Rick Scott and Bill McCollum Start the Debate on Debates

The debate on debates has begun. Susan Wiles from Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scotts team sent his chief rival for the Republican nomination, Attorney General Bill McCollum, a proposal for four debates.

Matt Williams, McCollums campaign manager, rejected this proposal. We believe your proposal of one debate a week in the last four weeks of the primary campaign is inadequate, wrote Williams to Wiles. It is imperative to begin the candidate education process immediately. We propose a minimum of five debates before the primary, with the first taking place before July 1st, 2010.

Williams had a forum in mind for a debate in June. The McCollum for Governor Campaign has accepted the first primary debate invitation we have received from a major Florida media affiliate WTVT, the Fox affiliate in Tampa, wrote Williams. The station is willing to host a debate in the Tampa Bay area and partner with other organizations to host the event, including the Pinellas Patriots, a group making a similar request. We are prepared to facilitate this event in short order and hope you agree to join us on the evening of Monday, June 28th, 2010.

Williams proposed one debate be limited to the economy. We propose at least one of the five debates centers exclusively on rebuilding Floridas economy, as we are facing record unemployment with 1.1 million of our residents out of work, wrote Williams. We agree the Florida Chamber of Commerce would be an appropriate host and organizing entity for this conversation.

Both Scott and McCollum have a lot to gain and lose in the debates. With over 30 years' experience in elected office, McCollum has to feel the debates are a chance to shine -- and go after Scott who now leads him in the polls. Scott, who is ahead in the polls but still not backed by a majority of Florida Republicans, hopes to use the debates to show that he is up to the task of being governor. He needs to reassure Florida voters -- who are worried about the sluggish economy and the oil spill -- that he is up to the task.