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State election law enforcement commissioners Monday postponed a decision on shifting a televised gubernatorial debate from Oct. 1 to Oct. 22 at the request of Gov. Jon Corzine.
The Election Law Enforcement Commission opted to hold a second meeting on Wednesday after the Monday vote on the question of moving the debate ended in a 2-2 tie.
The special meeting was called after NJN-TV, asked ELEC for permission to move the debate after Corzine's re-election campaign told the station his scheduled is booked until Oct. 22.
The shift is strongly opposed by Republican candidate Chris Christie and Independent Chris Daggett who have charged Corzine is attempting to delay the debate until late in the campaign. Election Day is Nov. 3.Corzine is not required to participate in the debate because he is not accepting state public financing but Christie and Daggett are required to take part because they are accepting the money.
The debate between the lieutenant governor candidates is set for Oct. 8 but if the Oct. 1 gubernatorial debate is moved, the lieutenant governor debate would have to be moved until after another gubernatorial debate set for Oct. 16.
"We will debate,'' Corzine said in Plainsboro. "As you know, there are always debates about debates. I am under the impression our people are working closely with ELEC to get this resolved.''
In Jersey City, Christie was less diplomatic.
"He should just stop hiding. What's he doing on Oct. 1 that's so important that he can't come to a debate?''
Daggett urged ELEC officials to keep the Oct. 1 debate date, saying the public would be better served by not squeezing all of the debates into a single week.
"I am pleased that Governor Corzine has agreed to participate in both of the officially-sanctioned debates, regardless of when they are held,'' Daggett said. "Corzine's bid to pack the debates within a space of a week was roundly criticized by our campaign, by the Republican campaign and by other stakeholders. This episode painfully and vividly illustrates how broken the political system is in New Jersey with the four commissioners predictably divided along partisan lines''
Daggett also urged NJN-TV to withdraw its request to move the debate to Oct 22, citing Corzine's agreement to appear in the debates whenever they are scheduled.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
