No question-and-answer about it: Gov dodging debates

No question-and-answer about it: Gov dodging deb
October 11, 2006
BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

Let's cut to the chase. Gov. Blagojevich does not want to debate, does not need to debate and will pretend to the death that it is his opponent, not he, who has quashed any further debates.
Meanwhile, his Republican challenger, state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, has played into his hands by bungling this whole business.

In fact, the way each of them has managed the relatively straightforward matter of scheduling their public face-offs calls into question whether either one of them possesses the administrative or strategic skills necessary to manage this state's far more complicated and pressing problems.

But c'mon.

The truth of this pretend-issue is pretty simple. Blagojevich laid down the gauntlet early on, challenging Topinka immediately after the primary to 10 debates and she, unwisely, didn't immediately grab his offer and run with it like her hair was on fire. For an underfinanced underdog like Topinka, to call that a "missed opportunity" would be to understate the obvious. Never mind that Blago wanted all those debates before Labor Day, which he assumed she wouldn't accept. She should have said "yes" anyway and forced his hand.

Then again, along the way, there were instances where clearly agreement was reached by these two warring parties, and it hardly seemed like brain surgery. There was the debate on NBC5's ''City Desk'' with Dick Kay back in May. And there was the radio debate in Decatur last week. And just Tuesday, the two appeared before the Chicago Tribune editorial board but without television cameras present in the room. That, according to the paper, was at the governor's request.

Which takes me back to my original point. Blagojevich does not really want nor does he need debates. He doesn't want them because he's sick of being asked about all the federal investigations of his administration. And he doesn't need them because he has jillions of dollars to get his message out in 30-second TV ads.

He just doesn't have the courage to say so.

I know this because I spend some of my workweek over at WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" program, where I have seen the letters and e-mails from the station to both campaigns dating back to March. And I've seen the replies. The Blagojevich and Topinka campaigns, in writing, are unequivocal in agreeing to a debate in the Channel 11 studios on Oct. 26 sponsored by the City Club and moderated by Phil Ponce before a live audience in prime time at 7 p.m.

No one from the governor's campaign, according "Chicago Tonight" executive producer Mary Field, ever once said that Blagojevich's confirmation was contingent on negotiations with Topinka's people for the scheduling of other events. There is no correspondence to that effect. No communications of any kind.

None.

Nada.

Zip.

So imagine WTTW's surprise when it discovered that the Blagojevich folks had decided to do a different debate on that very same day. And then, late on Friday, Blagojevich issued an ultimatum to Topinka that if she doesn't agree to his latest debate proposals, then there would be no debates at all.

The Blago people must have been so darn busy dreaming up new ways to pretend that Topinka really didn't want to debate that they forgot to call WTTW and cancel the one event that the two candidates had actually committed to months ago. And too darn busy to return WTTW's frantic phone calls on Monday asking what in the world was going on?

Oh, yes, the Blago folks finally did call back. But it was that night, after hours, when the Blagojevich campaign spokeswoman left a voice mail saying, "This is Sheila Nix . . . returning your call. Sorry it's gotten so late, it's been a little bit of a crazy day."

I bet.

Nix goes on, "You know, the whole debate negotiation fell apart with the Topinka campaign and therefore we will not be participating in the WTTW debate. . . . I heard that you hadn't heard from us and I wanted to make sure you did. . . . I'm sorry about, you know, the outcome here."

Can the Blago folks spell "disingenuous"?

A couple of years ago, state lawmakers from his own party were so disgusted with the governor not keeping his word that for the first time in anyone's memory, they made him put his promises in writing. We now know even that is hardly a fail-safe system.

Look, plenty of monied incumbents shun debates. Mayor Daley hasn't bothered with one since his first mayoral primary in 1989. But he doesn't bother with phony explanations or pretend scheduling problems. He just refuses.

So, if you're going to do a disservice to voters by not debating the issues of the day, governor, I'd argue you should just stand up and say so.