Indiana Candidate's Stage Fright Ends Debate
Parra: 'I Just Can't Do This'
POSTED: 8:14 am EDT October 22, 2004
UPDATED: 1:12 pm EDT October 22, 2004
FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- A northeastern Indiana congressional candidate said she abruptly ended a debate because she got stage fright.
Democrat Maria Parra walked off a television stage Thursday, ending what would have been her only debate with incumbent Republican Mark Souder in the 3rd District congressional race.
"I'm not used to being in front of the camera. ... I couldn't get my words out. I was just overwhelmed," she said after the aborted debate, which was being filmed at WPTA and would have been aired this weekend. The matchup has not been rescheduled and is not likely to be, The Journal Gazette reported Friday. Parra said she "absolutely" thought backing out of the debate would hurt her politically, but hoped people would understand. Parra is a first-time candidate. Souder has represented northeast Indiana for nine years and is running for a sixth two-year term.
Slideshow: Images From Debate
In the first attempt to record the debate, Parra did not make it through her opening statement before leaving the set. Officials asked observers to leave the room, and the taping began again. Both made it through their opening statements, but when Parra was given a minute to respond to a question, she left her seat, saying, "I can't do this. I just can't do this. I'm sorry." Souder said it is common for inexperienced candidates to be nervous in front of cameras and during a debate. He said that's why candidates usually only spar over issues during debates rather than making personal comments. He said ending the debate prematurely is not "a commentary on her knowledge of issues, in particular. I believe she was just very nervous."Parra spoke explained her actions to Fort Wayne station WPTA-TV after the aborted debate."You just wouldn't believe the stress level that I've been under and I just cracked," Parra said. "You know, I just couldn't get my thoughts, you almost have to go through stage fright to understand it."
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Clips From Aborted Debate|
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Slideshow: Images From Debate In the first attempt to record the debate, Parra did not make it through her opening statement before leaving the set. Officials asked observers to leave the room, and the taping began again. Both made it through their opening statements, but when Parra was given a minute to respond to a question, she left her seat, saying, "I can't do this. I just can't do this. I'm sorry." Souder said it is common for inexperienced candidates to be nervous in front of cameras and during a debate. He said that's why candidates usually only spar over issues during debates rather than making personal comments. He said ending the debate prematurely is not "a commentary on her knowledge of issues, in particular. I believe she was just very nervous."Parra spoke explained her actions to Fort Wayne station WPTA-TV after the aborted debate."You just wouldn't believe the stress level that I've been under and I just cracked," Parra said. "You know, I just couldn't get my thoughts, you almost have to go through stage fright to understand it."
Copyright 2008 by TheIndyChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
