Absences standout at Mo. candidate forum on disabilities

It’s inevitable that candidates miss forums. There’s only one candidate, and they can’t be everywhere at once.

So it’s understandable when candidates don’t show up in-person at say a forum on disability issues in Missouri. However, this doesn’t excuse the campaigns from not sending a representative to speak on behalf of the candidate.

There are numerous state Reps and state Senators who position themselves to bask in publicity by appearing at statewide candidate policy unveilings in their district. These events are usually a roomful of reporters and political operatives standing around while the candidate and the local rep/senator give their canned responses. Most of the time these news conferences are more style than substance. The policy info is usually released on their Web sites immediately after the conference.

Reps and state senators also make sure to gladhand at other less substantive campaign functions — fundraisers, stump speeches and the like.

So, I think it’s fair to say that candidates had plenty of options when it came to finding a sub to speak at the disabilities forum. By not appearing, it gives the impression that the candidates don’t include disability issues as major priorities in their policies.

Given that an estimated 1 million Missourians have disabilities, I don’t think that the priorities of Missouri residents are reflected in those of some candidates.

Here’s a post from The Stone Quarry.

And the Missourian story published on Sunday.