"Both the Republicans and the Democrats lied to Thornton for Governor, but more importantly, the voters of Connecticut. The major parties cannot be entrusted with the future of this great state.
On Sept. 1, 2006, Gov. M. Jodi Rell's campaign manager Kevin Deneen wrote a letter to Mayor John DeStefano's campaign manager Henry Fernandez stating "The Governor believes strongly that Mr. Thornton deserves a place in any debates."
Today, we saw that Gov. Rell and her campaign did not tell the truth about their intentions.
Yesterday, we compromised with Mayor DeStefano's campaign that there should be four televised debates, two with only the major parties and two with the all candidates on the ballot. Today, DeStefano's debate negotiator Derek Slap said they were able to negotiate the first part of that - two major party debates. He said they still hold out hope for the other two, but Cliff Thornton won't be holding his breath.
Herb Sheperdson, the negotiator for Gov. Rell, told me that the Governor would not agree to more than two debates. Then he told me he was going to hang up on me and he did. Both the Republicans and Democrats blame each other for not including the Greens and Concerned Citizens in at least one of the two agreed upon debates.
This is a travesty for the voters of Connecticut. From what we can tell, this is the first time in more than 50 years that neither major party accepted an invitation from the League of Women Voters to moderate a gubernatorial debate. That Gov. Rell wanted and got only two debates is a fallacy in and of itself. How can we honestly discuss the future of a $17.5 billion enterprise in under 120 minutes with only two people speaking?
How can we trust either party when they go back on their word? How are we supposed to trust anything they say in the debates? Caught in this particular broken promise and lie, everything Mayor DeStefano and Gov. Rell say from here on in is suspect.
The Green Party will not take this sitting down."
I would hope that the Rell, DeStefano, Thornton and Zdonczyk campaigns could agree to one more debate, with all the candidates invited. We could have it here in Enfield. We could have it on my front lawn (I'll have to mow), if it comes to that. It doesn't matter where or how, but voters deserve a chance to see all the choices together at least once.
16 comments:
maybe the disbarred attorney they are running for AG will try filing a lawsuit
It doesn't matter where or how, but voters deserve a chance to see all the choices together at least once
Correct - and what on earth is JDS thinking anyway?
Jodi had it right in the first place.
Im certain JDS will committ to as many more than 2 debates Ken Krayeske can get Our Senile little Grandma to agree to.
PS-If Krayeske can get the Green party to just stand up as one he'll be the first.
kreyeske got hosed by JDS. Rell was willing to put Thornton into the mix; kreyeske got it into his head that the Green's were actually in play. DeStefano sold him a bill of goods; that if he bought JDS' idea that there would be more debates, Thornton could get in. The truth is, if Thornton didn't get in to the first two, he wasn't going anywhere. Then JDS froze him out and he can't figure out why. Whoops, welcome to the big leagues!
Yaaawwwnnnn!
Can't we get anything good going regarding Lieberman - Lamont?
Sorry, but this race is so over.
If Rell could have spared just one or two more hours from her oh so hectic schedule we wouldn't be having this argument.
Jodi did her best to use Thornton to keep from having to go toe-to-toe with DeStefano. When negotiations didn't play out according to her machinations, she left poor Cliff high and dry...
Former chairman Herb Shepardson handled Rell's negotiating??! Apparently he handled these negotiations the same way he handled the republican state party: right into the democrats' hands.
The only reason DeStefano "compromised" with the Green Party is because he knew Rell wouldn't capitulate on her position for 2 debates.
So they "compromised" in order to have yet another stupid petty issue to issue a bitch & moan press release about.
Thornton and the Greens got used and abused. Shame on them.
but, but, but Dumb-Dumb won this round. can't you see that Red Johnny lost.
And Jodi's not afraid of debating anyone. Wait till you hear her plans for tax reform and health care....
When Cliff threatens to stand up, what exactly does that mean. Correct me if I'm wrong, but he just got denied his free media. (after a brief mention this weekend.)
What's he going to do now, take to the airwaves?
Does anyone know how much cash he's got on hand. My guess is less than $5,000. But of course I've been known to be wrong.
I hope ex-chair Herb Gustafson takes a larger role in Granny Rell's campaign. Talk about a trojan horse!
Let's look at this honestly, the reason the Green Party is not in any debates rests entirely on Jodi Rell's shoulders.
JDS would have participated with all candidates in 2 of the 4 debates. Problem is Rell is trying to minimize her time on TV. Because if anybody looks at this race, see's her in more debates, it becomes obvious that Rell has no issues, no leadership and no vision for Connecticut. In months on this website, I have seen not one poster articulately argue for Rell's 2nd term. Because there is no strong arguement. There only hope for Republicans can be that the electorate doesn't pay attention to this race. Because if they do, Rell loses.
What exactly is the point of having a candidate debate who is polling below the margin of error? People need to get off of the high horse on the site and get realistic. I know we're not supposed to call people names on this site, but anyone who thinks that Jodi Rell wanted 3rd party candidates in the debate so that 'their voices can be heard' is an idiot, plain and simple. And since I do not think that the people on this site are that dumb, it must be that they are trying to spin this issue to make Jodi look like the good guy here, when in reality, she is trying to distract voters from hearing her thoughts on the issues. I do not fault her for doing this--things like this are the reason why republicans win elections. But spare me all of the bullshit.
John DeStefano is ruining any chance he has of becoming Governor by not including The Green Party or The Concerned Citizens Party in the debate with Governor Rell.
I think this just another DeStefano campaign Moronic ploy they really just dont get it.
If the "line of demarkation" is on whether or not a candidate is polling above the margin of error in order to qualify for debates, then should Alan Schlesinger be watching the Senate debates from his home on the 20th floor of the Grand Pequot Tower????
Sounds fair to me.
Of course a minor party candidate could NEVER be elected Governor of Connecticut. That's never happened.
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