Lexington Herald Leader on candidate debates!

The Following are excerpts from a recent Lexington Herald Leader Editorial "Editorial: Voters deserve more debates "12:00am on May 30, 2012; Modified: 1:43am on May 30, 2012 * * * "Still, [a candidate] . . . makes a valid point about needing more debates than voters have been getting in congressional races. "The TV studio debates Kentuckians have become accustomed to in congressional and statewide races do tend to be insular affairs with candidates fielding questions from members of the media whose jobs assure their neutrality. "And all too often, voters are denied even that opportunity to see opposing candidates strut their stuff on the same stage. "These days, political challengers, particularly those who lag in name recognition or fund-raising prowess, routinely propose as many debates as possible. The more debates, the more opportunities for incumbents to commit a gaffe. "Incumbents, who loathe sharing a stage and spotlight with a challenger, just as routinely agree to as few debates as possible — and only when they feel the heat, as [an incumbent candidate] . . . did in 2010 and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell did in 2008. "Incumbents with substantial leads in the polls and in campaign pocketbooks may not agree to any at all. ". . . members of Kentucky's congressional delegation have taken passes on debates in elections gone by. "Voters deserve more respect than that shown by incumbents who dodge debates. "Anyone, challenger or incumbent seeking public office has a responsibility to stand up and be judged against his/her opponent. * * * "Multiple debates, including some in the kind of public forums where the risk of ambush for both candidates can be reduced to a minimum, would be preferable. "Voters deserve no less." Kenneth Stepp agrees with this opinion of the Lexington Herald Leader. Kenneth Stepp challenges the incumbent Fifth District of Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers to thirty political debates, one in each of the thirty counties in the Fifth District of Kentucky. Let's give the voters a chance to vote on the issues.