Watch CBS News

Keller @ Large: Why You Should Watch The Markey-Gomez Debate

BOSTON (CBS) - Why should you watch the U.S. Senate debate tonight at 7 on WBZ-TV and CBS Boston.com or listen to it on WBZ NewsRadio 1030?

Because it'll be your first chance to really assess who Ed Markey and Gabriel Gomez are and what they believe.

Perhaps there are voters who feel they get useful information from TV ads, campaign websites, and those canned campaign events where the candidates interrupt someone's breakfast or stare knowingly at a factory machine. But I'm not one of them.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

Keller at Large June 5 2013

Only in a debate is there a chance that the candidates will be knocked off their script and forced to respond, to an unexpected question or the prodding of their opponent, in a genuine and spontaneous way.

Send: Your Debate Question To Jon Keller

Only in debates do we get a sense of how they handle pressure and think on their feet, a much better indicator, I'd say, of their leadership potential than their ability to deliver a speech someone else wrote for them.

There is something about a solid hour of live TV time being forced to explain and defend your views and background that brings out the best – or the worst – in a person.

And tonight at 7 you'll get to see Gomez and Markey address at least some of the issues you have told us and the pollsters you care about most. (After the debate, go to cbsboston.com and tell us how well or poorly you felt the candidates answered the questions.)

And even if none of these reasons for watching or listening to the debate resonate with you, do it because it's your civic duty.

Some pundits are saying no one cares about this race, and the winner will do so by default.

Why not prove them wrong.

See you tonight at 7.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.