Debate: Attorney General (Campbell v. Liss-Riordan v. Palfrey)

Three-way debate! Hosted by WBUR CitySpace. Debate triangles always end up leaving out one odd duck. This time it seemed to be Quentin Palfrey for most of the conversation. QP got in a few good lines, but the meat of the discussion seemed to ping pong between Andrea Campbell (AC) and Shannon Liss-Riordan (SLR).

HDN includes some debate notes below to help you find certain topics and questions.

The usual disclaimer: Hump Day News provides a loose outline, with timecodes, of the back-and-forth. The questions (Qs) noted in the transcript are highlights, not an exhaustive record. The candidate’s responses are paraphrases, not quotes, with a little editorial spin.

Bonus:

Topics to highlight: state police overtime abuses; qualified immunity; how/why the T sucks right now.

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• Opening

  • SLR

  • QP

  • AC

• Q1, 5:55, do you value this job or is it simply a stepping stone?

• Q2, 8:00, how to balance national & local issue focus in non-partisan way?

• Q3: 12:00, would you boost focus on public corruption & if so, how?

  • SLR: hellz yeah! And hits back at AC for donor list;

• Q4: 17:00, on MA state police, what should AG do about overtime abuses and more?

  • QP: eliminate qualified immunity

• Q5: 20:30, yahoo question from grad student regarding opioid crisis and legal measures AG should take;

• 23:00, dumb question interlude #1

  • QP: watches Simpsons

  • SLR: headed to Berkshires for ideal vacay

  • AC: getting out of MA for ideal vacay to remote island

• Q6: 25:00, on white supremacist Patriot Front hate actions versus drag queens: what should the AG do?

  • Entering blurry Q & A zone (a continuation Q on privacy rights and more)

  • (as of 31:21, still on this Patriot Front topic – treading water; the aimless repetitiveness of the Qing opens the door for candidates to redirect to their debate agendas)

  • ~33:30, SLR dings AC on lack of law experience, dubious nature of law experience (longest law job: 2 years at union busting firm)

  • AC: haven’t made millions in law, but put in the work;

  • QP: I’m a practicing lawyer too!

• Q7: 36:00, on how the T is sucking big time, what should the AG do?

  • SLR: I believe in free public transport “more generally”

  • QP: we need fair/free transit

  • AC: supports fair share amendment

• Q8: 37:30, how did T get so bad & who dropped the ball?

  • SLR: outsourcing sucks;

  • QP: Gov. Baker!

  • AC: declines to assign blame, word salad;

• Q9: 43:00, panel follows up to press QP to go on record to investigate Baker culpability

  • QP: sure, whatevs

• Q10: 44:15, what should AG do about CPCs (crisis pregnancy centers)?

  • (gives candidates sidelong option to state position on reproductive freedom)

• 47:00, dumb question interlude #2

  • Everyone likes coffee

• Q11: 48:00, on climate law 

  • QP: Sierra Club supports me

  • SLR: hellz yeah busting polluters! 

• Q12: 51:15, are electric vehicle goals going to happen or what?

  • QP: oof, nope, not at present

• Q13: 54:30, what are you excited & pumped to do as AG?

• Closing, 56:10

  • AC: hard luck closer, I’m a fighter who will fight for you; endorsed by MH

  • QP: I have Federal experience to be ready on “Day One”

  • SLR: I’m a winner in the court, I’ll be a winner representing MA

• Adios, 59:00