If there was ever a time DeStefano needed to make a big impact in this race, it during this debate and it seemed that the mayor delivered the goods and came out on top (especially in the second half).
DeStefano's attacks on Rell were quick, direct and right on the money and when the governor didn't have a response to the mayor's attack over her campaign contributions, it seemed like she just ran out of gas. In fact, it seemed like she did more ducking and dodging questions and avoiding DeStefano's criticisms and that didn't make her look to good.
I thought a key moment for DeStefano was when asked to give one mistake he made as mayor and stated the Long Wharf Mall project. For a politician to own up and say something like that (which was the truth) took guts and you could sense that he sincere in his statement. On the other hand, I almost fell out of my chair when Gov Rell pulled a President Bush moment and stated that she couldn't think of ONE mistake she made in her two and a half years as governor. The boos from the crowd were so loud that I was waiting for the tomatoes to come flying at her.
And her closing statement...oh my, cue up the violins!
As Lisa Moody handed out the tissues, Rell stated her tear jerking sob story by stating that she never thought she would be governor (ah, didn't you create a exploratory committee a few years back...I think it was for 2002), throws in the good ol' "I saved the sub base" line (oh, I'm sorry, I thought Joe Lieberman saved the base), kicks up the emotional level with the cancer survivor line (you could really moans from the audience), and finished it all off talking about...well, herself.
In short, more about me, less about what she can do as governor.
Here, watch the video highlight for yourself and decide.
In all, I think both were off to a slow start but clearly during the second half, DeStefano clearly pulls out ahead and takes the win.
MLN is powered by