Scotto Pulls Out -- But Not All The Way

Published Oct 29 2012, 05:43 PM by David S. Bernstein

Word is that Scott Brown has unilaterally withdrawn from tomorrow night's debate with Elizabeth Warren, on account of, umm, storm something-or-other.

Yeah, I'm not quite sure what's up with this.

There's no safety concern; the debate is scheduled to be held without an audience in a network studio, so the only people at potential risk are a few dozen of us journalist types who might venture over to the WGBH building -- and I know Scotto isn't worried about us.

Brown is apparently arguing that it wouldn't be appropriate to discuss actual US Senate issues during storm-related clean-up. Inappropriate to offer comparisons and contrasts between the two candidates who would people must vote for in one week, to represent them for the next six years. "Simply not appropriate," according to the campaign's statement, to talk about anything other than "emergency response and disaster relief."

Well.

So, why are you still airing political ads, Scotto?

'Cuz I just saw one on my TV -- actually, during a commercial break in live local storm coverage.

How is that appropriate, and not a debate?

If you're so offended by "campaigns and politics" interrupting our concentration on the storm, surely you should pull those ads down -- or better, replace them with apolitical public-service announcements about "emergency response and disaster relief"?

Because if you don't, I might be inclined to conclude that you're just ducking the debate because you want to conduct the rest of the campaign on the airwaves, and not in a live debate setting with an interlocutor and your opponent.

Which would mean you're using the very real concerns and losses of people in this storm as a purely political excuse, to avoid the debate.

That can't be right.

So, Scotto, you'll be pulling down your ads, right? Right?

Update: Now the Warren campaign is out with a statement: "With the concern for public safety and cleanup paramount, Elizabeth believes the debate should not be held tomorrow." So, now I think they're both being ridiculous and hypocritical. The debate doesn't affect public safety and cleanup any more or less than the ads both sides are airing; if those stay up, the debate should go on.