Savannah’s Mayor Van Johnson
met with local media as he does nearly every week on Tuesday, June 25 at City Hall on Bay Street. After addressing several local issues of interest—including what he described as a “loaded agenda” for Thursday’s 2 p.m. City Council meeting—the mayor gave some insights into what he’ll be watching out for during Thursday night’s
highly anticipated CNN debate between presidential hopefuls Joe Biden (Democrat) and former President Donald Trump (Republican).
Johnson, a democrat in his second term as mayor after serving on City Council for many years, said he is still unsure if he will be able to make it up to Atlanta in time for the 9 p.m. debate at the CNN studios. He and Savannah City Council have a long day this Thursday, and
the fate of Savannah's Civic Center is at the center of what is expected to be an eventful meeting at City Hall.
But
the mayor did offer up what he might ask the candidates if he had the opportunity to moderate. Johnson’s remarks on the topic can be seen in the YouTube video
above; his quotes can be read in full
below.
"Tell us something that your opponent has done that you have agreed with. Something, a policy that you felt was beneficial for the country. The interesting thing about this is that ... I don't think anybody wants it to be a ‘nasty fest.’ It should be comparing and contrasting different ideas and different directions. I don't think this has to be either/or. I think there should be shades of gray, and it should be that, hopefully, you have two candidates that agree on something, and that this doesn't come into this back and forth."
"You know, I've been in a bunch of elections myself and I have never won by talking about what my opponent's issues are. I mean, if that's the way you have to win—
be it President Biden's age or whether it's President Trump's criminal convictions—
no, talk about what you're going to do. Forecast your vision for the country. I think that's what most people want to hear. You have on the bell curve, people on both ends that want to see the drag-out [debate], nasty sound bites and stuff ..."
"But I think, you know, for me, I want to see good governance. I'm interested in the vision for both candidates that’s going to benefit Savannah. Because, at the end of the day, that's my dog in this race. ..."
"I have been invited to the watch party in Atlanta on Thursday, but I'm not sure I'll be able to make it because of the [City] Council meeting, but we'll see. We'll see how it goes."