- Rodney Glassman
Score one for Democratic Senate candidate John Dougherty this week. The former investigative reporter managed to make the putative front-runner, Rodney Glassman, look like he doesn’t have the stones to debate his fellow Democrats.
Dougherty laid down a challenge to three debates—one in Tucson, one in Phoenix and one in Flagstaff—to the other Democrats in the race for the Senate seat now held by Republican John McCain. He gave them a deadline of noon on Tuesday, June 8, to respond.
The other two Democrats in the race—former state lawmaker Cathy Eden and labor organizer Randy Parraz—said they were in.
But Glassman didn’t reply—which led to a story in yesterday’s Arizona Daily Star that made it look like Glassman was ducking the chance to debate his fellow Democrats.
Glassman campaign spokesman Blake Morlock says his candidate will get around to debating the other Democrats, eventually.
“We’re going to be looking for more legitimate forums and we’re going to be looking for opportunities,” says Blake Morlock, spokesman for the Glassman campaign. “This idea that we will have no debates is just made up
by the other side.”
But Morlock says the campaign won’t commit to having debates in Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff as Dougherty suggested.
- John Dougherty
Why is Glassman reluctant to commit? The conventional wisdom would suggest that he’s got the most money, he’s got the strongest organization and he’s been in the race the longest. That makes him the apparent front-runner, so he’s got the most to lose if a debate doesn’t go his way.
But he’s only the front-runner in a race where most voters don’t know anything about the candidates. And it’s only the race to decide the Democratic nominee; whoever wins the primary is still the underdog in a statewide race against McCain (or even against Republican J.D. Hayworth, should he pull off his challenge against Arizona’s senior senator).
By ignoring Dougherty’s proposal, Glassman looks like he’s scared to debate his opponents. That plays into the other narrative that he has to overcome, which is that he’s not ready for the job of U.S. senator.
If Glassman had said yes, he would have shown that he’s not afraid to take on any challenge. And the debates would be a good for him, anyway, because it would help him hone his skills in front of audiences.
Instead, he’s getting stories about how he might be too elitist to debate his fellow Democrats.
And now, when he does agree to debates (and can he really get away with not debating the others without looking like a wuss?), it’ll look like he capitulated to Dougherty.
Glassman shouldn’t have ignored Dougherty’s proposal. He should have one-upped him and demanded a fourth debate in Yuma.
This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2010.
Ready for the job of US Senator? Randy Glassman??
Jed;
Jethro, you sure you don’t wanna join these debates and let people know what you’re about?
Jethro;
Oh, they’re gonna bring up all these facts and figures and such. Why should I learn about that stuff when I’m the handsomenest one of the bunch?
Jed;
Well, I s’pose it helps to look good, but you’re runnin to be a part of the highest governing bodies of the land. Don’t you think it would be a good idea to let the people know how you intend to help this country?
Jethro:
That’s all part of my strategy, Uncle Jed. I’m savin that until after the primary. Let the others duke it out while I let people see how handsome I look riding my bus, kissing babies and shakin hands. Oh, and huggin people, too! They like that! Sometimes I like it, too.
Then, after I win the primary, I move in for the big kill. I’ll stand behind MY podium and say, “Well, at least I don’t mess in my pants!
Jed:
Jethro, are you sure you don’t wanna become a double-naught spy instead?
The reason Glassman is not ready to commit is because he knows JD is going to lose. Glassman may have a chance if JD were to win the primary, but JD is far too corrupt and we know his history all too well to know that McCain will win. Glassman does not hold a chance against McCain.
Arizona does has a love for pro war crime candidates.
Shawn, feel free to educate us about how “JD is far too corrupt and we know his history all too well to know that McCain will win.” Let us know how it’s Dougherty’s dark, corrupt history that will prevent him from winning.
You’re already one behind for the contrived strategy attributed to Jethro.
Of course Glassman won’t debate Dougherty or Parraz! He is nothing more than a spoiled frat boy who thinks that he can just throw daddy’s money at any problem that comes his way. He is the epitome of a career politician with no backbone and no moral character, whatsoever.
The country is dealing with some massive issues, right now, and Arizona is in the middle of a full-blown civil rights crisis, and he’s said and done absolutely nothing. His family made their millions off the back of migrant labor in Fresno, CA, and they used to be Republicans before they got to Tucson, so it makes sense that they’d be keeping their mouths shut. They are the Britz/Glassman family, look them up. Glassman just hides in the shadows and uses his daddy’s money to buy the endorsements of other dirty politicians, such as Grijalva, etc. The fact that Raul Grijalva is endorsing a guy whose family has made their millions off of the exploitation of migrant labor goes to show how immoral and filthy both he and Glassman are.
Randy Parraz and John Dougherty are true candidates, with brains, courage, and charisma. Parraz is a union organizer and a labor lawyer, and Dougherty is an investigative journalist. This is the type of candidate that the people of Arizona deserve. They deserve much better than Rodney Glassman, that’s for sure.
@ JT: I think Shawn meant “JD” Hayworth is corrupt, not “JD” John Dougherty. Please re-read that post.
I think there are four decent candidates here but I don’t know know which of them I prefer yet. They should debate, which will bring attention to the Democrats. And that’s a good thing!
As if Dougherty or the others have a chance against Rodney. LOL. Rodney is so far above them its not even funny. Rodney is so clearly the only choice to beat McCain. Dougherty was a nervous wreck at the debates. Why does Tucson weekly seem to have a personal agenda against Glassman. I guess they like McCain here.