Schwarzenegger and debates

Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigns for governor as an outsider, but he's acting like just another business-as-usual poll by refusing to enter more than one debate or candidate forum before the Oct. 7 election to recall Gov. Gray Davis.

It's an old front-runner's tactic: Don't expose yourself to attacks by your opponents when you get all the attention you want through celebrity and media attention. ...

Only live, unrehearsed questions can take the measure of the candidates. Office-seekers should have to spontaneously demonstrate their familiarity with big issues like the state's chronic budget troubles and at least outline how they would address them. But Schwarzenegger is following another old political dictum: The less specific you are, the less you give your opponents to criticize.

Debates are particularly necessary in a short campaign like this one. Schwarzenegger says voters are tired of the old politics and old ideas. One round of rehearsed answers would be a slam-dunk for actor Schwarzenegger. But that won't give voters any new politics or better ideas - or any good reasons to vote for a candidate who refuses to do more.

-- Los Angeles Times