Republican challenger Patrick Ballantine has pulled out of his only scheduled debate with Gov. Mike Easley, citing Easley's unwillingness to commit to any other forums. (snip) The N.C. Association of Broadcasters tried to work out a statewide debate but pulled its offer to organize a forum this week. "The governor kept giving us obstacles as to why he did not wish to accept our proposal for a debate," said Clay Milstead, who chairs the broadcast group's debate committee and works for WCTI-TV in New Bern. (snip) "We told them we didn't have to do it that way, that we were...
