DEBATE PCSO Declined - Now Open forum please come

Yesterday evening Fred Wegener, Park County Sheriff declined the invitation to debate with Michael Graves Candidate for Park County Sheriff.

The following is formation relative to the debate.
Park County Sheriff Candidate Debate
June 11, 2010
Where: Shepherd of the Rockies (behind jitter juice)
160 Rosalie RD
Bailey, CO
Time: 7P - 8P


Ground Rules:
• No Inflammatory or hateful comments related to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or age. Personal attacks, such as your private life or your family, indecent remarks, name calling and profanity.
• Going over your time limit – time will be added to the other candidate as a result

Format:
10 total questions will be posed to the candidates, chosen from public submissions posed as questions that can be answered by each candidate
• Each Candidate will have 2 minutes to answer.
• Each Candidate will have 1 minute to rebut
• Each Candidate will be penalized 1 minute if Ground Rules are broken. Lost time will be given to rebutting candidate.
• Questions will be pulled randomly from a “hat”
• First candidate to answer will be drawn from a hat, followed by alternating order. Order will change if candidate goes over his time limit or breaks any of the ground rules.
After Debate:
• Audience will have opportunity to track questions for clarification, questions will be gathered and chosen randomly
• Same Format and Ground Rules as debate.

Moderator:
Alan Bonser
Jeffco County Resident
Emp: Neideger, Tucker, Bruner Inc.

Emcee: Jo Ann Showalter
Time Keeper: TBD

Fred's running scared, as well he should. Did he give a reason for declining?

Absolutely no reason. Running scared to me seems to be a strange concept...I would want to take advantage of these opportunities to make my points and encourage my supporters. Politics should never be one-sided.

Oh! That's too bad. I think it really could have been a good thing for both candidates. I'm sorry to hear this news.

What a bunch of crap. He is a sitting Sheriff. What is he afraid of? The Truth?

Raincheck?

I think you have the 'check' part right

Does this mean we can ask questions here. If so, what are your plans for the Jail? I have other questions as well. Thanks.

Mtn Gramma wrote: Fred's running scared, as well he should. Did he give a reason for declining?

First, I don't live in Park County so I have no horse in the race.

It's hardly running scared for an incumbent to turn down a debate with a challenger. It happens all the time in politics when the incumbent is far ahead in the polls and feels he or she has nothing to gain by being on the same stage with the challenger who may be far behind in the polls. For the challenger, being on the same state with the incumbent makes them appear to be equal in stature when they may not be.

I'm not saying this is the case, I'm just explaining how turning down a debate request may come about.

Ya know...I had not made up my mind on voting quite yet but i think I have now.
The citizens of this county have a right to ask questions and have them answered. I hear he is over budget again. People are getting laid off and he is over budget with a couple of Humvees. Those Humvees could pay a couple of those deputies for an entire year. heck...what we pay those poor guys, we could have 5 or more deputies.