The debate over having debates season has officially kicked off in the Sixth District congressional race, as expected, launched by the Democratic Party challenger, Beth Macy.
It’s always the challenger that has to take the first step in this pas de deux.
The Macy campaign, on Monday, noted in a release that it has reached out to the campaign of MAGA incumbent Ben Cline to request a schedule of three in-person debates – one each in Roanoke, Harrisonburg and Winchester, to be held between Sept. 25 and Nov. 1.
Macy, the best-selling author of reported books on the impact of the opioid crisis and globalization on Appalachia, said in a statement:
Public debates are a cornerstone of democratic elections. They allow voters to hear directly from candidates, compare positions on the issues and evaluate how candidates respond to questions and differing viewpoints. Debates promote transparency and accountability by giving candidates a public forum to explain their priorities and records, helping voters make informed decisions before casting their ballots—values I hope Ben Cline and I both share.
Prediction: Cline doesn’t even respond, much less dignify the request with a no, thanks.
Ben Cline doesn’t appear in public in situations that aren’t carefully scripted to make his subservience to Donald Trump look like anything but muscular patriotism.
Macy is going to have to pull the stunt of hosting her own debates in Roanoke, Harrisonburg and Winchester with an empty chair in place of Cline.
Though, actually, not that it’s going to happen, but if Cline’s folks were to surprise us and agree to debates, she’d still be debating an empty chair.
Anyway.
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Chris Graham
