Moderator calls So. Florida congressional forum a `farce', drops out

Moderator calls forum a `farce'
Local TV reporter Michael Putney dropped out of moderating a political forum next week with local congressional candidates because the questions would be shown to the politicians ahead of time.


BY LUISA YANEZ
lyanez@MiamiHerald.com



Days before a lunchtime forum to showcase all six South Florida congressional candidates, the event has lost original moderator Michael Putney because he objected to letting the candidates see the questions beforehand.

On Friday, all the candidates denied setting such a condition for their participation Wednesday in the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's ''Congressional Forum 2008'' -- a hot ticket expected to attract some 500 movers and shakers.

Among those confirmed to take part in the $55-to-$75-a-plate forum at Jungle Island: Republican U.S. Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Democratic challengers Raul Martinez, Joe Garcia and Annette Taddeo.

WPLG-ABC 10 political reporter Putney had agreed to be the moderator, but he dropped out -- calling the forum ''a farce'' -- when he learned the candidates would be allowed to review the questions before the luncheon. ''I had not understood that the candidates would get to see the questions beforehand. That reduces the moderator to some kind of puppet and if that's what they wanted, they can hire an actor,'' Putney said.

`THAT'S LAUGHABLE'

Putney said he had viewed the event as an opportunity to question candidates seeking public office. ''But the whole idea that this is a debate -- that's laughable, a farce I choose not to be part of,'' he said.

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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/712693.html

Kudos to Mr. Putney for showing some guts.

The media may be comatose in general, but there are still lots of individual journalists who have some energy and ethics left in 'em. If only more of them would speak up and speak out. If others need a template for how it's done, I have a name for you: Amy Goodman.

Well, partially restored it, anyway.

Good for him! I wish we had a couple thousand more like him.