For those who did not make it to the Newburyport mayoral debate last night at Newburyport High School, you can watch it on Channel 9 at PortMedia. And I would imagine that PortMedia would eventually have it on video like the interviews with the candidates (see earlier entry).

The schedule is as follows:

10/22/2009 at 5:00 PM

10/23/2009 at 12:00 PM

10/24/2009 at 4:00 PM

10/27/2009 at 8:00 AM

10/30/2009 at 4:00 PM

An article in the Newburyport Daily News about the debate can also be read here.

My phone has rung (I did not make the debate) and I have read the article. It was my feeling that Donna Holaday really needed to “knock it out of the park” to win, and certainly to make absolutely no mistakes, and to demonstrate her relaxed, charming and funny side. Apparently that did not happen.

In challenging James Shanley about the candidate’s “proven leadership,” apparently there was a less than tactful rebuttal by Donna Holaday, which by all accounts ” ..drew audible gasps and grumbling from the audience, and Holaday apologized to Shanley immediately after the debate ended, saying her words didn’t come out as she intended.” (Newburyport Daily News article.)

I’m not a betting woman, but in my experience there is sometimes one thing in a mayoral race that decides the outcome of the election. And my response was, “Good grief, that’s it. The election is as good as delivered. This will put James Shanley way over the top.”

I will watch the debate on PortMedia.

Editor’s Note: I have heard other voices over the day, saying that the debate was pretty much a tie, and the “incident” at the very end was “nothing,” and was actually an appropriate comment. Good for PortMedia in video taping the event.

Editor’s Note 2: I’ve heard from even more voices, which have said that Donna Holaday was superb.