You can’t say they weren’t listening. You can’t say they’re not paying attention to what is being written about them or what is being said about them.

You can’t say either one of them turns a deaf ear to criticism.

In a matter of two days, the two candidates running for Alabama governor when from Black Belt no-shows to Black Belt all-stars.

In consecutive days, Democrat Ron Sparks and Republican Dr. Robert Bentley turned downtown Selma into their campaign playground.

On Thursday, Sparks pulled into town — nearly an hour late — to give an address on the steps of Selma City Hall, while his counterpart, Bentley arrived 20 minutes early for his Friday event set on the steps of the Dallas County Courthouse.

Both men stressed the importance of jobs in the state, but with dramatically different plans.

Sparks wants gambling legalized and then wants to tax and regulate the mess out of it to help generate needed tax dollars for the state.

Bentley, on the other hand, is firmly opposed to the expansion of gambling and instead wants to invest in the state’s two-year college system, developing vocational programs to help land those unemployed into jobs.

Just last Sunday, we criticized both men for avoiding Selma and a good portion of the Black Belt during their campaigns.

But today, we thank them for giving us — the residents and registered voters — a chance to see for ourselves and hear for ourselves the dramatic differences that exist in these two candidates.