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Talk already

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Illinois

They could solve these problems if they just talked to each other, but I don’t think they’re much interested in talking.

The candidates for Illinois governor both say they want to debate a dozen times. Now they just have to agree on when and where.

Democrat Rod Blagojevich said Thursday he has accepted invitations to 12 debates because Republican Judy Baar Topinka had said she wanted to face him a dozen times. He called on her to accept the same debate invitations.

Topinka’s staff says she also wants a dozen debates, but not necessarily the same ones Blagojevich agreed to attend. Spokesman John McGovern said the two campaigns need to settle on the same 12 events but Blagojevich’s campaign manager isn’t returning their calls.

Blagojevich and Topinka have argued about the issue since the primary election. Each has challenged the other to different numbers of debates at different times on different subjects.

Until the campaigns sit down and talk, none of this means anything.

UPDATE: Looks like they did talk some.

So far, the two campaigns said they have agreed to three debates sponsored by WTTW-TV in Chicago, the Southern Illinoisan/WSIU-TV and the Rockford Register-Star/WREX-TV. The camps also agreed to a radio forum sponsored by the Illinois Radio Network and a debate hosted by the Associated Press.

Both campaigns said they wanted 12.

“She’s not ready to debate,” Blagojevich campaign spokeswoman Sheila Nix said about Topinka. But Topinka spokeswoman John McGovern questioned why Blagojevich’s campaign announced its decisions before the two camps figure out the details.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 11:01 am

Comments

Debates are so controlled and planned out. We need free questioning type debates in front of real people not a bunch of political hacks.
Make them stand out on a courthouse square and really talk the issuses rathner than sound bites for the evening news.

Comment by whattttttttttttttttttttttttttt Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 11:11 am
I heard this childish whine on WGN radio this morning regarding they agreed to five, no we’ve agreed to 3 — we do not care. Just tell us when to toon in and quit being childish. Then no one deserves the Governors seat!!!! Because by the time the election rolls around we won’t want either side in and no one will go to the polls.

Comment by forPete'sSake Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 11:17 am
Via AP: “The debate invitations accepted by Blagojevich were from the following organizations: WTTW TV in Chicago, Illinois Radio Network, The Associated Press, The Southern Illinoisan and WSIU TV in Carbondale, WBBM TV in Chicago, Chicago’s WLS TV and the League of Women Voters, the Cliff Kelley Radio Show in Chicago, the Rockford Register Star and WREX TV, Univision, Clear Channel Radio in Chicago, City Club of Chicago, and Chicago Public Radio and The Daily Herald.”

“Topinka has accepted invitations from WTTW, Illinois Radio Network, The Associated Press, the Southern Illinoisan and the Rockford Register Star.”

This information from the AP shows that Topinka is trying to evade debating, at least in my biased, and partisan mind. “What’s she Thinking.” It is either yes or no. Let’s get this fish fry started. The Governor has already agreed to debate. Topinka’s campaign says one thing, and does the other. When the Governor wanted to debate her a month or so ago on health care, she said no-she wanted to debate on ethics. The Governor agreed to debate ethics with her, but the public never heard another word from Topinka. The last debate between the Governor and Ms. Topinka was very good; I liked it, I liked it a lot. I do not think Topinka will debate but one or two more times. Why? Because she does not have a “comprehensive plan with a vision for where she wants to take/lead this state.” However, albeit, she does have a “complaint but no plan.” The Topinka folk stand in their “glass house” and throw rocks at everybody else; nonetheless, what else can be expected, she is connected to Bush and the right-wingers, ie. stem cells, Tax cuts for the rich (she did say the Pres. is doing a good job).

Comment by SilverBackDemocrat Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 11:22 am
silverback the gov wanted 10 she wants 12 you can’t spin this one she’s ready

Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 11:39 am
Yikes the only thing worse than the debates is the whining about when and where the debates will be.

No one pay attention to these events.

Can’t Judy Bore just say “yes for once and then show up, rant about Public Official and then lose by 10+ points.

Comment by Reddbyrd Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 11:58 am
SBD and Redd, you don’t understand: JBT wants one debate for each active federal investigation of your hero Blago. Hence, 10 is the number, or maybe there are two more we don’t know about!

Comment by Ol Dad Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 12:17 pm
These organizations had better invite Rich Whitney, the Green Party’s candidate for Illinois Governor. If any are tax-exempt, like WTTW, they could be jeapordizing their tax-exempt status by failing to invite a ballot-qualified candidate like Whitney!

Comment by Squideshi Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 12:21 pm
Whatever number there are, and 12 may well be too many, let’s hope she prepares better than she did for the last one. Her education plan was nonexistent and she flubbed a question about jobs creation, couldn’t back her numbers.

Her message should be fiscal responsibility combined with services. Blago’s people have a point when they say the state can’t stop developing programs for a few years while the budget is fixed….they have to do both, in the interests of the citizenry.

Nobody believes the state has no money, so she needs to talk about how she will spend the money better than Blago, how she will get more from government dollars, and so on.

Again it’s practice, practice. practice.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 1:45 pm
The people who foolow this for a living gave the win to JBT so maybe rod needs to pratice.

Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 1:48 pm
Cut the spin on all sides. Waiting for paper, rock, scissors as a decision device. I’d like to see four things for debates:
1. Give Rod 6 dates to pick when, where, and topics. Give JBT 6 dates to pick when, where, and topics. Make them clean easy to meet dates and times. No excuses for no shows (death/family illness may work) or lateness.
2. Get Whitney to as many as posible.
3. Have a no nonsense moderator who will get off the scripts as fast as possible and no “softball” questions.
4. Take unplanned questions from the audience.

Comment by zatoichi Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 2:31 pm
Does Topinka really have a spokeswoman named John or is that a typo???

Comment by Lovie's Leather Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 2:33 pm
Sheila Nix may be the most annoying person in Illinois. Her over-the-top comments and constant barrage of ridiculous accusations are annoying. Granted, she is just saying what she is told to, but come on.

Comment by anonymous Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 3:41 pm
Sorry, I was cut off from above at 3:41pm.

At times, it looks like the Blago administration is just trying to throw her into a pack of wolves.

Comment by anonymous Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 3:43 pm
Good Lord!
Who on earth wants to see 12 debates from these two. I mean really. Three debates are more than enough to get good and nauseated. Besides, everyone knows the real gubernatorial debates take place in court rooms.

Comment by Garp Friday, Jul 21, 06 @ 5:17 pm
I hope Whitney is invited to every single debate so voters can hear solutions for Illinois instead of Rod and Judy bickering. After collecting nearly four times as many signatures as major party candidates, I think Whitney deserves a spot in the debates. And the polls. And the executive mansion.

Comment by More Voices Needed Saturday, Jul 22, 06 @ 12:50 am