The Petey Shuffle

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KenO’Brien
On Wednesday The O’Zone reported thatState Representative Peter Durant had accepted an invitation from challengerKathleen Walker for a series of debates. According to an update received fromMs. Walker events had been scheduled for Charlton, Dudley and Southbridge.
Later that same day we received adetailed set of rules for the first event in Charlton.
 ON:OCTOBER 9, 2012 Candidates’ Debate AT: CHARLTON OVERLOOK COMMUNITY

POSITION for: MASSACHUSETTS STATEREPRESENTATIVE INCUMBENT CANDIDATE: PETER DURANT CHALLENGER CANDIDATE: KATHLEEN WALKER CHAIRMAN: BARBERA DELANO MODERATOR: JAMES ALEXANDER TIMEKEEPER: CARL SWANSON
 RULES1) TOTAL DEBATE TIME WILL BE 1 HOUR
2) QUESTIONS FOR TONIGHT HAVE COME FROMRESIDENTS OF 4 TOWNS: CHARLTON, SPENCER, SOUTHBRIDGE and DUDLEY
3) NO QUESTIONS WILL BE ALLOWED FROM THEFLOOR
4) EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE 2 MINUTESFOR THEIR OPENING STATEMENT
5) EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TOANSWER EACH QUESTION
6) AFTER BOTH CANDIDATES HAVE ANSWERED AQUESTION THE 1ST TO HAVE ANSWERED CAN HAVE A 30 SECOND REBUTAL IF HE OR SHEDESIRES
7) TIME MUST BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO BEFAIR TO CANDIDATES
8) AT THE END BOTH CANDIDATES WILL HAVEA 2 MINUTE CLOSING STATEMENT. THE 1ST CLOSING STATEMENT WILL BE FROM THECANDIDATE WHO GAVE THE 2ND OPENING STATEMENT
9) WE WILL DRAW A NAME FOR 1ST STATEMENTAND QUESTION
10) WE WILL ALTERNATE CANDIDATES FOR 1STANSWER TO EACH SUCCESSIVE QUESTION
11) AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FORMALDEBATE CANDIDATES WILL REMAIN IN LOBBY TILL 9 PM TO CHAT WITH AUDENCE MEMBERS
So it came as somewhat ofa surprise when we opened yesterday’s Southbridge News to a front page articletitled, “State rep forum sparks controversy”, and read:
Overlookis hosting a candidate’s night for the 6th Worcester District state representative’srace Tuesday, Oct. 9 — but whether both candidates will be there remains to beseen.“Asfar as I’m concerned, this event is up in the air,” said incumbent State Rep.Peter Durant, R-Spencer. “We haven’t agreed to anything, and we need to agreeto several things before we participate.”Specifically,Durant said “red lights started going off” when he discovered two of theorganizers were donors to his opponent Kathleen Walker’s campaign and wants thethree people screening questions to be a Democrat, a Republican and an“independent.” He alleged Walker “had to know” her supporters were doing this.
Walker explained that one of those involved hadindeed contributed to her campaign and immediately withdrew when the issue wasraised.
This appears to be little more than the kind ofshuffle that Durant engaged in during his last campaign. He is clearlyuncomfortable in any environment where he lacks the support and control of hishandlers.
It will be interesting to see if he does show up.