Democrats Declining NBC Debates
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 20, 2002; Page A05
URL: washingtonpost.com
When "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert offered to host debates in the most competitive Senate races, he figured many candidates would welcome the free air time.
Not quite. Nine Democratic candidates have said thanks but no thanks after their GOP opponents had agreed to debate on NBC. Only two Republicans have taken a pass after their Democratic rivals said yes.
The latest to forgo Sunday morning debate is Texas Democrat Ron Kirk, the former Dallas mayor, who trails state Attorney General John Cornyn. The Kirk campaign did not return several calls.
In New Jersey, former Democratic senator Frank Lautenberg also vetoed the invitation. The Democrat he replaced, Robert G. Torricelli, had agreed to a debate, as had GOP candidate Doug Forrester.
Russert called the rejection of 40 minutes of national exposure "really extraordinary. We're trying to do the right thing, and they don't want to debate on the issues. They'd prefer, apparently, to hide behind 30-second ads."
Other Democrats who said no or couldn't find time on their schedules: Mark Pryor (Ark.), Sen. Tom Harkin (Iowa), Sen. Paul D. Wellstone (Minn.), Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Sen. Max Cleland (Ga.), Sen. Tim Johnson (S.D.) and Sen. Jean Carnahan (Mo.).
Said Jim Jordan of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: "I don't think voters are suffering from a lack of debates. It's simply a question of formats, travel and timing."
The situation is reversed in North Carolina, where Republican Elizabeth Dole said no, and Tennessee, where Lamar Alexander turned thumbs down. "Meet the Press" has been able to stage just two Senate debates, with the candidates from Colorado and South Carolina. |
