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Posted on 09/15/2002 6:03:59 AM PDT by kellynla
California voters need substance in the governor's race - discussions about the state budget, energy, the future. The best way to do that is through candidate debates and there simply aren't enough of them.
The candidates last week agreed to an Oct. 7 debate at noon and a second debate later, probably on a Spanish TV station in the daytime. But more are needed, optimally four debates, with the times moved to early evening or prime time.
So far, voters mainly have heard attack ads, mostly by Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, and news reports about the financial difficulties of Republican Bill Simon.
But a court action last Thursday cleared the decks for more substantive discussions of issues. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge threw out a $78 million civil fraud verdict against Mr. Simon's investment firm.
We hope Gov. Davis and Mr. Simon now concentrate on the difficult issues facing this state: an estimated structural deficit in the state budget of more than $10 billion in the next five years, the legacy of the electricity crisis, inadequate educational achievement, etc.
Gov. Davis' campaign is resisting an expanded format. "We won't agree to four debates," Garry South, Gov. Davis' campaign chief, said. "We've agreed to two, and that's all there's going to be."
Gov. Davis debated Republican Dan Lungren four times in 1998. But that time, neither was an incumbent governor. This time, the governor is busy running the state, Davis campaign spokesman Roger Salazar told us. "During this month of September, the governor has 1,000 or more bills to consider."
A quick retort came from Mike Miner, a Simon campaign spokesman: "Gov. Davis should make the time by passing up a few hours of fundraising."
Mr. Salazar said the Simon campaign, which has been struggling to raise campaign cash to run TV ads, is thinking the debates would give it free media. Perhaps, but voters still need more than two debates to make an informed decision.
Mr. Salazar also said the 1998 debates lost much of their viewership by the time the fourth debate rolled around. That's true, but California then was enjoying the dot-com boom. The state now is in trouble and people will be paying attention.
The political calculation? "Gov. Davis has nothing to gain" by more than two little-seen debates, Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, told us. "There's little during the debates that could make Simon look worse. But there's a chance Davis could stumble and look bad. That's the cynical explanation. But with Gray Davis, the cynical explanation is usually the correct one."
But voters deserve better.
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Copeland spat in the face of a KABC radio talkshow host during a debate with the other minor party candidates for CA Governor. Over the weekend, the Libertarian party retracted their nomination of him for unprofessional conduct unbecoming a candidate.
In the SD Union Tribune editorial board interview of Davis around 3/9/02, Davis threw a fit about deserving more credit and a round of applause for the energy crisis.
the governor is busy running the state, Davis campaign spokesman Roger Salazar told us.
An evening debate takes no more time than a daytime debate.
C'mon Davis, what's your excuse for avoiding a debate held at a time when more Californians can watch?
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