Debate ? What Debate ?

You might not know it from the way it was covered or not covered by the Texas media, but there was a debate a few days ago of candidates running for governor in the state of Texas.   Democrat Bill White, Libertarian Kathie Glass and Deb Shafto of the Green Party showed up and did their civic duty by debating the issues.   Republican Rick Perry decided to skip the debate rather than run the risk of being outdebated by one or more of his opponents.

Sadly, Rick Perry was not the only one to skip the debate.   For the most part, the Texas media was also a no-show.   Only two print reporters, one from the Houston Chronicle and one from the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, and two camera crews, both from local Houston stations, bothered to attend what should have been an important political event for the people of Texas.

Nancy Parra, president of the Houston League of Women Voters (who sponsored the debate), was disappointed.   She said,   "Everybody said if Governor Perry appeared, they would cover the debate.   Because he wouldn't come, there wasn't any coverage.   We tried and couldn't even get it on the radio.   One person should not have the right to decide what voters see and hear.   It's as if the governor has decided that he will not be questioned -- knowing that people won't get to see other candidates."

Ms. Parra is absolutely right.   Both Rick Perry and the Texas media should have been at the debate.   Perry's absence shows his political cowardice.   He took a gamble that not debating wouldn't hurt him in the coming election, and with the almost non-existent coverage the debate (and his absence) generated in the media he was proven to have been right.   This will just encourage him to also skip the next debate.

But the Texas media, with the exception of the few mentioned above, should be even more ashamed than Rick Perry.   They have an obligation to their readers and to the citizens of Texas to cover all important political events (and a debate of candidates for governor has to be considered important) -- not just the ones a Republican deigns to attend.   They failed to live up to their responsibility.