Press and Sun Bulletin

Saturday August 26, 2006
OPINION
NEW YORK JOURNAL
Leading candidates flee from debates

By Yancey Roy
ALBANY -- Try as they might, long shots aren't having much luck getting the frontrunners in New York's statewide elections to the podium.

There have been a couple of debates so far. Throw in one "town hall" forum in which audience members questioned attorney general candidates. But that's been it.

And who's watching? None of the events have been on network-affiliated television stations or even public-broadcasting TV.

That's got some candidates railing. And wailing.

"Voters in Western New York and throughout the state deserve better," Republican candidate for governor John Faso said after Democratic frontrunner Eliot Spitzer turned down a recent "town hall" meeting, "from any candidate who wishes to be the next governor, especially since this is the first time in 24 years that there has been an open seat for that office."

Earlier, Tom Suozzi challenged Spitzer to a series of eight debates. Suozzi is the Nassau County executive challenging Spitzer in a Democratic primary.

No, you didn't miss them. Spitzer agreed to only one.

But it's not just Spitzer. The favorite in each primary contest or general election hasn't often agreed to a face-to-face challenge:

* U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton won't square off with anti-war Democratic candidate Jonathan Tasini..

* Republican Senate candidate John Spencer has blown off demands by his GOP rival, Kathleen Troia McFarland, to hold more than one debate.

* Andrew Cuomo, leading the run for the Democratic nomination for attorney general, participated in one debate and one "town hall," but said no to a previously scheduled debate on public TV this week.

Get the trend? If you're in the lead, play hard to get.

"I have not heard nor do I expect to hear from any of the frontrunners for attorney general or Senate until the primary is completed," said Kristen Hansen, executive director of the state chapter of the League of Women Voters which has tried to put together a number of forums.

"We're disappointed from the point of view of our mission," she said. "The reason we go through process ... is to get information out to the voters."

The dance around debates isn't new. Gov. George E. Pataki de-monstrated an avoidance agility that any frontrunner would envy. In his three campaigns, the Republican participated in only one debate.

In 1994, when he was the challenger, he wouldn't agree to meet Gov. Mario M. Cuomo unless it was one-on-one. In 1998, he just flat out refused to debate Democrat Peter Vallone. In 2002, he borrowed Cuomo's script and insisted that candidates from all the minor parties (Independence, Green, etc.) be included so as to duck a one-on-one with Democrat Carl McCall. After his challengers were a bit rough on him, Pataki canceled his appearance at a second debate.

So any time Republicans complain about Spitzer, his folks have a ready retort. "We've agreed to significantly more debates than Governor Pataki agreed to (in 2002)," Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson said. "Four debates is a meaningful number that allows the public to see the candidates side by side."

The tactic is obvious: Don't give challengers a format to take you on. Don't provide an opportunity for polls to change.

Sound strategy, sure. But it doesn't treat the public well.