21st Century Viking: McDermott debates…but not with the right person

After the Ballard News-Tribune published my 21st Century Viking column about why Jim McDermott should debate his general election opponent, Ron Bemis, I got a hot tip. McDermott was going to debate someone the week before the Nov. 6, 2012 General Election- but it turns out that it was going to be conservative talk show host Michael Medved rather than Bemis!

I decided to get to the bottom of it and filed another 21st Century Viking column called “McDermott debates…but not with the right person.

I covered the McDermott/Medved debate for the Ballard News-Tribune. The debate was taped and was supposed to be broadcast the Saturday following the debate on UWTV, but it turns out they never aired it.

While it would have been interesting to find out why it was never aired, the General Election has passed- the latest figures show that McDermott beat Ron Bemis 79.48% to 20.52%. The election may be over, but the issue of deeply entrenched incumbents- regardless of party- ducking their duty to participate in the democratic process remains.