Update: House Candidate Deutch Ducks Debate
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Democratic U. S. House candidate Ted Deutch has punked out.
Deutch, who is seeking to replace former U. S. Rep. Robert Wexler, told WFTL-850 am host Jeff Katz today he would not take part in a long-planned broadcast debate.
This according to a WFTL producer, who says Deutch sent an e-mail overnight ducking the debate after weeks of stalling.
Deutch was apparently reluctant to go on Katz’s show. The host is a conservative who calls himself South Florida’s Mr. Right.
Here is the e-mail from Deutch’s campaign:
“I want to let the voters know that the next debate with my fellow candidates will take place on Friday, March 26th at 1 pm in Deerfield Beach. I look forward to once again discussing with the other candidates such critical issues as creating jobs, improving the economy, health care and foreign policy. However, at this time, I will not be appearing on a debate on the Jeff Katz program. The community deserves to hear debates within a constructive and non-partisan environment. Unfortunately, Mr. Katz has made his views about me well known. More importantly, I was disappointed that Mr. Katz did not accurately inform his audience about the fact that my campaign repeatedly told his staff that I could not appear on his program last week due to previously scheduled budget committee hearings in Tallahassee.
Thanks,
Ashley Mushnick
Ted Deutch for Congress Campaign
561-451-1115
www.tedforcongress.com”
But Katz said on-air Tuesday that he would have acted impartial as a moderator.
Three journalists — The New Times’ Bob Norman, George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post and me — would have questioned Deutch.
I can also assure you that WFTL tried to put this debate together all month. In fact, Deutch backed out at the last minute last week. The debate was being rescheduled before Deutch decided this week to throw in the towel.
It is no surprise to me that Deutch backed out of the debate for good.
But it is disappointing.
Deutch, a state Senate, is way out of in front by numbers alone. U. S. House District 19 has more than two Democrats for every Republican. About one-third of the voters are in north Broward and the rest in Palm Beach County.
There is virtually no chance Deutch’s Republican opponent Ed Lynch can win the April 13 election.
So Deutch has everything to lose and nothing to win by debating.
But the public had everything to win. A debate on Katz’s 50,000-watt WFTL show would have reached every interested voter. Deutch owed it to the public to present his positions.
I believe Deutch would beat the pants off Lynch, whose views on his webpage are confused, unworkable or just wrong.
I read only two paragraphs into his position on health care to find a big flaw. Lynch wrote: “We currently have the best healthcare in the world, which is why Americans don’t leave our country for it.
Somebody should clue Ed Lynch in to the face that the United States’ doesn’t have the best health care in the world. Canada, England and Ireland are among the countries that have a lower child mortality rate, a key statistic.
And Ed, over a million Americans go overseas for treatment, mainly because it is just as good and cheaper.
This is just one issue that Deutch could use to lacerate Lynch in a debate.
Sadly, we won’t get to listen.
I wonder.
If Deutch is worried about taking on a lightweight Republican like Lynch or a broadcaster like Katz, how he will handle the best the GOP has to throw at him in Congress?
March 23rd, 2010 at 11:25 am
Why would Mr. Deutch go on a radio show hosted by a man who bills himself as Mr. Right?
Jeff Katz would probably take the “debate” and turn it into a cheerleading session for Republicans.
March 23rd, 2010 at 1:59 pm
I listened to Katz talk to Jim McCormick, the independent candidate today on the radio, and he blasted him whenever he said anything that wasn’t on the Republican platform.
March 23rd, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Much to do about nothing. Ted Deutch is the winner already so why chance having a debate and making a mistake.
Ed Lynch is an idiot.
March 23rd, 2010 at 6:21 pm
“over a million Americans go overseas for treatment, mainly because it is just as good and cheaper.”
You don’t get a pass, Buddy. Quote your source on that comment so those of us who know how can confirm it.
March 25th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Ted Deutch is a fitting replacement for Robert Wexler. He will tuck in nicley to complete South Florida’s Wasserman-Schults / Alcye Hastings / Ted Deutch troica. Sorry Ron….You wont get to play.
As for Ed Lynch….count him out at your perril Mr. Deutch.
B3
Out
March 26th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
I take issue with Mr. Nevins defining our healthcare by WHO statistics on Child mortality. If he was a responsible journalist he could check the reporting behind these statistics to learn that every country has their own method for counting child mortality. Some countries don’t count premature babies. “France, the Czech Republic, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Poland do not report all live births of babies under 500 g and/or 22 weeks of gestation.” wikipedia.org Check the stats on cancer survival to get a clue on which health care system is better. We have better survival rates then Canada or UK in all cancer subsets. Also, check the stats on length of time between diagnosis and treatment for diabetes and hypertension. We also beat Canada and the UK on these numbers as well. Our system is not perfect, but our citizens fare far better here then anywhere else in the world. You should check your facts if you don’t want your left wing bias to show.