The Campaign Debate is a Debate in Itself

Many months ago, the Revere Journal offered to moderate and to pay for a debate or debates between mayoral hopefuls Dan Rizzo and George Rotondo.

At the time, both candidates indicated to us that they were willing and able to debate one another on the issues that all it would take was to arrange the date and time.

Now here we are many months later and neither candidate has been able to get from the other a day and time for a debate or two.

For the record, Rizzo has indicated he will debate Rotondo in October.

Rotondo has answered that he will only debate in September with Rizzo and that if Rizzo won’t debate in September, he will not agree to a debate with him in October.

The Journal is prepared and eagerly looking forward to a debate between these two candidates.

More importantly, we believe the voters and residents of this city would benefit from such an exchange of views on the important issued of the day confronting the city.

The debate would be broadcast by Revere Cable and reported in the Revere Journal print edition as well as its on-line edition.

Thousands would watch and listen and subsequently read and discuss the outcome of such a debate.

However, it is going to take Rizzo and Rotondo agreeing on a venue, a time and a place.

We believe Rotondo’s ultimatum to Rizzo that he will not debate in October if Rizzo refuses first to debate him in September, works against him and his effort to become mayor.

We have told him so.

Rotondo remains adamant – there will be no debate in October if there is no debate in September.

A debate is crucial to the widespread dissemination of information indicating where these two stand on the important issues. More importantly, a debate will show voters what these two are all about close-up in real time.

We urge Rizzo and Rotondo to meet and to agree on a debate or several debates.

How can we have our first mayoral contest in 12 years without a debate of the issues?