By Ann E. Marimow and Eric Rich
Friday, October 27, 2006; Page B02 in the Washington Post
Democratic Senate candidate Benjamin L. Cardin 's decision not to participate in an NAACP- sponsored debate in Charles County last night allowed critics to speculate that he was (a) avoiding another free-for-all (b) "running away from a debate" or (c) ceding a growing African American community to his Republican opponent, Michael S. Steele .
Cardin spokesman Oren Shur said the answer was (d) none of the above.
Cardin had three other appearances scheduled in Prince George's County last night and had not committed to the Charles event, Shur said and local organizers confirmed. Moreover, Cardin is speaking Saturday at the statewide NAACP candidates forum in Baltimore, an event that Steele will not attend.
That didn't prevent a chorus of criticism. Steele issued a statement titled, "Cardin Says Will Debate 'Any Time, Any Place' But Not NAACP."
"I'm disappointed," Steele said, calling Southern Maryland "an important part of growth in this region."
Independent candidate Kevin Zeese said Cardin's decision would hurt him among black voters, who overwhelmingly favored former NAACP president Kweisi Mfume in the September Democratic primary. In Charles, Mfume beat Cardin, 47 percent to 30 percent. "Cardin has made a decision that not appearing posed less risk than appearing; that may be a mistaken calculation," Zeese wrote in an e-mail.
Steele, the first African American elected statewide, is competitive in Charles, where a fast-growing black community accounts for 34 percent of the population.
"The numbers show that there is an attraction for Michael Steele and that we Democrats have our work cut out for us," said state Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles), who is familiar with local poll numbers. "I wish [Cardin] had been here, because I think he could have scored a home run with African Americans."
With all the shouting and interruptions in the NewsChannel 8 debate Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University professor Matthew Crenson suggested that Cardin was wise to skip the NAACP forum in Charles. Steele and Cardin are preparing to face off in a high-profile debate Sunday with Tim Russert on MSNBC's "Meet the Press."
"I think he's looking for that more-disciplined setting and doesn't want anymore episodes like the one last night," Crenson said yesterday.
The debate over debates has raged throughout the campaign, with the sides trading accusations. Cardin criticized Steele for not appearing onstage with him at two chamber of commerce forums and last weekend at the B'nai Israel Congregation's candidates forum in Rockville. |
