Presidential Debate More Than a Passing Interest To This Man

For Roseville resident Mark Fotsch, watching the first Presidential debate Wednesday night was more than just a passing fancy of a political junkie. 

Fotsch, who is the viewed the debate as a learning experience to prepare for his own upcoming debate.

On Nov. 1, Roseville Patch will sponsor and host a debate between Fotsch and his DFL opponent Alice Hausman. Currently, Patch is working on details for the debate, include a time and location. 

Hausman is an incumbent state legislator but is running in a slightly reconfigured area. That's due to last spring's legislative redistricting by the Minnesota State Supreme Court.

Fotsch recently announced he would not participate in any debate hosted by the League of Women Voters. He contends the organization is no longer non-partisan because it is opposing the proposed Marriage and Voter ID amendmemts. To find out the full details on Fotsch's position, click on to this recent story in Roseville Patch.

Meanwhile, of his own campaign and watching President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney square off, Fotsch said, "We are always strategizing on how are we going to send out our message. We have to explain our story and let the facts fall where they are."

And Fotsch's critique of the first Presidential debate? "I think Romney won  because he sounded more strong and believable," Fotsch contended. "Obama seemed off. He tried to tie emotion to the debate but Romney stayed on specific data.

"As they say, Republicans talk about percentages and numbers, and Democrats talk about emotions," Fotsch added. "It was hard for Obama to deflect issues and talk more about his grandmother. It just didn't fit in."

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