In the midst of the convention, I caught this story about Mark Warner turning down the League of Women Voters’ invitation to debate Jim Gilmore in a live, televised state-wide event. I was reminded of it when reading the editorial in Thursday morning’s Virginian Pilot.
Gilmore, typically, thinks that Warner is ducking him.
“I think the people have a right to ask: What is Mark Warner hiding?” Gilmore said. “As for me, I will debate him any time and any place because I believe the people of Virginia are entitled to that kind of public discussion.”
Um, I bet you would, Jim. After all, your campaign is on life support and any exposure would be welcome, even if it is of the humiliating kind. (Yeah – I heard about how the folks in Buena Vista responded when you asked them who they trusted and they responded with “Mark Warner!”)
The editorial Thursday morning doesn’t play that particular card; instead, they rely on the tradition:
Public demand has prevailed in every major Virginia election since 1981, when gubernatorial candidates Charles Robb and Marshall Coleman sparred in a debate organized by political scientist Larry Sabato
The Pilot, to its credit, does acknowledges that other political tradition: if you are ahead, you don’t debate, if you are behind, you clamor for debates. Yes, a US Senate race generally constitutes a “major” race but with Gilmore down by 24 points, plus the noise of the presidential race, it seems that it is the latter tradition that is more appropriate here.
The editorial says:
He promises to consider other requests for televised debates.
Now, as a member of the LWV, I’d love to see that organization be the one to host the debate. But given the deadline imposed, I can understand the position of the Warner campaign on this. Further, I understand that they are fielding more than a dozen other debate invitations. Surely one or more of those will be televised statewide. And the upcoming Fairfax Chamber of Commerce debate will be broadcast live. (Two years ago, this debate was broadcast on CSPAN.)
Just as I would have loved to have been in Buena Vista to witness the crowd’s reaction to Gilmore, I’d love to see Warner mop the floor with Gilmore. If it happens during a statewide TV broadcast, great. If it doesn’t, that’s OK, too.
Technorati Tags: Mark Warner, Jim Gilmore, VA US Senate race
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I noticed that no one in the article mentioned what Gail Parker thinks. Which seems like it would be important in this case.
You know, since Jim Gilmore’s political credibility is about on par with Gail for Rail Parker.
Heck, Gilmore is such a loser that even I will probably vote for Warner.
If I were up by 25 points, I wouldn’t debate him either. Why even take the chance? You can only lose.
I’d love to see the LWV return to hosting the presidential debates. They’ve become nothing more than long news conferences with “moderators” who often earn more than the candidates.