Sept. 17 debate set for top California gubernatorial candidates

[Freddie Stubbs]

The top polling of the 135 candidates vying to replace Gov. Gray Davis will be invited to take part in a Sept. 17 debate characterized as a "conversational give and take," broadcast officials announced Thursday.

The moderated, roundtable debate will be held on the campus of California State University, Sacramento, which is sponsoring it with the California Broadcasters Association. The 90-minute debate will be broadcast on television and radio.

The Oct. 7 recall ballot includes celebrities, politicians and a mix of known, little-known and unknown Californians. Voters will decide whether Davis should be ousted and then pick who should replace him.

One name missing from the ballot will that of the governor. The state Supreme Court refused to hear Davis' lawsuit to have his name listed with those who want his job.

more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/08/14/state1326EDT0079.DTL

[Emboldened Chimp]

1. Good

Californians need to see how much of a boob Arnie is. Hopefully Arianna will be one of those top candidates...

[PROGRESSIVE1]

2. And a BIG BOOB he'll be!!!!

:)

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. I'm not so sure

Everyone thought Gore would mop the floor with Bush in the debates in 2000. Gore wound up turning off a lot of people and Bush was the beneficiary.

[birdman]

3. Ah-nold will probably decline to participate

Why should he ? He's got nothing to gain and everything
to lose. He'll find an excuse to be elsewhere.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. Then the media will cover for him by saying...

that he's a celebrity and has "very important things to tend to", such as his collection of mistresses and nailing the coffin of Planet Hollywood shut! BUT, the media won't tell you this!

[Fovea]

6. what a farce

135 talking heads in a room?
This needs a website where the voters agree on a slate of questions to post online, and let the candidates have a go at an answer to each... 100 word min--300 word max.

[sandnsea]

7. The Governor can't debate why he shouldn't be recalled????

What the hell kind of democratic process is that? A debate like this implies the only choice is to vote yes on recall and choose a candidate. Californians need to just walk out and strike. Shut the damn state down. This is an outrage.

[kainah]

9. is he to be excluded from the debate?

I heard it explained that anyone polling 10% would be allowed in. (Currently, that cuts out Arianna :-( ) But it seems to me that if 10% are saying no to the recall, Davis should be allowed to debate.

[Piperay]

8. Real fair...

NOT! Davis doesn't even get to be part of the debate and can't even defend himself against all the accusations. Seems like this isn't even America anymore, it's just some third rate dictatorship. :-(