Even if there's no debate, there will be a blame game

[sonias]

AAS 9/16/10
Even if there's no debate, there will be a blame game

Gov. Rick Perry said he would not debate Democratic challenger Bill White unless White released additional personal income tax returns by Wednesday. White did not give in to Perry's demands.

Perry, saying the public should know what sort of personal benefit White reaped while in public service, wants White to release tax returns from two periods in the 1990s: the years he was deputy energy secretary in the Clinton administration and his time as chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. White has released the personal financial disclosure forms he had to file when he held those jobs and says Perry is simply trying to avoid a debate.

I still think there is a pretty good chance that these two will debate before the Nov. 2 election, perhaps in the Oct. 19 debate requested by five Texas newspapers and KLRU-TV. Either man could change his position based on where he stands in the polls, although he will inevitably blame his change of heart on something else. The Perry-imposed Wednesday deadline helped frame the conflict between Perry and White but had no real significance.

:shrug:

I blame Perry.

[sonias]

1. Prospect of Perry, White sharing a debate stage not likely

Houston Chronicle 9/15/10
Prospect of Perry, White sharing a debate stage not likely

A taunting chicken could not persuade Rick Perry and a taunting governor could not budge Bill White, so it looks like Texas voters will not be seeing a debate this fall between the two men who want to be their governor. With a midnight deadline looming, neither man blinked during separate appearances in Houston on Wednesday.

The guy in the full-length yellow chicken suit and cowboy boots stood on a sweltering Houston street as the Perry entourage drove into a lot at the Mach Industrial Group for a news conference hailing his role in tort reform. About a dozen men from union locals, in addition to the faux fowl, waved signs and yelled at "Gallina Perry."

"He needs to quit running," said Richard Shaw, secretary-treasurer of the Harris County AFL-CIO. "He ought to meet with editorial boards, as well."
Call for transparency

(snip)
At his own news conference at his campaign headquarters earlier in the day, White insisted he already had disclosed "far more financial information and more complete financial information" than Perry.

"Gallina Perry" sounds like a perfect name. It's the equivalent of Ricky Chicky Chicky by the way, for non Spanish speakers. It reads "Chicken Perry" in Spanish.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[sonias]

2. Texas gubernatorial debate unlikely before November

El Paso Times 9/16/10
Texas gubernatorial debate unlikely before November
HOUSTON -- Texas voters are probably not going to see the two gubernatorial candidates debate each other before the Nov. 2 election.
(snip)
Candidates are not required to give out their tax returns under state ethics laws.

White said he has already provided "piles and piles" of financial statements that detail his assets and sources of income, while Perry has refused to reveal his sources of income and has not listed his debts.

White accused Perry of disrespecting Texas voters by not debating him and said that Perry's refusal has more to do with being afraid to answer tough questions about his job performance as governor, including a projected multibillion-dollar state budget shortfall.

"The more he can be scripted in 30-second TV ads to talk about (President Barack) Obama, the less people will think about how he's doing his job. That's his game," White said during a news conference earlier Wednesday at a campaign office in Houston.

:kick:

[sonias]

3. Debate Looking Unlikely for Perry and White

Debate Looking Unlikely for Perry and White
That deadline set by Rick Perry has come and gone. The governor gave his Democratic challenger, Bill White, until midnight last night to release tax returns from his days as Deputy Energy Secretary in the Clinton administration. So, for now, it looks like Texas voters will not get to see the two men duke it out on the same stage. Ben Philpott KUT News and the Tribune has this report.

Short little 4 minute report. Mark Miner (Perry's lapdog) has the gall to say that transparency is important to the people of Texas and Perry. Obviously he's just reading words.

Debates can lead to mistakes - which is why Perry is being a rubber chicken. It's a greater risk for the citizenry who don't get to see the candidates debate face to face.

There is a good segment on mainstream media as partisan and the dangers of that.

Perry thinks he's just entitled to do anything he wants to and the Texas media pretty much let him get away with it.

Yep that's it in a nutshell.
:grr: