Commentary: What was that all about?

Patrick Manning's charade on television Sunday night might have done more harm to his campaign than good.

From the very beginning it was clear that the "interview" was not going to be aggressive and probing. And it sent a message that Manning was clutching at straws in a bold attempt to shift public opinion to his side since his interview was the only offering on the electronic media for a full hour; the opposition had been hushed.

And while it would be unfair and unethical to suggest that my colleagues in the media aided and abetted the Prime Minister in his propaganda pappyshow, I must admit that they either didn't do their homework or were intimidated by Manning's presence.

Manning was fully in charge yet with an hour of free advertising he still didn't take the initiative to present a clear case to convince the electorate that he is worthy of another mandate.

Crime, for example, didn't come up until near the end and Manning skirted around the issue by suggesting that everything is drug related with the same time-worn story of Trinidad and Tobago being on the drug transhipment route to Europe and North America and therefore it was not easy to deal with the problem.

I guess my media colleagues left it alone because Manning promised that a "state of the nation" address on Monday would deal with the issue.

But what of other matters? Why didn't they press him on the clear evidence presented by the opposition on his personal involvement in that Guanapo Church? Why didn't they take him to task for suggesting that it was OK for UDeCOTT to "cut some corners"?

It cannot be acceptable to cut corners when we are talking about sweetheart deals for family members and cost overruns exceeding $3 billion. But they didn't go there. Why?

And what about his failed promises, his manifesto and how he intends to deliver on unfulfilled pledges that have been recycled from previous campaigns and budget speeches? Why no questions about the state of the economy, the scandal at Petrotrin, the lack of infrastructure, problems in the health sector?

If this were a real interview, I am certain that any journalist covering national affairs even for a few months would have gone into at least some of issues.

In 2000, as executive producer at the state media - NBN - I produced a series of current affairs shows called the POLITICAL AGENDA in which we invited politcians to face questions from a panel of journalists.

The format was simple. I invited all media houses to send a representative. I did not know what questions they would ask and neither did the guest, who was given an opportunity at the start of the show to state his/her case and then asnwer questions from the team of journalists.

It was the best opportunity for those seeking office to make their case. Prime Minister Basdeo Panday refused to appear on our show but Manning did. And he fared much better than he did Sunday night.

But such a show might unearth something that Manning would like to conceal, which is the same reason why he refused to debate his opponent.

If Manning's handlers staged this show for the prime minister to gain points, the project failed. Voters are smarter than that and can see through the propaganda.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar's attempt at immediate rebuttal was not her most impressive performance, but at least she showed that she was willing to be questioned and to provide immediate reaction.

The interviewer - Shelly Dass - seemed much better prepared that the three who interviewed Manning and made the opposition leader uncomfortable at times.

And it is the closest we will come to a "debate" between the two in this campaign because as Manning put it, to debate Persad-Bissessar would be wrong since she doesn't have the status as a prime minister.

Hanoomansingh and the others disappointed me not because they appeared on the what was obviously a public relations stunt, but because they did not push Manning on any issue.

At least the title fit the show. Manning showed that he was indeed unplugged - unplugged from reality. I can't wait for the sequel.

Jai Parasram - 17 May 2010