closing statements from the candidates. It is expected to last for about one hour.
The fur could fly
The Pickering/Shows debate sets up some intriguing possibilities. Pickering has occupied a fair cabin at Neshoba since 1996. Shows, however, is no stranger to the fair and his folksy style of personal campaigning usually goes over well at Neshoba.
Expect a lively debate between this pair with perhaps less theatrics than the 1995 debate. But make no mistake, the Neshoba County Fair still signals the stretch run in Mississippi politics.
Both campaigns will bring out the heavy artillery for the debate and the fur could fly. Both candidates need to do well in this encounter. My advice is come early and bring a hand-held funeral home Jesus fan and some bottled water.
As Mills Lane says: "Let's get it on!"