Kitzhaber Cranks Up The Debate Rhetoric

Capitol Currents:

John Kitzhaber is upping the ante in the traditional "debate over debates" that marks many political campaigns. The Kitzhaber campaign this evening released a schedule of seven debates in September and October that it says the former governor has committed to attending. The line-up is fairly typical for a high-profile Oregon campaign:  Twice on television, twice before City Clubs (Portland, Eugene), and three times in front of various interest groups. Only one would take place outside the I-5 corridor: a September 9 showdown in front of the Eastern Oregon Business Alliance in Burns. (An October 24 debate would be broadcast statewide on television, and an October 8 debate at the Portland City Club debate would air statewide on OPB radio.)

There's just one little major footnote, however. Chris Dudley hasn't agreed to any of these debates. Dudley spokesman LeRoy Coleman said in an email that the Dudley campaign is still in the process of determing the debate schedule. Coleman adds that Dudley "looks forward to debating John Kitzhaber."

It's quite likely that one or more of the debates on this schedule will actually occur. Dudley told the Oregon Mayors Association last month that "there's no question" he'll debate Kitzhaber. But until those debates are actually firmed up, the Kitzhaber campaign appears as though it won't let up in banging the debate drum. Why? Well, it's clear that Kitzhaber's people think that painting Dudley as being afraid of facing off head-to-head with Kitzhaber will make Dudley--and his lack of political experience--look like the weaker candidate. In my experience, however, by the time Election Day rolls around, the tit-for-tat over debates is a distant memory.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width="1" height="1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3320471128493510714-5739888666231510575?l=www.capitolcurrents.com" alt=""/></div>

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