Taking Meg at her word in May, one might ask; “Maybe it’s Steve Poizner running from the big debate with Meg Whitman?”

My producers renewed their interest with a nugget from a May interview I had with Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Meg Whitman.

You see, yesterday there was another gubernatorial debate in California that featured Steve Poizner and Tom Campbell, but no Meg Whitman.

For my staff, it’s another point in time to bring up what I consider to be the obvious by now; Meg Whitman will not be doing any debates with Poizner and Campbell this year.

But for some, the promise she made on The Captiol Hour is going unfulfilled.

On May 18, 2009, I interviewed the former eBay CEO Meg Whitman on 1380 KTKZ.

It was a day that featured Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former Representative Tom Campbell at the Sacramento Press Club debating the June ballots propositions initiatives.

My lead question, (after a very sophomoric exchange about Mr. Potato Head, please forgive me), was Meg’s absence at the Sacramento Press Club downtown and her visit with me on The Capitol Hour.

Here is part one of that interview from the HOGUE NEWS interview page: 

Listening to Meg’s reply to my initial (serious) question, about her absence at the Press Club that day, caught my staff by surprise (the first time they had heard it since the actual air date). They immediately brought it to my attention a few days back when they caught wind of yesterday’s debate,”Hogue where are the promised fall debates?”

Here is the transcription.

Hogue: “Why did you choose to come here (1380 KTKZ via phone interview) and not visit the Press Club today?”

Meg: “Yeah, I think a couple reasons, one is that Steve - who issued the invitation – (and I) don’t actually disagree on much as it relates to these initiatives. We are both against 1A, 1B and 1C. So it seems like we would be debating something that we agree upon.”

“And I thought it was a better use of my time to be out working for what I thought was the right answers on these propositions these last several weeks. So, I hope we’ll have a chance to debate. I’ve asked Steve if he’d like to participate in three debates in the fall, in different parts of the state, on a far more wide range of subjects than just the propositions so I think he’ll take me up on that, I hope  he will anyway.“

I’ve addressed Meg Whitman’s reluctance to debate on three previous pieces here at HOGUE NEWS, but the staff must be calmed once again after tripping over this May interview’s audio this week.

Just to be factual, I thought I’d better make sure and contact the Poizner Campaign personally and check to see if Meg Whitman has asked the Steve Poizner Campaign to debate? After all, weirder things have happened, right?

So I wrote Poizner’s communication point-man Jarrod Agen, “Is Steve Poizner ’ducking and dodging’ debates with Meg Whitman? Seriously, has the Whitman Team asked, invited or discussed with Team Poizner any dates for ‘three debates’ for this fall?”

You never know.

Here is Agen’s answer:

“Eric, this fall we debated Representative Tom Campbell on Ronn Owens Show in September and we debated Mr. Campbell again tonight. Meg Whitman declined both. Meg went to the border today, because she was trying to get as far away from debates as possible.”

Agen forwarded me a letter sent from the Poizner Camp to the Whitman Camp on August 3, 2009 actually referencing my interview with her and her comment that she would be open to three fall debates in 2009:

Dear Mr. Gomez,

Our campaign is excited to announce that today we have accepted the debate invitation from Brandman University in Irvine, California for the date of October 20th. As you are aware, the debate will focus on “Solutions to the California Financial Crisis,” which is a topic of utmost importance to the voters of this state.

This debate invitation is timely. On May 18th, while Commissioner Poizner and Tom Campbell were participating in the first gubernatorial debate, Meg Whitman appeared on The Capitol Hour with Eric Hogue to issue this challenge:

“I’ve asked Steve if he’d like to participate in three debates in the fall in different parts of the state on a far more wide range of subjects than just the propositions. So I think he’ll take me up on that. I hope he will anyway.”

We feel that the Brandman University debate will serve as an excellent setting for one of those three fall debates.

Former Representative Campbell has previously demonstrated his commitment to an open dialogue and his willingness to debate the issues.

We await your acceptance of this debate and are looking forward to scheduling the other two debates that Mrs. Whitman proposed for the fall as well.

I look forward to your response and an informative debate on October 20th.

Sincerely,
Jim Bognet
Campaign Manager
Steve Poizner for Governor 2010

OK, the more that things change, the more they remain the same.

In August, I posted a piece charging that Meg Whitman refuses to engage in debates. I forgot about that HOGUE NEWS piece, but the staff never forgets. I figured then, as I do now, that it is simply strategy: If you’re ahead you don’t play with fire and agree to debates – until you are forced to.

But there is a growing ground-swell, as many of my listeners are beginning to say that it is now time. “Hogue, that Meg promised on your show to personally invite Steve Poizner to three statewide debates…well, we need to hear the content of these debates, and you need to hold her to her word.”

What we do know and can say for sure. Meg Whitman’s statement on my show on May 18, 2009 has not happened. She has not agreed to, nor has she called, contacted, or organized three statewide debates for this fall with Steve Poizner, or Tom Campbell.

Today, Meg Whitman was at the border discussing immigration, border security and personal policies.

The explanation, it is a choice of strategy. When you are ahead in the polls you are instructed to never look over your shoulder, it only slows you down – or worse yet – you could lose that precious lead.

As for the three fall debates, don’t count on it. Enjoy the holidays and welcome the New Year, a real gubernatorial debate isn’t happening inside of 2009.

Footnote: 1380 KTKZ has (again) asked the three candidates for a special “Evening in December”, together in Sacramento at the same time, at the same event hosted by 1380 KTKZ. All three campaigns are considering, stay tuned for more details.