WRAL wants the Democrats running for governor to participate in a live debate this month.
State Treasurer Richard Moore has accepted. Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue "has officially declined" to participate in the station's Jan. 24 debate, WRAL-TV reporter Cullen Browder told Dome.
The station has a Republican debate set for Jan. 17.
A Perdue spokesman said the candidates have already debated in Greensboro and have agreed to three more that will be broadcast on public television. The UNC-TV forums will be narrowly focused on issues.
"So far we have four other televised debates scheduled and a few other invitations that we're sorting through," said David Kochman, the spokesman. "We're just not going to be able to accept all invitations."
Dome was not surprised to hear the response from the Moore campaign.
"The voters deserve better than someone who hides behind a spokesman," said Moore's campaign manager, Jay Reiff. "The treasurer welcomes tough questions from Bev Perdue."
WRAL's plan was to air the debate on WRAL-TV as well as WJZY in Charlotte and WILM in Wilmington.
Update: Perdue's spokesman called Dome back. The campaign had previously accepted an invitation to a debate sponsored by the NAACP. That debate, set for Jan. 26, is set to be broadcast on WRAL, according to its organizers.
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Re: Perdue shoots down debate
Couldn't have said it any better Isaac. Is she being aloof/presumptuous to brush off the debate? Maybe. Are her loyalties to the North Carolina people, who rightfully deserve - and are afforded - the opportunity to watch and gather information on Gubernatorial Candidates from as many debates as possible on the real issues that effect our every day lives, or is she too important or above us? Maybe. However, her campaign could very well be described as ambiguous, enigmatic, and illogical at some points - as she has displayed a blatant sense of disregard to the legitimacy and honesty which defines the esteemed office of Governor of North Carolina; she already has been caught padding her resume with false information to glorify a mediocre career as an Instructor, as well as failing to detail the donors in her somewhat shady campaign financing operations, which is required by law. Bev is a good person and a formidable candidate, but she needs to get her campaign and infrastructure straightened out and on a better track that does not so closely resemble her current disdain/disenchantment for a local debate, and more importantly, the aforementioned gaffes clouding her candidacy.