Debate over debates begins in governor’s race

NASHVILLE — The debate over how many gubernatorial debates and forums in which Republican Bill Haslam and Democrat Mike McWherter should participate is officially under way.

Knoxville Mayor Haslam announced Wednesday he has agreed to one televised debate in each of the state’s three grand divisions — East, Middle and West.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunities provided by these debates to present my case to Tennessee voters,” Haslam said in a news release. “These three televised debates will provide voters excellent opportunities to determine how I would govern if given the chance.”

But McWherter’s campaign said he has agreed to 15 joint candidate appearances in various debates, candidate forums or joint-appearance events.

McWherter officials declared that “in a cowardly move, the Haslam campaign is backing out on joint appearances across the state, limiting the opportunity for Tennessee voters to compare the candidates side-by-side.”

“No one group is more important than the other and now is not the time for any candidate to avoid debating the issues one-on-one in front of interested Tennesseans,” McWherter said. “If he (Haslam) is not willing to stand up to me, how can Tennesseans trust him to stand up for their best interests?”

The general election campaign began after Haslam defeated fellow Republicans Zach Wamp and Ron Ramsey in the Aug. 5 GOP primary. McWherter had no primary opponent.

The 15 dates cited by McWherter include an Oct. 14 event in Chattanooga entitled the Young Professionals of Chattanooga Forum. Also included are the three statewide televised events agreed to by Haslam.

Those are:

* Sept. 14 in Middle Tennessee (Cookeville). Sponsored by The Highlands, Tennessee Tech University, the Tennessee League of Women Voters and WTVF-NewsChannel5.

* Oct. 7 in East Tennessee (Knoxville). Sponsored by WBIR-TV and the University of Tennessee’s Howard J. Baker Center for Public Policy.

* Oct. 9 in West Tennessee (Memphis). Sponsored by WREG-TV, the Memphis Commercial Appeal and Impact Memphis.