Adrien and Capone left to themselves didn’t work
By JOSH RESNEK
First the mayor said he was coming then he said he was not coming, according to event organizers.
That ended the mayoral debate scheduled for Saturday night by the Everett Haitian Community Center.
Fred Capone had expressed concern earlier in the day that the event was being held on a third floor walk-up in the Sky Plex Venue at 427 Broadway making it impossible for the handicapped or the elderly to attend.
At first, Capone said he was not going to attend the debate.
Later on Saturday afternoon, Capone e-mailed the event organizers he would attend.
Capone also informed the Leader Herald, “I will be there.”
Gerly Adrien and Capone would have been forced into the unenviable position of debating one another.
The mayor’s decision not to attend was part hubris, part racism, part insecurity and part political posturing.
Incumbent elected public officials quite often refuse to debate their opponents because it is perceived by them that there is nothing to gain and everything to lose.
The mayor’s decision not to debate his opponents reflects all of the above.
“It is typical for the mayor to refuse to debate at a Haitian sponsored event,” Adrien told the Leader Herald.
“I am beyond disappointed. Most importantly, it is disappointing for all the residents who expressed an interest in going,” she added.
E-mails to all three mayoral candidates were sent out on July 26.
The mayor apparently had problems with the format, which were not detailed enough for him.
Capone had difficulties with the likely exclusion of the handicapped and the elderly, although the debate was to be live streamed.
Again, in the end, he agreed to debate and would have joined with Adrien and the mayor for the event had it not been cancelled.
Apparently all candidates for public office were notified and invited to attend the debate.