CLICKBACK ON FOLK FEST

This week, ClickBack focuses on the American Folk Festival, presidential politics and tidal power. To participate by posting your comments on the issues, go to the BDN’s newly redesigned Web site, bangordailynews.com, and use the Opinion pull down menu to find ClickBack. Readers also can post their own ClickBack questions at that section of the site.

Is the American Folk Festival continuing to grow?

Early estimates put the attendance at this year’s premier Eastern Maine music event as “healthy,” which could mean that as many as 150,000 people came to the Bangor Waterfront. Was the music as good as in past years, with enough variety? Which performer was your favorite? What about the food? The atmosphere? Is the festival becoming a not-to-be-missed summer tradition, or is it settling into predictability? What would you change, if anything?

Was Sen. Joe Biden the right choice for Sen. Barack Obama?

Sen. Biden certainly doesn’t electrify the Democratic faithful, but will his experience prove to allay fears among undecided voters about Sen. Obama’s lack of a track record in elected office? Or does the Biden selection dilute Sen. Obama’s image as the candidate of change? Will the notoriously blunt Sen. Biden be effective in criticizing Sen. McCain? Or will he pull his punches, since the two are longtime colleagues? Do the Democrats open themselves up to charges that Sen. Obama is conceding he is not ready to be president by picking someone of Sen. Biden’s experience?

Should Maine be going great guns for tidal power?

Maine has good wind power potential, but its tidal power potential may be greater still. And nowhere on the U.S. East Coast are there tide ranges seen in Maine. Should state government and the University of Maine be investing heavily in new technology to tap this power? Will environmentalists find problems with tidal power and block its development? Will tidal power be too costly to develop?

As always, the BDN encourages the lively and assertive views of its editorial page readers at ClickBack. Some of the comments may be featured on Friday’s OpEd page.