The 2006 IBT International Officer Candidate Forum

The 2006 IBT International Officer Candidate Forum was held on August 25, 2006 in Washington, D.C. before a live audience of IBT members. The participants in the Candidate Forum were IBT General President Candidate Tom Leedham and IBT General Secretary-Treasurer Candidate C. Thomas Keegel, the designated representative of IBT General President Candidate James P. Hoffa. A panel of three journalists posed their own questions to the candidates and also posed two questions to each candidate that were submitted by IBT members. The panel members were Harold Meyerson, Editor-at-Large of The American Prospect; Michelle Amber of Daily Labor Report; and Tom Edsall, National Political Reporter of The New Republic and National Journal.

The order of opening statements, questions, closing statement, and candidate podium position were determined by a coin toss before the start of the Candidate Forum. The candidates each made an opening statement of 90 seconds. Panelists then posed questions alternating between each candidate. The candidate questioned was allotted 90 seconds to answer each question and the other candidate was allotted 45 seconds to respond. At the end of the Candidate Forum each candidate was allowed a closing statement of 2 minutes. Read the Supplemental Rules for Conducting the International Officer Candidate Forum, posted under “Notices and Advisories,” for the complete rules that governed the proceedings.

The entire one-hour Candidate Forum may be viewed in one long video file. The presentation has also been posted in short segments, each segment consisting of a question and the candidates’ responses. Separate question segments may be viewed by clicking on the individual links. The moderator’s opening, and the separate opening and closing statements of each candidate are also separately posted.