During Monday’s KPCC, 89.3, 2nd District Supervisorial debate (available in its entirety at iTunes) between Bernard Parks and Senator Ridley-Thomas, host Patt Morrison rightfully pointed out that a swing seat on the five member Board of Supervisors was at stake in this election. With two liberals and two conservatives currently serving on the Board, the conservative Bernard Parks would tip the balance to the right while the election of the progressive Ridley-Thomas would tip the scales to the left. Here is the audio exchange:

Boomp3.com

Unsurprisingly, the conservative Parks, who is running in the overwhelmingly Democratic 2nd District, gave his best rambling Sarah Palin impersonation instead of responding directly to Morrison’s point about the swing seat:

“Well, first of all, I think that’s too simplistic to view the board. I think, the way I find myself, and I spend all my life not stereotyping myself and I don’t allow others to do it. I think you will find that I will look at issues, issue by issue, just as I’ve shown a practice in the City Council to give the public the best response…”

On the other hand, Senator Ridley-Thomas readily admitted that he would represent a progressive agenda:

“I am a responsible progressive and I am unapologetic about it. I believe in fairness, I believe in equity. I’ve worked all of my life as an agent for change in a positive sense. And I’ve focused, in a laser-like way, on delivering results.”

Essentially Bernard Parks, a former longtime member of the ultra-conservative American Independent Party, is a Democrat in name only.