Annapolis Capital Punishment

(Thanks to the anon. writer who corrected my original headline from "blindsighted" to "blindsided".)
CP recently wrote to the mayoral candidates:

I viewed the recent interviews with mayoral candidates on the City's station. I understand that each candidate was invited to these interviews by the mayor. In her invitation, she wrote"

"You will be asked to: Identify your top three mayoral priorities. State why they are your priorities. State how you would achieve those goals."

After viewing the interviews, it is clear that while that was the first question, there were many additional questions, most if not all of which might appear to be either leading, require an unusual degree of preparation or perhaps designed to catch interviewees off-guard.

You were asked about bond ratings, union contracts, budget preparations and state government relations.

Please tell me if you were under the impression that there would be one question. Did you feel that the subsequent questions were fair or unfair? Why? Any other concerns or comments? Thank you

Paul Foer

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From Gilbert Renaut:

I expected more than one question. On fairness, it's a close call, but since I was expecting loaded questions, my judgment might be colored by the fact that it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be.
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From Wayne Taylor:

I had no problem with the questions . Those subject matters asked and more are all part of the process of being a "Mayor". You are never totally prepared for any press conference and so I deal with the question!
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From Chris Fox:

I honestly assumed that there would be more questions because of the 15 minute slot we had scheduled. I do think the questions were fair because they all pertained to the Mayor’s duties at least somewhat. But I wish we had more heads up on the questions to help us prepare. As you saw, one issue I was stumped on was the bond ratings. I do know a bit about it but wasn’t prepared for a distinct answer, so I just had to be honest instead of just making up some bs. I think the questions were surely geared to the strengths of a certain candidate, but I didn’t expect much else. Any city involvement in this election will tend to benefit the chosen one. But they were very nice to me and treated me with great respect at the studio.
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From Laurie Sears Deppa:
No - I did not know the questions

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From Trudy McFall:

It was a most unique experience, for sure. I was asked in writing and email to address for about 15 minutes the exact question you quoted. I arrived, was wired for sound and as I moved toward the table to be seated, Jane made a quick, almost aside reference that she hoped we could get through the "first question" rather quickly so "there would be time to get in the other questions she had." Literally as the cameras were ready to roll, I said "oh, there are other questions?" and the tape went live. Jane sat with her questions covered and lowered the paper one at a time so, as we started taping, I did not even know how many questions there would be. When we got to the new questions, they were just as you described, detailed and political hot topics. I felt I knew instantly the deal - we were being ambushed to try and catch us off guard. I also wondered to myself if all or only some of us didn't know the questions in advance. Fortunately, I have been immersed enough in Annapolis City government to feel very confident with the questions and was therefore not intimidated by them or the setting.
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From Josh Cohen:
The only information I had about the format or questions was in the letter we received. I didn't realize there would be other questions but they were all legitimate questions to ask a candidate for mayor.
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CP SAYS:
Cordle and Shropshire did not respond. In regard to Josh Cohen's comments, I am not so sure that the questions posed were necessarily legitimate questions to ask a candidate for mayor. How to maintain a bond rating? What do you mean by "One Annapolis"? (Where did this One Annapolis thing come from anyhow?) How would you act to craft an agenda for the General Assembly session? How would you handle the upcoming union negotiations? These questions seem a bit heavy-handed and unfair, and culd only be answered in general terms, but I have to ask, did the mayor set this up in order to control it? If you are going to ask the same questions to all candidates, why not give them some time to prepare an answer? They are not now the mayor and this is not a press conference. There will be time for that for whoever becomes mayor for reporters to ask them that, but for a public employee who works for the mayor? Perhaps I should ask for equal air time? Maybe they should have simply asked the candidates "How do you spell Albuquerque?"