Indianna House Race: Dem Candidate walks off stage during Debate...

[insein]

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/local/9987020.htm

After 2 tries, Parra flees debate over stage fright

By Sylvia A. Smith

Washington editor


A case of stage fright sent Democrat Maria Parra off a TV stage Thursday, abruptly ending what would have been her only debate with Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd.

“I’m not used to being in front of the camera. … I couldn’t get my words out. I was just overwhelmed,” she said after the aborted debate, which was being taped at WPTA and which would have been aired this weekend. The matchup has not been rescheduled and is not likely to be.

Asked whether she thought backing out of the debate would hurt her politically, Parra said, “Oh, absolutely.” But she said she hoped people would understand.

Parra is a first-time candidate. Souder has represented northeast Indiana for the past decade and is running for a sixth two-year term.

In the first attempt to tape the debate, Parra did not make it through her opening statement before leaving the set. Observers were asked to leave the room, and the taping began again. Souder and Parra made their opening statements, and Souder responded to a question about health care from the moderator. When Parra was given a minute to respond, instead she left her seat, saying, “I can’t do this. I just can’t do this. I’m sorry.”

Souder said it’s common for inexperienced candidates to be nervous in front of cameras and during a debate.

He said that’s why candidates usually only spar over issues during debates rather than making personal comments.

But Parra, before taking off her microphone and leaving the TV set, called Souder “an embarrassment” and said his performance in Congress was “do little, do nothing, do damage.”

In an interview later, Parra said Souder was an embarrassment to northeast Indiana because of his sponsorship of legislation to end the gun ban in the District of Columbia, legislation to preserve lighthouses and a bill to take Franklin Delano Roosevelt off the dime. She said these issues were a diversion when so many people don’t have health care.

In a separate interview, Souder said ending the debate prematurely isn’t “a commentary on her knowledge of issues, in particular. I believe she was just very nervous.”

He said Parra’s personal background and knowledge of issues are important, “but you do need to be able to communicate.”

 

[Flying Duck]

I thought it was a bit cruel of them to release the clip of her leaving to other media outlets. Fox ran it a bunch and, even though she's a Dem, I must admit that I did feel sorry for her.

Of course, if someone is bad at public speaking and gets unnerved easily , they probably shouldn't be in Congress.

 

[UsaPride]

even though she's a Dem, I must admit that I did feel sorry for her.

Of course, if someone is bad at public speaking and gets unnerved easily , they probably shouldn't be in Congress.

Everything I wanted to say! I was just too slow, LOL!

 

[musicman]

Yeah - stage fright is a bitch. I've seen some terrible cases of it. What you folks are saying is true, though. She appears to have made a poor career choice.

 

[no1tovote4]

Asked whether she thought backing out of the debate would hurt her politically, Parra said, “Oh, absolutely.” But she said she hoped people would understand.

Um.... Yeah. What a surprise, it may hurt her chance to win if she cannot complete a debate! :shocked:

Who'da thunk it?!

If I were her I wouldn't have asked for a debate until I had participated in live debate once or twice. This will kill her in the polls even more than Ross Perot dropping out then coming back. I bet her handlers are pissed.