Walsh, Duckworth spar over debates (again)

Posted by Kerry Lester on Mon, 08/06/2012 - 18:37

Eighth District Congressional candidates Joe Walsh and Tammy Duckworth continue to spar over the timing and frequency of debates.

The latest battle came Monday, when Duckworth's congressional campaign "announced today the dates and hosts for the remaining three debates in the Illinois 8th district congressional race" - a schedule Walsh's campaign said it had no knowledge of.
Duckworth, a Hoffman Estates Democrat said she will appear :

- September 14, 2012 - Fox News Chicago
- October 9, 2012 - WCPT - AM & FM and AM 560 WIND (This debate will be held at the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows and will be open to residents of the 8th district.)
- October 18, 2012 - WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight”

“I look forward to these opportunities to share my views, including my plan to create jobs and rebuild our economy,” Duckworth said in a statement. “I hope that the variety of debate formats will allow as many 8th district residents as possible to hear where I stand on the issues.”

But wait. A spokesman for Congressman Joe Walsh - who this spring, challenged Duckworth to weekly debates until the election - said "this schedule is in no way final."

Walsh, a McHenry Tea Partyer, "is still hoping Ms. Duckworth stops ducking voters and joins Mr. Walsh in a weekly series of debates," campaign spokesman Justin Roth said in an e-mail, adding in, "perhaps between fundraising trips to New York and California, Ms Duckworth could squeeze in some more time to discuss issues with Mr. Walsh in front of voters of the 8th district."

We'll tell you one thing. Whenever they do happen, we promise they'll be good.

Duckworth and Walsh already debated once, in May on CLTV. Walsh branded Duckworth as a Democratic lapdog, and she described him as a tea partyer who subscribed to "crackpot ideas."

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