Barletta Challenges Kanjorski to Debate the Issues

Press Release

Barletta Challenges Kanjorski to Debate the Issues

This morning, U.S. Congressional candidate Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta sent a letter to Congressman Paul Kanjorski challenging him to a series of six debates on local radio throughout the summer to be followed by public debates this fall in each of the five counties that make up the 11th Congressional District.

The proposal is:

Six Summer Debates on Radio:

*A series of six debates should commence as soon as possible on WILK radio. The debates would be 30-45 minutes in length and there would be two each on The Morning Show with Nancy and Kevin, The Sue Henry Show, and The Steve Corbett Show.

*Each debate would focus on a single issue. The suggested issues are Social Security, The Economy, Energy, The War and Foreign Affairs, Illegal Immigration, and Health Care.

*Each candidate needs to agree to all six debates and schedule all of them before the first debate. That way one candidate can't pick and choose issues or show up for one debate and later say they can't find time to do any of the others.

Five Fall Debates (one in each county):

*One 60-minute debate in each of the five counties (Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Monroe) of the 11th Congressional District.

*Debates will be open to the public and members of the media.

*Campaigns can negotiate terms and format.

*Some local media outlets such as WVIA and WNEP have already expressed interest in televised debates and the campaigns should work with them to get the debates out to as many voters as possible.

"There has been a great deal of rhetoric in this campaign about who is willing to speak on the issues and who is not. This is a chance for Congressman Kanjorski and me to stop the rhetoric and debate the issues. If Congressman Kanjorski would like to debate other issues, I am open to it," Barletta said.

Vince Galko, campaign manager for the Barletta campaign, said, "I am certain Congressman Kanjorski will respond by saying there will be plenty of time for debates later, or that a congressman is too busy to do all these debates. Don't let all the spinning and smearing from his spokesmen hide the fact that Mr. Kanjorski is scared to debate the issues face to face with Lou Barletta. There are 133 days until the election. Certainly, Mr. Kanjorski believes the voters deserve at least eight hours of his time to hear his views on important issues."

Barletta added, "I am sure Congressman Kanjorski agrees with me when I say every county and every voter are equally important to us. Each county should be allowed to host a debate and allow its citizens the chance to come and listen to the candidates in person. It's time for us to answer to the people. You have to earn votes. You are not entitled to them. Mr. Kanjorski, let's come together now and start debating the issues."

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