Apparently Mark Taylor's momma told him to run from big bad Cathy Cox. Because he will be a no show at a scheduled debate with her in Savannah.
The AJC's Political Insider has the story.........
Taylor a no-show in Savannah
Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 07:31 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Savannah — The Georgia Press Association is assembling here this Wednesday evening, and word is spreading that Mark Taylor, the Democratic candidate for governor, has nixed his scheduled debate with primary rival Cathy Cox.
It was supposed to happen Thursday. The reviews are not pretty. “We’ve been snubbed by better candidates,” fumed one publisher.
They shouldn’t feel singled out. Taylor was a no-show at last month’s gathering of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, also on the coast.
We haven’t talked to the Taylor’s camp. But allow us to hazard a few guesses on why they passed:
— Taylor feels like he’s got a comfortable lead in the polls. No need to give Cox a forum to attack him. — Cox is a journalism school graduate of the University of Georgia. This group already has an affinity for her. Why waste time?
— Here’s the cruelest interpretation: Like the Chamber, the press association is part of Georgia’s establishment. And the Georgia’s Democratic party is no longer an establishment party. The GPA, which is dominated by the state’s smaller weekly and dailies, most in rural areas, no longer reaches the voters who decide the Democratic primary.
Now, for Republicans, it’s another matter. Ralph Reed and Casey Cagle are set to tango at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
I don't agree with their reasoning. I think that people expect their candidates for office to debate. And it's always been my feeling that while Taylor can make a stump speech to a target audience, he's a little too loose with facts and too short on ideas to handle Cox in a debate.
I sure hope he changes his mind. Because even if he won the primary, this makes him look very, very bad. There's too much machismo in Georgia to support a man who runs from a fight.
No comments:
Post a Comment