More on Melvin's debate dithering

by David Safier

In an earlier post, I accused Al Melvin of dancing the Bunker Hokey Pokey.

First he's in the Foothills education forum, then he's out. Then, last I heard, he's in again. (And you shake it all about . . .)

First he won't debate Cheryl Cage except at the Clean Elections debate -- which isn't happening because they're both running traditional -- then he'll debate her one-on-one in another venue, and now . . . well, nobody knows how he's shakin' it on this one.

Melvin doesn't like the debate being held in a public school auditorium. I guess, since the AEA doesn't like him very much, Melvin thinks the bricks and mortar at Mountain View High School have it in for him. Maybe he wakes up in cold sweats from nightmares where the auditorium chairs rise up and attack him.

Then he wants the 3 house candidates to participate as well, to dilute the debate to the point where it's little more than a bunch of people giving stump speeches.

Today, Dave Perry, the editor and publisher of the Explorer who is supposed to moderate the event, chimed in on the debate in his editorial, Debating a debate. He's the best possible source of information, because he has no dog in this hunt -- really, he doesn't -- and he's in the thick of things. Read his editorial to get the most unbiased information you're going to find.

My feeling is, the unbiased facts presented in the editorial favor Cheryl Cage and make Melvin look like he's throwing up roadblocks.

I want to cherry-pick one passage from the editorial (I never claimed to be unbiased), because it shows me Perry understands the value of a real debate between the two candidates who are in one of the few swing districts in the state and have genuinely different political and world views.

[Melvin and Cage's] race is of huge significance in these communities, and in Arizona. And the frustrating thing about "debates" with more than two candidates is that they are not debates at all, but rather shallow forums. We hope to shed some depth on the race between Melvin and Cage. Again, don't care who wins. Just want real conversation about the issues, and Arizona's future.

SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION NOTE: In the same issue of the Explorer, I have a column about the ultraconservative/libertarian (so long as it suits their purposes) Koch brothers and how they've been injected their billions into the political discussion for years, including providing the main funding behind the supposedly grassroots Tea Party.

Comments

[Bess1919]

Melvin "debated" at Painted Sky Elementary so I find his avoidance of a public high school forum disingenuous. Wherever he goes, he brings his minions to hoot, holler and harrass, so it seems to me the venue is irrelevant.

More than likely, he has an inkling that Cheryl Cage's message is resonating with LD26 voters. After all, do YOU want a nuclear waste facility in Arizona? Is 50th in the nation in per pupil spending good enough?

The choice is really clear.