Phone Interview by Dave Sagarin With Karen Waters - June 23, 2004

How did you hear about the American Candidate show coming to Charlottesville?

Through Sheri Iachetta and George Loper, because I work with them on VERM.

What was your initial reaction?

I thought it might be a fun opportunity to raise the idea of citizen involvement in the electoral process. I'm always looking for ways to register new voters.

Compared with the debates during the Democratic primaries, ….?

Not even close [laughs] it wasn't a debate, more of a candidate's forum, a panel discussion.

Well, what about their views on policy and issues?

[laughs] I think they all need to go to Sorensen. This is really light weight, just entertainment. But what I care about is, with the low voter turnouts that we're seeing, anything that raises awareness of the electoral process is a good thing..

So you think there will be some benefit from the American Candidate show?

You have to see it as entertainment. You know that that apprentice is not really going to run one of Donald Trump's companies. You've got to remember that it's really a game show. But I will say that American Candidate packages and markets civic engagement to an otherwise uninterested public, and that could be a good thing.

- Karen Waters, Charlottesville Quality Community Council Director