The candidates forum at Plattsburgh State Thursday evening was revealing and helpful exposition for the two participating candidates for the 23rd Congressional District seat and especially for attendees and voters. It was at the very least a rare and wasted opportunity for the third candidate, Conservative Douglas Hoffman, who failed to show up.

Democrat William Owens and Republican Dierdre Scozzafava acquitted themselves well before hundreds of people who attended the forum, sponsored by the Plattsburgh Chapter of United University Professions, the Plattsburgh State Student Association and the Plattsburgh Area League of Women Voters.

Scozzafava, a longtime assemblywoman, proved the more savvy politician and comfortable speaker by providing more specific, focused answers to many questions. Owens tended toward generalities. For example, he assured he would study the need for more combat troops in Afghanistan, whereas Sozzafava said unequivocally that the safety of the troops already in the war zone required stationing more soldiers there. Owens promised more jobs for the district; Scozzafava said what is first needed is fewer taxes and less stifling government regulation.

Yet you came away with confidence that either one would make the interests of voters of their district their top priority.

Throughout the 75-minute forum, though, frequent allusions to Hoffman’s absence emerged, and that can’t have helped the Conservative.

Moderator Brian Mann of North Country Public Radio scolded Hoffman at the outset, saying he had talked with the candidate earlier in the day — in Plattsburgh — and was told there was nothing on Hoffman’s schedule to keep him from attending.

This military spouse would like to issue a hearty “FY” to the rabld knuckledraggers for killing Dede’s candidacy.

pressrepublican.com