Debate tonight 7:30

Debate tonight between McMahon, Bob Straniere, Morano and Tim Cochrane (i.e. the Conservative Party fundraising effort) at 7:30 in the main ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield.

When: 7:30 PM

Debate tomorrow 7:30 PM

Tomorrow's debate between McMahon, Bob Straniere, Morano and Tim Cochrane (i.e. the Conservative Party fundraising effort) is at 7:30 in the main ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield.

When: 7:30 PM

Debate tonight 7:30, on TV at 9:30

The first debate between McMahon, Bob Straniere, Morano and Tim Cochrane (i.e. the Conservative Party fundraising effort) is this Wednesday at 7:30 in the main ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield. Note the debate is at 7:30 but won't be on TV until 9:30;

When: 7:30 PM, Wednesday

On TV: Channel 76 at 9:30 PM
Time Warner cable customers: Staten Island On Demand on Channel 1111 for free

Next Debate: Oct. 28 at 7:30 PM

Debate this Wednesday, tickets available

The first debate between McMahon, Bob Straniere, Morano and Tim Cochrane (i.e. the Conservative Party fundraising effort) is this Wednesday at 7:30 in the main ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield. Details;

When: 7:30 PM, Wednesday

On TV: Channel 76 at 9:30 p.m.
Time Warner cable customers: Staten Island On Demand on Channel 1111 for free

Tickets: Free, e-mail your name, address and telephone number to newsroom@siadvance.com, or call 718-816-3985

Democratic Congressional candidates Steve Harrison and Michael McMahon finally debate

via campaign email;

NY 13 Congressional District (Staten Island/Southwest Brooklyn) Democratic candidates Steve Harrison and Councilman Michael McMahon, who face each other in the Tuesday, September 9 primary for the seat currently occupied by scandal ridden retiring Republican Vito Fossella, finally square off in debates and joint TV appearances. However, none of these debates will be available for public scrutiny until Labor Day weekend when many are on vacation.

Harrison invited McMahon to debate in June and McMahon after initially not responding, eventually told the media he would accept the invitation.

Harrison, who in 2006 against Fossella, received a higher percentage of the vote than any Democrat ever under the district’s current configuration, debates McMahon on Cable network NY1’s Inside City Hall 7 PM Friday August 29 and repeated at 10 PM the same evening, both airing when many potential voters are vacationing or celebrating Labor Day weekend locally. McMahon chose this date. Time Warner cable will also make the debate available on its Staten Island on demand channel.

In another Labor Day weekend event, on Sunday August 31 at 11 AM, WABC TV’s UpClose will feature both candidates together in what is being billed as more of a joint appearance than a formal debate. WABC will make the appearance available on their website, 7online.com, after the segment airs.

Instead of separate endorsement interviews with Harrison and McMahon, Weekly Newspaper, The Brooklyn Paper, invited them both to a joint interview conducted in debate format. Audio from the endorsement interview will eventually be posted on their website, Brooklynpaper.com, but because of the date McMahon chose for the interview, it won’t become public until Labor Day weekend.

For more information visit HarrisonforCongress.com

What happened to our debates?

Independence Party nominee Carmine Morano has issued this challenge to all of our candidates;

I am proposing that, beginning August 15th, we hold a series of weekly debates and candidate forums from now until the September 9th Primary, and again from that time until Election Day, with all of the candidates who have qualified for the ballot.

It is intriguing. Morano has some massive odds stacked against him and any publicity and media coverage can only help his candidacy. "Harrison had already challenged McMahon to a series of five debates back in June, to which McMahon had no reply as he was setting up his campaign and collecting ballot petitions. McMahon did though make this statement;

"We look forward to scheduling debates with all the candidates," said McMahon campaign spokesman Patrick Brennan. "Right now, Councilman McMahon is focused on adopting a city budget that addresses the needs of his constituents and all New Yorkers."

Once candidates file their nominating petitions, Brennan said, "We will meet with the various campaigns and put in place a debate plan."

So where are the debates? We are six weeks out from the primary election and if it weren't for Morano's challenge I probably would have forgot about the above statement. Debates definitely will favor the challengers and those who are not front runners. We saw that with the Harrison vs. Fossella debates in 2006. Everyone but McMahon would almost certainly gain something from them. Straniere could beg Republicans to stop hating him, Morano and Wyne could tell Republicans and Conservatives they don't have to vote for Straniere, and Harrison could show off his debating skills and provide an alternative to all three. Would McMahon want to jump into that and would it help his campaign? If he is staying low and hoping his momentum and name recognition will carry him through the primary then I would have to venture that he would want to not get involved in a set up like this. Why submit yourself to prodding by Republicans when you still have to face off in a Democratic primary? Why debate partisan issues when you are defining yourself compared to someone within your party. My advice is that Harrison should embrace Morano's challenge and debate as often as possible and McMahon should hit the streets and knock on doors in Brooklyn and mid island and agree to one or two debate appearances close to primary day.

Democratic Primary Debates?

As Ahmed covered Steve Harrison has asked Mike McMahon for a series of five debates for the district to get a better understanding of the two candidates and how they stand on the issues. This is a great move on Steve's part as it is widely accepted that he easily beat Fossella in most if not all of the debates in 2006. I am not very familiar with Mike's speaking so I would be curious to see these happen. On Mike's side though I have to imagine delaying them would be to his advantage as they both are currently still gathering ballot signatures and neither is guaranteed a spot in the primary without those. Also I have to imagine that Steve runs more progressive than Mike on several issues which could play to a Democratic audience frustrated with a conservative administration in DC. You can already see that playing out in Mike's recent remarks. via the Advance

"We look forward to scheduling debates with all the candidates," said McMahon campaign spokesman Patrick Brennan. "Right now, Councilman McMahon is focused on adopting a city budget that addresses the needs of his constituents and all New Yorkers."

Once candidates file their nominating petitions, Brennan said, "We will meet with the various campaigns and put in place a debate plan."