November 07, 2007 08:51 PM UTC

Wadhams Throws Down Wrong Gauntlet

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• by: Colorado Pols

During a debate yesterday at the City Club of Denver, Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak and Republican Chair Dick Wadhams really got after it on several occasions. On one of those occasions, Wadhams included a direct challenge that turned out to be completely false.

At one point in the debate Waak brought up the fact that the state GOP party Website is blank and the Website of Senate candidate Bob Schaffer contains no information on issues. In response, Wadhams said:

Bob [Schaffer] has agreed to six debates with the Aaron Harber show. Go back and ask Mark Udall why he refuses to debate.

Wadhams really threw down the gauntlet by accusing Udall of ducking Schaffer, but that apparently isn’t true in the least. We asked Aaron Harber if Schaffer had agreed to six debates (and if Udall had declined). “We haven’t done anything with either Schaffer or Udall, but I wouldn’t say its their fault. We just put it off,” said Harber.

“I don’t think we’ll have them in a debate format. I don’t know if we’ll have them six times – I don’t know if I want to give them six shows. I’ve never had any communication that I can remember with Dick Wadhams about any of this, so I’m not sure what he’s thinking.”

In a subsequent email, Harber elaborated further:

As far as I know, both candidates still remain committed to joining me.  You can ask them directly if that statement is accurate.  I did receive a set of possible dates from the TV Station yesterday but, due to meetings and other obligations, I have not yet forwarded them on to the campaigns.  More recently, the Udall campaign did agree to tape two sessions with me (they each probably will be for 60 minutes) in the next 75 days or so but, again, I have not given them any possible dates.  I have not had the chance to discuss the same arrangement with the Schaffer team but hope to do so shortly.

I have found both campaigns cooperative and committed to joining me.  At the request of the TV Station, however, I have been avoiding a formal debate format for the programs due to the arrangement among (1) KBDI-TV Channel 12, (2) CBS4 KCNC-TV Channel 4, and (3) The Rocky Mountain News.  These three organizations jointly sponsor the “Colorado Decides” series and have a tradition of featuring the first formal televised debate for the Senate and gubernatorial nominees.  These typically occur immediately after the August Primary Election and right before the November General Election…

…At no time did I scheduled six specific dates for any debates between Bob and Mark but I was originally hoping to do two programs this year and four more with the candidates.  At one point, I even thought a special monthly program would be great but this was complicated by my schedule, by the “Colorado Decides” triumvirate, and by the possible entry of other candidates into the race.  Overall, I would have to confess the ball was dropped at my end and not by anyone else.

I haven’t spoken with Dick Wadhams for a while so my guess was he was unaware of all this and was only aware I originally had suggested the 2-4 split for 2007 and 2008 or the monthly series.  My guess is Dick had not seen any progress and that led him to conclude Mark had refused to debate because Dick never saw the monthly or the six programs materialize…

…All that seems important to me is that Bob and Mark remain committed to joining me as soon as possible.  You can verify that with each of them directly and/or their campaigns.  Certainly if one or both of them tell you they are not committed to joining me on the show in the next 75 days or so, the other campaign would have a basis for complaining.  Right now, however, I think it’s a bit premature for anyone to accuse the other of not being willing to appear on my show (remember, it’s 2007 and the election is in 2008!).

Did Wadhams really believe that Schaffer had agreed to six debates that Udall was ducking? Or did Wadhams get flustered and spit out something he shouldn’t?