Speaking of debates, it’s disappointing that the remaining two debates Sen. Pat Roberts (in photo) has agreed to have with Democratic challenger Jim Slattery – Oct. 14 in Wichita and Oct. 15 in Overland Park – aren’t free or open to the public. At least the Oct. 14 debate, at the Kansas Association of Broadcasters convention, will be taped for possible broadcast around the state. Roberts should agree to at least one truly public debate, not because Slattery wants one but because Kansas voters deserve to hear their “junior” senator for the past 12 years take tough questions and defend his record.
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Mrage on Health care reform would save state money
- BlueJay on Minority status in Senate; majority approval at home
- BlueJay on Minority status in Senate; majority approval at home
- DorisKing on Open thread 11/22
- DorisKing on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- satatom on Health care reform would save state money
- Monkeyhawk on Jail consultants straining patience
- Monkeyhawk on Minority status in Senate; majority approval at home
- JWink on Jail consultants straining patience
10 Comments
What difference does it make if the debate is public concurrent with the actual event?
If it is going to be re-broadcast, then the public has more of an opportunity to view it and it will be seen by a larger audience.
Besides, look at all the fuel that would be saved, by keeping those private gas guzzlers in their garages.
The EAGLE must not have our U.S. Senator Pat Roberts in its declining pocket, hence the emphasis on Senator Roberts “junior” Senator status to Senator Brownback. The “junior” term, seldom used, refers to the relative length of office a state’s senators have held office.
In Kansas and Washington, a Senator’s real reputation is judged by his acceptance by his fellow fellow Senators, his real background, his legislative production, etc.
Senator Pat Roberts, former Kansas newsman from central and western Kansas, humorist, U.S. Marine, though perhaps with a touch of Kansas reticence, has served Kansas with honor, in the pattern of our esteemed former U.S. Senator from Russell, Kansas, Robert Dole.
I really believe in karma and what goes around will come around for Pat. He is complicit in hiding the truth of bush’s war of choice. He’ll get his.
Sadly, I find Pat Roberts the most qualified of the unqualified representing Kansans. In this group of bad apples he doesn’t have as many rotting spots and worms.
And a taped event will prevent Roberts from hearing the well-deserved hisses and boos from the citizens he has screwed over…
I have talked with Jim Slattery and heard his point of view on how the country is on the wrong path. He has been solving problems for the private sector for the past decade for Kansas companies.
Now he can get back to solving the problems of America and Kansas as a whole.
Write to Senator Roberts and DEMAND that he participate in a debate to air live on T.V.
He won’t listen of course. He has not a care for the will of the people of Kansas. But at least you can let him know what you think of him.
Having watched the debate between Slattery and Roberts at the state fair, Slattery proved to be a weak candidate and lacking any real formed strategy.
When going up against the likes of Roberts with long serving record. If you want to have a chance of winning you need a real effort. Otherwise its like going in the ring with Mike Tyson and having only watched boxing on T.V.
If Roberts had a speck of integrity he’d retire.
“Roberts should do a public debate”
WHY! It would be a waste of both their time and ours as well.
It shows good judgment to know when to fight and when you know you’ve already won as it is.
Um…they HAD a public debate…the picture on the posting is FROM that debate…
It was held at the most widely attended public event in the state…the State Fair.
And this writer says they need to schedule a “public debate?”
That’s bizarre.
Somewhat belatedly, I am responding to JWink’s comments that Roberts “has served Kansas with honor.” I’m not certain how becoming the Senate’s foremost rubberstamp for the Bush Administration is serving “Kansas with honor,” especially since some of his actions have been nothing less than ideological wrecking balls aimed at the very foundation of our democracy.
For example, Roberts was a supporter of Bush’s warrantless wiretapping of US citizens, calling it “both legal and constitutional.” Well, I’ve read the constitution, and there are certain provisions within that venerable document that he seems to have missed–such as the requirement for “probable cause” and warrants. He also seems to have missed the part about requiring that the President must insure “that the Laws be faithfully executed,” and gives Congress the exclusive power “[t]o make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper….” So when the legislature created the FISA law in 1978 which clearly delineated the “exclusive means” by which phone calls within the US could be monitored, the president was constitutionally bound to uphold that law. Not according to Roberts’ interpretation. Apparently, he believes that any Republican president can do what ever he wants–constitutionally!
And recall the McCain anti-torture amendment? It passed by overwhelming margins; Republicans and Democrats joining together to tell the president that America should put away the tools of barbarism and once again become a beacon of Justice for the world.
Roberts voted against it.
This places him on the same side of this issue as the torturers of the Spanish Inquisition, Pol Pot, Stalin, Saddam Hussein–and squarely against 230 years of American principle and practice. This is serving Kansas with honor? If so, I can only hope that we can replace Mr. Roberts with a Senator who will serve us in a more dishonorable fashion. Perhaps one that will actually fulfill his oath of office to “protect and defend” the Constitution—rather than eviscerate it.