Rivals Accuse Emanuel Of Dodging Forums, Debates
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In the race for mayor of Chicago, three candidate forums have been scheduled for next week, but Rahm Emanuel will be conspicuous by his absence in all three.
It's led to a hue and cry from other candidates and newspaper editorial pages asking "why won't Rahm debate?"
As CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports, the Emanuel campaign said that it has either confirmed or is finalizing plans to attend three debates.
But exactly how many do the other candidates, or the voters think should there be?
Former Chicago Board of Education President Gery Chico said, "I myself have called for 10 debates."
"Elections are about more than a 30-second spot. Voters cannot question a television set," Chico added. "The next mayor has got to be tough enough to be able to … explain themselves and defend their positions side-by-side with the other candidates."
Former U.S. Sen. and ambassador Carol Moseley Braun said, "I would say there has to be at least three."
"Quite frankly, it's a disservice to the voters not to go to the debates," Braun said.
And Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle said, "I think the more debates we have the better. … I would love five, six, seven debates."
What do voters think? At Manny's Deli, the popular lunch spot where Illinois politicians often come to campaign, three seemed to be a popular number.
Dennis Paull said, "Probably three, all the candidates."
Ron Gregory said, "I think if the candidates are really familiar with the issues that affect the city, they should be able to articulate that in three debates."
Dorothy Lang said she thought three to five debates would be enough.
"They're not gonna say anything that different," she said.
"If they were all there at the same time? Then probably 2 or 3 at the most," Joe Smith.
Most of the people at Manny's said they think much more than three debates would be unnecessary and a waste of time, as the candidates should be able to cover the major issues with just a few debates.
But what what about community forums? Del Valle said the difference between a community forum and a debate is who is asking the questions.
At a community forum, candidates make presentations directly to voters, who then get to ask questions, del Valle explained. At a debate, members of the media ask candidates questions and then candidates engage in a back-and-forth discussion with each other.
Del Valle has attended all three candidate forums held so far. He'll also be at all three forums next week.
"If you don't have these forums, then you're not talking about things, during this campaign, that are important to people," del Valle said. "Let the people, the neighborhoods tell you through the organization of these forums what is important to them; and it's important that all candidates show up to address those issues."
Emanuel has said he's taking his campaign directly to the people, having hit 45 "L" stops, 12 schools, and 62 other neighborhood locations since returning from Washington.
But Chico, who said he has made more than 100 similar stops, said you have to be tough enough to make your case to the people side by side with the other candidates.
"When I say 10 debates, not all of them are going to be prime-time major hosted events," Chico said. "Right now I see four or five of that ilk."
"To me it's just as important that we appear at a 30-, 40-person community forum if we can, as it is to be on a major televised debate," he added.
As a rule of thumb, underdogs want more debates during a campaign because they need the exposure.
Favorites who can afford lots of TV commercials want fewer debates.
Mayor Richard M. Daley, for example, hasn't debated mayoral challengers in years.
One other campaign development on Thursday was perhaps the most significant endorsement so far. Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes, the popular Southwest Side Democrat, announced that he's supporting Emanuel.
Between that and the Daley camp guest list at this week's Emanuel fundraiser, it sure looks like the "Anybody but Rahm" movement is done.
CBS 2 Political Producer Ed Marshall contributed to this report.
