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Debate over debates

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Illinois

These two campaigns really do despise each other.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich wonâ€™t make the proposed Sept. 26 date for Southern Illinoisâ€™ first gubernatorial debate in 20 years, his campaign officials said Tuesday.

Instead, they want Oct. 3, a request thatâ€™s raised ire in Judy Baar Topinkaâ€™s camp. […]

In the meantime, the debate committee has given both campaigns until the end of the business day Friday to agree to a later date. If neither candidate can commit in writing by then, organizers might give up on the event altogether.

The Rockford Register Star and television station WREX-13 already rescinded a debate invitation last week, as the candidates were unable to agree to a final date there.

They haven’t agreed to any debates yet.

But with less than two months before the Nov. 7 election, debate organizers and the campaigns say they have yet to nail down any face-to-face forums with the candidates for governor. One proposed debate in Rockford already has been canceled.

“I would not be surprised if they don’t debate,” said Charles Wheeler, a professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Wheeler pointed to a time-honored tradition of front-running candidates, like Blagojevich, who adopt the so-called Rose Garden strategy of staying away from situations that could create potential gaffes, while letting TV ads do the talking.

But the organizer of the proposed Rockford debate also expressed dismay at Topinka’s campaign for not pushing harder to negotiate an appearance that could help promote her underfunded campaign. “It appeared neither side was talking to the other,” said Wally Haas, the editorial page editor of the Rockford Register Star, which played host to a 2002 debate between Blagojevich and his Republican rival Jim Ryan. “It’s been frustrating.”

Emphasis added for obvious reasons.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 9:11 am

Comments

This would be disservice to IL voters to not have a freakin goobernatorial debate. What Judy needs to do is debate Whitney, even if Rod won’t join in.

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 9:14 am
As I said last week, Blagojevich would not debate both Topinka and Whitney as he promised to do. This guy doesn’t keep any promises, and simply despises voters so much he mocks us publically. He is so convinced of his reelection he already appointed himself, so why debate?

He believes he is infallible. His minions are chanting his praises even as the feds continue their investigations, and new scandals surface weekly. As you can see on this web site, there are bloggers so close minded they would vote for Blagojevich even if indicted before the election.

The cynicism is “breathtaking” as Blagojevich would say if cornered.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 10:20 am
Nastier campaign than normal? Yep, and I have a barometer.

Both my Topinka and Peraica yard signs have been stolen by Democrats, and its only mid-September.

That usually doesn’t happen until mid-October.

Comment by Bubs Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 11:08 am
So the governor refuses to debate, refuses to tell us what his budget plans are for the next fiscal year while all the time deriding his opponent for not originally going public with her’s, and is planning on the expansion of a program that is against federal law even when he know’s it is against that law. This person is up in the polls for what reason?

Comment by Sound Reasoning Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 1:32 pm
Is anyone surprised that Elvis is now not going to debate? He won’t even talk with the press. I knew he would never go through with debates. He is great at press releases though. Perhaps he could just issue press releases up until election day.

Comment by Little Egypt Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 1:39 pm
These people couldn’t agree on how to count their own toes and would claim the other was doing it wrong. If a candidate won’t come to a debate they agreed to, just put a cardboard cutout likeness in their place, and ask the cutout questions. This is just ego stupid.

Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 1:41 pm
Why would Public Offical agree to debate anybody? He would have to answer questions about all of the newspaper stories of late. He doesn’t have an answer.

Comment by huh? Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 4:56 pm
Will Governor Blagojevich be allowed to debate if he’s indicted? Or will Pat Quinn take his place?
I like the Judy, Rich & cardboard cutout scenario…… Blagojevich is also a coward!

Comment by Guy Fawkes Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 5:04 pm
Whenever he opens his mouth publicly he just sinks deeper, therefore I can’t see Blago’s people allowing a debate at this point. JBT has a lot of damning material now to use in her commercials with all that has come out over the last several days. I would like to see honest polling numbers after about a week all of this hitting all the media outlets.

Comment by Downstater Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 6:23 pm
Let Topinka and Blagojevich annihilate one another. While they’re busy pointing out each other’s flaws, Rich Whitney is quietly staying above the fray.

Comment by Squideshi Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 8:17 pm
No debate is probably a good possibility. Welcome to Blogotics 101: Ignore your opponent, don’t get in front of the media, use the office of Governor as a bully pulpit from which to issue daily one-sided press releases, buy gobs of advertising time promoting programs designed to pander to every possible special interest, pray you don’t get indicted - yet - and maybe the power of the incumbency allows you to coast to re-election. What the heck, it worked on Eisendrath during the primary…

Comment by Casey Jones Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 8:31 pm
Blago knows that he can only hurt his poll numbers by debating with Judy. He stumbled badly in the debate hosted by Dick Kay. Since that time there has been no favorable news about his administration and a series of unflattering stories.

The best thing he can do at this juncture is avoid debating Judy and hope that the public is stupid enough to believe the outright lies put forth in his commercials.

Comment by Anon Tax Guy Wednesday, Sep 20, 06 @ 9:57 pm
Blagojevich stands for BLAH, BLAH BLAH………
My answer to his ads, “WHAT IS SHE THINKING” is
At least she thinks, and I think he is a coward and a liar. You go Judy!

Comment by Gwynie Tuesday, Oct 3, 06 @ 11:07 am