Blue Spot

From NY13:
Fossella finally agrees to debate Harrison
STATEN ISLAND/BROOKLYN, NY –Vito Fossella (NY-13 Staten Island and Brooklyn) has finally accepted Steve Harrison’s proposal to debate four times. The candidates will debate twice in Staten Island and twice in Brooklyn. The agreement comes two months after Stephen Harrison originally proposed debates. In the past, Vito Fossella has rarely debated opponents. An incumbent agreeing to multiple debates late in the campaign generally signals a competitive race. “I look forward to debating my opponent,” remarked Harrison. “The people of Staten Island and Brooklyn deserve to hear directly from their candidates, and now they’ll have the opportunity. Congressman Fossella has been all too quiet about Iraq, our national security, veterans’ benefits, Social Security, healthcare, transportation, and many other issues. It’s time he answers to his constituents. ”The first debate will take place on October 9, during the Pleasant Plains/Princes Bay/Richmond Valley (PPPBRV) “Meet the Candidates Forum” at the United Methodist Church in Staten Island. On October 10, the two candidates square off in the first Brooklyn debate, hosted by the Dyker Heights Civic Association. The Richmond County American Legion will host the candidates on October 20, and the Bay Ridge Community Council (BRCC) will host the final debate on October 24.Harrison sent a letter proposing four debates in July, and provided Congressman Fossella with eight possible dates. Fossella’s first they claimed they had not received the letter, which had been both faxed and mailed. The Fossella campaign upon learning that Harrison was going to ask for the debates in person after 3 weeks without response, conveniently faxed to Harrison a statement while the Democratic candidate was already at Fossella campaign headquarters. It acknowledged receipt but stated Fossella would be in Washington for all proposed dates, despite Congress not being scheduled to be in session and Fossella being in New York for a press conference on one of the dates. Last week the Congressman’s campaign came back with four dates, which the Harrison campaign accepted.