Despite the fact that Crist has a double digit lead over democrat Jim Davis,
Crist is reluctant to have a face to face debate with Davis.
Republican Attorney General Charlie Crist, with a solid lead in the race for governor, is showing little enthusiasm for events in which he would directly confront opponent Jim Davis. Those forums and debates are the political equivalent of a one-on-one fast break.
Crist denies he's holding the ball: "We're running like we're 20 points behind and taking nothing for granted," said campaign spokeswoman Erin Isaac.
Despite this, he has declined recently to participate in two such events, forums on health care and child welfare issues, even after their organizers thought the campaign had agreed to them.
This week, Crist also threatened to withdraw from one of two planned televised debates with Davis. His campaign objects to the format of the event, an unstructured conversation between the two candidates and Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's "Hardball."
Come on Charlie! This is like saying if you don't get things your way you're going to hold your breath until you turn blue. And why the objection to Matthews? Lately the screamer has been on your side so why the objection? Why are you afraid to debate Davis?
LeMieux denied Crist is reluctant to debate Davis. He said Crist has challenged Davis to two debates, and expects two televised debates.
So which is it? Do you want to debate or not? What will the debate planners do if you turn tail and run away?
The news directors of the nine stations that plan to air the debate statewide, most of them NBC affiliates, intend to stick with their planned format, said WFLA News Director Don North.
North wouldn't say what they'll do if Crist withdraws.
He said Florida NBC stations planning the debate believe viewers are well served by the format used in "Meet the Press" with Tim Russert and Matthews' "Hardball." Subjects and interviewer are seated and exchange thoughts and spontaneous questions.
'More Natural Conversation'
"A more natural conversation," North called it, "that lends itself better to follow-up questions and spontaneity." The format, he added, provides "a feel for what kind of people the candidates are as well as where they are on the issues."
LeMieux said a more conventional format "is what people expect, it's what they want to see. It's supposed to be a debate, not a talk show."
He said the Crist campaign has agreed to a televised debate Oct. 24 with a traditional format, to be broadcast by Public Broadcasting System stations and moderated by Ray Suarez of the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.
Oh I see now. You'll debate just as long as it's boring and no one will see it. You chickenshit!