A statement released earlier this week by the Miller campaign called the debates “soft” forums that will not allow exchanges between the candidates and have little participation from the public.
“It’s sound bites,” Miller spokesman Randy DeSoto said. “(Murkowski) can say whatever she wants without any follow-up questions.”
DeSoto said that setup may benefit Miller as well but that the campaign would prefer a “free exchange” between the candidates, who are squaring off for the Republican nomination in the Aug. 24 primary.
Miller said he approached Murkowski during the July 8 Anchorage Republican Women’s luncheon at the home of former Gov. Bill Sheffield and proposed a schedule of four debates.
The next day, Murkowski issued a news release stating that because the Senate will be in session until Aug. 7, the first debate she will attend is the one scheduled for Aug. 10 and sponsored by the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce.
The other two debates are set for Aug. 11 before the Kenai/Soldotna Chamber of Commerce and Aug. 18 by Anchorage-based KAKM television.
“I spoke with two female staffers in attendance, and they relayed to me that after the event, as they were leaving to go to another meeting, our opponent was waiting outside the house and a discussion took place,” said Murkowski campaign spokesman Steve Wackowski. “The senator relayed to him that she has to spend time in Washington doing her job and the time for campaigning is in August.”
The Miller campaign has accused Murkowski of “ducking” debates and purposely positioning the schedule to begin after absentee voting begins Aug. 9. In a press release, Miller also criticized Murkowski for not holding a debate in Anchorage, the state’s largest population center, despite the fact that the KAKM debate will take place there.
DeSoto said that the campaign still takes issue with the KAKM debate not being more open to the public.
Wackowski said it is “silly” to think Murkowski is avoiding debates and that the campaign never received a written debate proposal from Miller.
Contact staff writer Chris Freiberg at 459-7545.
Lisa's daddy gave her the senate seat
now she is trying to buy it with this type of money..
Fifty-eight percent of Murkowski's total campaign money for this election has come from political action committees. Maryland-based Constellation Energy and Edison Chouest Offshore, a Louisiana firm involved in offshore oil operations, have been the top two donors to her campaign through employees and PACs. That's according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics
is this the type influence you want
your senator answering to ...
I think it would benefit our society if campaigns, and campaign spending were distinctly limited. A $2.5mil 'campaign chest' smacks of an intention to purchase political office by manipulation of public opinion through a massive "ad campaign". A much better informed public would result from a handfull of open [real] debates on topics and policies, and a few position papers from canidates, and they would not need to preceed the election by very long.
batman - maybe DNM is carrying so much "Miller news" because the more you hear, the worse he sounds??
lala - political party affiliation in AK is mostly just for the PR value, draws the 'loyalists' from a voting population. In reality, all powerful political 'in-groups' in AK belong to the same party, the Commerce Party, generally.
Now, that's interesting! Bill Sheffield was a Democrat when he was governor!
Despite all of the hooplah about how Lisa got there in the first place, I have been as pleased with her as one can be with a politician. It would take someone far better than Joe Miller to entice my vote away from Lisa.
I know of at least two south central groups that have offered to sponsor a debate in July and she did not even have the courtesy to respond.
Just like she did not respond to the parental notification people, she just showed up unannounced for her photo op.
If Lisa does not set a day in July for a real 90 minute debate with Joe Miller she IS ducking not only debates but her constituents.
I hope she has fun fishing with the lobbyist this year it may be the last chance she gets.
It's not just Joe and Lisa, it's ALL the races these days. Politics has nothing to do with the truth, nor the real issues facing real people. Elections are contrived media events put on by those who make lots of money producing them.
I agree with your comments about the Senator having scheduling conflicts, and her job as Senator trumps politicking. But I wonder why the two candidates couldn't have scheduled debates during the 4th of July recess. Was the Senator in Alaska, and if not, why not?
It is never in the incumbent's advantage to allow the challenger equal face time. I think that's what we're seeing here.
We lost Ted because a LOT of information was held from us.