I watched the gubernatorial debate three times in the last few hours to try to do a thoughtful analysis.  To do this right, I graded the candidates the way I do my students in my speech classes.  They get grades for style, content and delivery.

Mitch Daniels

• Content – A. You did a good job of giving specifics.  We can argue what the facts mean in the grand scheme of things, but details work.
• Style – B+. Good job of taking the high road and not attacking your opponents, but pointing out discrepancies in their arguments
• Delivery – B.  You work well in small groups and in one-on-one interactions.  Work on the pauses, because it breaks up the flow of the points your trying to make and you can come across as unsure of the point you’re trying to make.  You know the material so relax and let it flow.
• Overall grade: B+

Jill Long Thompson

• Content – C+. While you seemed to have no problem pointing out the flaws of your opponent, you didn’t give voters a reason to pick you.  Times are tough all over, everyone knows that, but you didn’t make a compelling case for you.  Also, you need to give specifics.
• Style – C.  While you went on the attack, you didn’t say anything new.  I’ll chalk part of that of up to covering your campaign.  But you needed to get a headline out of this debate. 
• Delivery – B. Your delivery was smoother than Daniels, but you repeated yourself a lot and you were a little to stilted.  We know your running for Governor, that’s why your up there.  You do get a couple points for acknowledging flood victims.
• Overall Grade: C+/C.

Andy Horning

• Content – C+.  You get major points for promoting less government, but if you’re going to reference the Constitution, you need to cite specifics.  You did a good job in citing the Common School fund, although I disagree with your interpretation, you should have done more of that.
• Style – B+.  You get major points for style.  You stuck with the theme of less government.  And you used humor on stage in a appropriate manner which is never  bad thing. 
• Delivery – A.  Always you had great delivery.  You were smooth, direct and engaging.  And I felt as if you were talking to the audience and not at them.
• Overall Grade: B.

We’ll do this again after the next debate.

I’m working on some post-gubernatorial debate analysis.  In the meanwhile, in your opinion, who won the night?  Why?  And what do the losers have to do for next time?

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard and Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson have reached a budget agreement that both sides say will fund public safety and allow the city to live within its means.

The Sheriff originally asked for $111 million, but later reduced that request to $92 million.  Under the agreement the Sheriff  will receive about $86 million, which was Ballard’s original budget request.  However, it will no longer have to directly pay for emergency dispatch and for a net gain of about $8 million, since the department won’t have its budget reduced to pay for the services.

According to City Comptroller Dave Reynolds, dispatch will be paid directly out of the the Marion County Emergency Agency’s budget.    To cover part of that costs city officials say they will use about $3.3 million in additional tax revenue that was discovered due to a clerical error.

At the end of the day, the city will only have about $600,000 left in its overall fund balance.  That number was originally just over $4 million, but the additional MECA costs as well as the additional $2.6 million for the townships assessors reduced that amount.

So while the city is still managing to live within its means, it won’t have much of a life.

With my very busy schedule, I always try to make the most of my time by doing two or three things at once.  I did it again today.  I did laundry and covered a news conference by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson.  After separating my whites from my colors I walked around the corner to 809 N. Delaware, where JLT had another news conference calling for Governor Mitch Daniels to declare an energy emergency, suspend the state sales tax on gasoline and trigger an investigation into the sharp climb in gas prices.

I have to admit to being puzzled at this, because the rise in gas is real simple, Hurricane Ike and a motorcycle race in Indianapolis.  As JLT finished up and walked back around the corner to finish laundry, I was surprised she didn’t use the opportunity to set the stage for tomorrow night’s debate in Merryville.

I couldn’t figure out why she didn’t invite us into her office and say how she was looking forward to the debate and opportunity to answer questions for the voters and how she hoped to hear Governor Daniels’ answers to questions about jobs, the economy, high school dropout rate, government reform, etc.

She could have elaborated in each category, giving us a preview of her answers and getting back some of the momentum which has clearly been on the other side.  There was so much more that could have been done, but she never did.

And by the time I finally figured it out why JLT didn’t, it was time to fold clothes, put the dedicates in the dryer and write this blog post.

Check this out.

Off all the IMPD Officers who’ve been getting in trouble lately, it looks like half of them are from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, eventhough former Sheriff’s law enforcement officers only make up about 20 percent of the entire force.

Imagine that.

7th District  Republican congressional candidate Gabrielle Campo says she was kicked out of an eastside  community event by a supporter of Democrat Andre Carson.

Campo says she was at the Far Eastside Family Fun Day at 36th and Mitthoeffer.  The event is sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.  Campo says she was there and approached Carson about a debate.  According to Campo, Carson said he had a busy schedule.  Later, Campo says, she was approached by the event organizer who was a Carson supporter and told to leave.

Campo says out of respect for the event, she complied with the request.  

I do have to say I’m a bit surprised that this would happen especially when it’s the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service that all persons have equal opportunity and access to its educational services, activities, and facilities without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a veteran.  Apparently political beliefs didn’t make the list.

The Ballard administration says it will pass a budget on September 22 that forces the city to live within its means, even though the budget may not quite look the way it was introduced.

Nearly $2.6 million was added for the township assessors.  Originally, funding was going to eliminated based on a November referendum, however Councilors were hesitant to eliminate the funding without knowing the results of the referendum.  The administration had hoped to save $3 million, that number is now closer to $400,000.

There are still cuts in the Parks budget.  The Council Parks and Recreation Committee appropriated only $1 million for arts programs, down $543,000 from last year.  The only “no” vote was City-County Councilor Vernon Brown, who said the Parks Department should have more money.

However, the largest gap still appears to be that between the Mayor and Sheriff.  Frank Anderson submitted a budget this past week $19 million smaller than his original request, but still $7 million more than what Mayor Ballard wanted to spend.   Talks are centering around the funding of Jail II, which is seeing its payments delayed under Anderson’s plan. A committee vote on the Sheriff’s budget, as well as the rest of public safety, will take place on Monday.

Through accounting and better cash management city officials still believe they can come out ahead.  As last count the city had a remaining fund balance of about $3 million, which is down from the original estimate of $4.8 million.

To put it mildly, Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson has not had the best of weeks.  As a matter of fact when you really put the rubber to the road, her biggest moment has been winning the May primary and you could argue it’s been all downhill from there.

Fifty something days to go and what does JLT have to show for it: sagging polls, few specifics on policy initiatives, money problems, just to name a few.  But despite all that, I haven’t written off their campaign just yet. 

If you will indulge the Star Wars geek in me, JLT is like Luke Skywalker.  She’s got one X-wing fighter and has got to get through the Imperial fleet,  make down the Death Star canyon, and fire two laser torpedoes in a two-meter exhaust shaft and get out before the darn thing blows up.

It’s not impossible, but JLT’s last best hope to salvage her campaign is to hit a home run in the upcoming gubernatorial debate.  I take that back.  She has to hit a grand slam every time she steps up to the plate.  She can’t do it by talking about growing up on farm, having and MBA and PhD in business or her three tier tax plan.  She needs to outline details and not just use the same old rhetoric of “good paying jobs.”

A lot of her fellow Democrats have written off her campaign.  A lot of politicos have also written her off.  I’m not ready to write this campaign off yet, but I do have a pen and paper handy if she doesn’t pull off a miracle next week.

Here are my 9-11 questions of the day.

1. Are we safer?
2. Is 9-11 becoming a distant memory, as opposed to a real event?
3. How do you think it will impact George W.’s legacy as President?
4. What’s the best way to win the war on terror?

Feel free to pontificate after taking a moment to reflect on those who lost their lives that day.