tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478354375758846359.post9216274106797408055..comments2023-04-25T13:20:01.724-07:00Comments on Arizona Eagletarian: Oh Vernon... (again) UPDATED 6:10pm 10-7-12Steve Muratore aka Arizona Eagletarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01404761986345385458noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478354375758846359.post-12952306055583351132012-10-10T10:20:35.496-07:002012-10-10T10:20:35.496-07:00Good catch. I need an editor for my posts.Good catch. I need an editor for my posts.GregJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12264280627179480116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478354375758846359.post-82596461465755656532012-10-09T20:45:14.913-07:002012-10-09T20:45:14.913-07:00One correction to Greg Jones' comment above, w...One correction to Greg Jones' comment above, when he references "zero debates in AZ CD1..." I believe he meant "AZ CD9."Steve Muratore aka Arizona Eagletarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01404761986345385458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-478354375758846359.post-29814010599252919632012-10-09T18:52:21.895-07:002012-10-09T18:52:21.895-07:00I've been following the congressional race in ...I've been following the congressional race in New Mexico CD1 race, which is very similar to the AZ09 race. Dem Michelle Lujan Grisham beat two strong primary challengers to face Republican nominee Janice Arnold-Jones. This district is fairly evenly matched, with a slight advantage to Dem registration and, like AZ CD9, it represents the only real competitive race in the state. Tonight, the two candidates held their 6th debate with 3 still to go. This is the normal course for non-incumbent candidates in a competitive congressional race, lots of debates, candidate forums and opportunities for the voters to compare the two. In dramatic contrast, there have been zero debates in AZ CD1 and there apparently will not be any, all because Vernon Parker has refused debate offers from Sinema and various news organizations. Zero debates. There is only one reason a relatively unknown candidate in a close race would categorically refuse the customary opportunities for public debates-- he is a pragmatic coward. He is afraid that all the far-right positions he has taken to pander to the most extreme elements of the AZ Republican party in the primary (and in the 2010 losing effort) will not go over well with reasonable moderate and progressive voters. He wanted that extremist vote so badly that he actually lied about being endorsed by the "AZ Tea Party" in 2010 in print ads mailed to voters. (He admitted it was untrue but said it was too late to correct it.) Most importantly, he hopes to avoid anyone asking him about, or bringing up critically, the fact that he was terminated by the SBA for lying on his application and in his appeal and because of his poor business ethics. He has largely been able to avoid talking about this scandal thus far. His only chance is to sticking to friendly crowds and appearing for a few minutes in front of local journos. He has made the cynical calculation that, although he is losing to Sinema 4-5 points in the polls, he is better off letting outside SuperPACs spend lavishly on ads to smear his opponent and to try to save his bacon than to appear before a general audience and risk being unmasked as a fraudster and a zealot. It reminds me of the old adage that it is better to remain silent and have some think you're a fool than to debate your opponent and remove all doubt.GregJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12264280627179480116noreply@blogger.com