What two psychologists found inside Patti Jennings' head

Mayoral candidate Patti Jennings endured the slings and arrows of an hour-long appearance on John Campbell's Sunday-morning Contact radio program on EZ Rock 100.5.

Jennings, who's a distant relative of the controversial radio host, got no preferential treatment from Campbell or his listeners, with discussions ranging from her current legal problems with a driveway contractor, to her decision to dye her black hair blonde, to Campbell's suspicions that she's really running only to split the vote in favour of incumbent John Rowswell.

During a special four-week series on the four mayoral candidates (with special rules that callers must provide their full names and the wards in which they reside) Campbell has been allowing candidates to take the first 10 minutes for an unfiltered message to voters.

Last week, Mayor Rowswell took 13 minutes. When chided by Campbell for going three minutes overtime, Rowswell responded "You're looking at the clock, John. It's at my back."

Jennings took less than her alloted 10 minutes, spending much of it divulging the contents of two psychological assessments done during her times of employment at the Co-operators Insurance and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

Psychologists explore the Jennings mind

Jennings quoted at length from a McQuaig System Profile conducted in 2000 that found her to be a "restless individual who needs to be doing things."

The McQuaig profile found her to be a "congenial," "friendly," "empathetic," "persistent," and "decisive" person who is "able to empower others."

A second assessment, done by Brainworks in 2001, determined Jennings to be excessively critical of herself and prone to anxiety at times, yet demonstrating an equal balance between right-brain and left-brain processing of information.

Whole-brained

Left-brain thinkers are thought to be logical, sequential, rational, objective and analytical.

Right-brain people are said to be random, intuitive, holistic, subjective synthesizers of information.

Individuals who show a balance between left- and right-brain are considered "whole-brained."

The Brainworks assessment showed Jennings to have a slight preference for visual processing of information, as opposed to auditory processing, suggesting it might be more productive to send her an E-mail with graphic attachments than to phone her about an issue.

Criticism of Rowswell

For the first time in her campaign, Jennings levelled a direct criticism at Rowswell, widely considered to be her friend.

"Rowswell didn't pull together a cohesive Council team," she told Campbell.

In contrast, Jennings said, "I don't work in isolation ... I've always been a team player."

Campbell expressed two major concerns about Jennings' candidacy.

First, he doesn't like the idea of someone without Council experience running for mayor.

Campbell brings up Paul Bernardo

"Only a demonstrated record of experience can help us determine between Pope Paul and Paul Bernardo," Campbell said. Jennings said that she didn't even consider running for Ward 5 councillor.

One of the principal requirements of the mayor's job, she said, is the ability to run a meeting.

She said she made many valuable provincial contacts in her work at OLGC and she thinks they would give her a distinct advantage as Mayor.

Is she really just part of Team Rowswell?

Campbell's second concern is his suspicion that Jennings is running only to split the vote in favour of her friend John Rowswell.

Asked by Campbell why he's seen no Jennings campaign signs around town, the candidate said she hired a local printer to make her signs but a part broke on his machinery, delaying the delivery date until Saturday.

The signs have now arrived and are sprouting up across town, she said.

At the same time, Jennings expressed hope that no one will vote based on the number or size of signs used by any candidate.

Sued by driveway contractor

One caller asked whether Jennings paid her bills, referring to a lawsuit launched against her by a driveway contractor who maintains he wasn't paid for his services. Jennings responded that she's always paid her bills, but the agreement with this contractor was that 50 percent was payable when the work was half completed and the remainder when the job was done.

She said she was dissatisfied with the the work and the contractor has taken her to court.

Jennings said the case will be heard on October 30 and she'll have to take time off from her campaign to attend the proceedings.

Why she's a blonde

Jennings, known from a previous marriage as Patti Bussineau, pointed out on her own that some voters have wondered whether she's the same dark-haired individual they knew at Sault Collegiate Institute.

She confirmed that her hair used to be black, but she decided to become a blonde during a trip to France.

At the close of the program, Campbell had to interrupt Jennings to remind her that the program's theme music was playing, suggesting it was time to stop talking.

Not Just a Pretty Face

Jennings then joked that she hadn't been allowed to choose the closing theme, but if she'd been given a choice, it would have been She's Not Just a Pretty Face by Shania Twain.

The following is an excerpt from the song lyrics:

Oh, la, la, la She flies an airplane-- she drive a subway train At night she pumps gasoline She's on the council--she's on the board She's a politician--she praises the Lord

To read the full lyrics, click here.

An early favourite?

Jennings, who earlier told SooToday.com that she wouldn't be campaigning on Sundays, told Campbell's listeners that she was dressed for church but invited them to meet her immediately after the program at Presto Restaurant for Sunday-morning coffee.

Two unscientific polls by SooToday.com suggest that Jennings is an early favourite in the mayoral race, with John Rowswell gaining ground in second place.

To read the full text of Jennings' campaign platform, please click here.

Next Sunday, Gary Bedryk will appear on Campbell's 8 a.m. program.

Peter Vaudry will be the guest the following Sunday.