Posted on 10/04/2006 11:39:33 AM PDT by calcowgirl
Candidates for governor will get together Saturday
A year ago, after Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had just finished a televised "forum" answering softball questions about his package of ballot propositions for the 2005 special election, reporters asked his then-chief political strategist Mike Murphy when Schwarzenegger would agree to a debate on the issues.
"If someone wants to debate the governor," Murphy snarled, "he's first got to win the Democratic nomination." Translation: No debates for Schwarzenegger until 2006.
A year later, there is a Democratic nominee — Treasurer Phil Angelides — but the opportunity for robust debate is not much brighter. There will be but one televised event with the candidates appearing side by side, and it is uncertain how much real political give-and-take will take place.
The event will be held Saturday evening at 6 on the campus of California State University, Sacramento. It remains to be seen how much of an audience there will be, even if a respectable number of television stations choose to broadcast the event live.
For one thing, three California baseball teams — the Dodgers, Padres and A's, one from each major market in the state — will be competing in playoff games that day, precise times to be determined. In addition, the debate will go head-to-head with the Cal-Oregon football game in Northern California and the UCLA-Arizona game in Southern California.
At least USC and Stanford will play their games earlier in the day.
And if the timing all but guarantees minimal exposure, the format will make it a challenge for lively exchange of ideas to unfold.
There will be a single moderator, Stan Statham, the executive director of the California Broadcasters Association and a former Republican legislator. The candidates will be seated at tables at either side of the moderator. Questions will be selected from suggestions submitted to the debate Web site, californiadecides.com.
For Schwarzenegger, the event provides a comfort zone because it is precisely the same format, same location and same moderator that existed at the only other debate in which he has participated in his political career — the one in which he participated as a candidate in the 2003 recall.
Angelides wanted more debates, formats that provided the opportunity for questions and follow-ups from journalists, a chance for give-and-take between the candidates and for both candidates to be standing at a podium.
He got none of that because in debate negotiations the incumbent always has the stronger hand. And if the incumbent also has a comfortable lead in the polls, he, in fact, holds all the cards.
So Saturday's event is all Schwarzenegger would agree to, and all that California voters get.
That being the case, allow me to suggest a couple questions:
— Gov. Schwarzenegger, you are understandably proud that this year a windfall of unexpected tax revenues allowed you to fully fund Proposition 98 and also make the first installment in paying back public schools for money they were shorted the previous year. We all know that revenue windfalls don't happen every year and there will be more difficult budget years ahead. Are you now prepared to reassert the pledge you once made, but weren't able to abide by, that you will never suspend the Proposition 98 school-funding guarantee?If either candidate actually took a stab at addressing those questions, the debate would surely be as entertaining as this year's UCLA team.
— Treasurer Angelides, let me ask you about taxes. At various times over the years, you have spoken favorably about a variety of tax-increase proposals, including higher property taxes on commercial property and expanding the sales tax to cover some services, such as auto repair. You now say that as governor the only tax increases you would support are increasing the income tax on the wealthiest Californians and closing some corporate tax loopholes. Are you prepared to say those are the only tax increases an Angelides administration would ever support?
— Gov. Schwarzenegger, one decision the next governor will very likely have to make is whether to sign off on California's first liquefied natural gas terminal — and you've indicated that you favor the notion of importing LNG. Given the new law you signed last month requiring a rollback in greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels, is it not contrary to those goals to allow a significant new source of fossil fuels to enter the state's energy market?
— Treasurer Angelides, you say that if elected you would request President Bush to return California National Guard troops from Iraq and, if necessary, take him to court over the issue. Do you believe it would be in the national interest to allow governors to pick and choose which military conflicts in which they will allow their National Guard units to serve?
"Governor's Debate 2006 - California Decides"
Saturday, October 7, 2006, 6:00PM
California State University, Sacramento
http://www.californiadecides.com/
My cable provider shows it will be broadcast via PBS, at a minimum.
Hardball questions for the Republican, softballs for the Democrat. Gotta love the press...
I wish it was 12 rounds of Boxing or Celebrity Deathmatch.
They could at least try and make it interesting. ;-)
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
Anybody can submit questions:
http://www.californiadecides.com
I wonder if they will give the candidates the questions in advance like they did in the Recall debates.
I can hear Angelides now:
.... Bush.... war is wrong... Iraq... National Guard... war is wrong... Bush, Bush, Bush...
I don't know what would be more difficult,
listening to a couple of liberals or watching them.
I'd sooner get a root canal! LOL
GO DODGERS!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
I know that, but he still hasn't figured it out.
Did you read the thread last night about the Cavuto interview with Angelides?
He just babbled on and on and on and on. ".... Bush.... war is wrong... Iraq... National Guard... war is wrong... Bush, Bush, Bush..."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,217559,00.html
Translation: "It's a sure bet we liberals won't get our way."
Treasurer Angelides... Are you prepared to say those are the only tax increases an Angelides administration would ever support?
Well frickin' DUH! I'm sure Angelides "prepared to say" anything he thinks the public wants to hear. Besides, when's the last time you heard a politician say one thing and do another? For me, it's been damned near every time.
California has some of the most anti-business statutes and regulations on the books. Neighboring states are all too willing to accommodate businesses that California's over-regulation has been squeezing out. What initiatives do you propose to implement to reverse this trend in the next four years?
"including higher property taxes on commercial property and expanding the sales tax to cover some services, such as auto repair. You now say that as governor the only tax increases you would support are increasing the income tax on the wealthiest Californians and closing some corporate tax loopholes."
Is it the guy's plan to run every bit of money out of the state?
Awesome tag.
I'd like to see em let the Green Party nut and the Libertarian both into the debate, that'd be a hell of a "debate".
Thankfully there will only be one of these exhibitions and no regular, entertainment programming will be interrupted since regular programming, as bad as it is, would be more beneficial to the viewing audience.
This is one debate too many. If it's like the forum Arnold was invited to do for the 2005 Special Election by NBC in L.A., it'll be a wall-to-wall ambush.
In San Jose, it's shown on KNTV-11, KPIX-5, and KSBW-8. It's also being shown on C-SPAN.
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