Cooperate on debates

A debate over debates has flared in Iowa's race for governor.

That's not so unusual. It's pretty typical for one candidate to want more televised debates than his or her opponents. The candidate who wants more debates often is the candidate who most needs the free media exposure. That candidate is usually running behind.

But what is unusual is that back in June, Gov. Terry Branstad's campaign unilaterally announced that he would take part in debates in Des Moines, Burlington and Sioux City. There was no consultation with Democratic nominee Jack Hatch.

Hatch agreed to those three debates, but he would also like six other forums in places such as Cedar Rapids. Branstad's campaign says, flatly, the issue is closed.

We think three debates is enough, although we are disappointed that the governor decided that Eastern Iowa metro areas such as Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Waterloo won't host a debate. KCRG-TV and The Gazette have offered to sponsor a debate. There are regional issues at stake in a race for governor. Apparently, this region won't get to ask the candidates about them.

The Des Moines debate will be televised statewide on Iowa Public Television. But the Burlington debate will be shown on Quad Cities TV, with Sioux City's forum also broadcast regionally in Northwest Iowa. It's possible those broadcast plans will expand.

But we're not OK with the Branstad campaign's contention that it, alone, is entitled to make the call on where debates will be held. There should have been a dialogue between the Branstad and Hatch campaigns. We don't expect the campaigns to agree on issues, but we at least expect them to respect each other and the process enough to cooperate when necessary.

If that can't happen, if we've now set a precedent that the campaign with the highest poll numbers and most money gets to dictate debates, it may be time to talk about setting up an independent body similar to the one that sets presidential debates. It could do the negotiating over sites and details if campaigns can no longer cooperate on their own.

In our era of big money, highly choreographed, poll-tested politics, debates play an important role in forcing candidates to perform without a net and answer questions on issues. And it's a role that's too important to be left solely in the hands of one campaign.

' Comments: (319) 398-8262 or editorial@thegazette.com