Lt. governor candidate declines to debate
MADISON — Republican lieutenant governor candidate Rebecca Kleefisch refuses to debate her Democratic opponent, Tom Nelson.
Kleefisch spokeswoman Jill Bader said Tuesday that she won’t debate Nelson because the Nelson and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett are only interested in running away from their records and using false television ads to distort the record of Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker.
Nelson spokesman Phil Walzak said it’s clear the Walker campaign has no interest in comparing his record with Barrett’s and that’s why they don’t want any more debates.
Bader said Walker will keep his commitment to debate Barrett two more times on Oct. 15 and Oct. 29.
Nelson sent a letter to Kleefisch on Tuesday asking her to debate him five times in northern Wisconsin. Nelson is a state representative and Kleefisch is a former television news reporter.

Oct 6, 2010 at 12:48 p.m.
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GrAnDys618 - excellent point - I would agree. Also wonder if a debate for Lt Gov. would even have 1 or 2 viewers.
Oct 6, 2010 at 10:11 a.m.
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Another Republican candidate for office ducking a debate? This is becoming a National epidemic. What are they afraid of?
Oct 6, 2010 at 8:30 a.m.
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I'm pretty sure Walker did not finish his college degree. He would be first WI Gov. in 64 years to not have a college degree if elected. Transcripts show Barrett and Neumann had grades of B and A in college. I understand Walker was in the C's according to those in his campaign. Most in the position of Gov. in the U.S. do have a degree.
Oct 6, 2010 at 6:45 a.m.
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The Walker Campaign is afraid of what Kleefisch might say in front of a live micropohone but they also want you to forget that she'd be one step away from being Governor if something happened to Walker.
His history shows that he's not big on seeing things out to the end (he left school in his last semester under odd circumstances, he dropped out of the Gov race in 2006 under Party pressure) I'm not sure we want to see Kleefisch that close to the levers of power.
Oct 6, 2010 at 6:31 a.m.
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Okiefed - Shame on you for your comment about Kleefisch only being being allowed to say - my cancer - ten times if she debated. That was a heartless comment. She found out days before the primary that she had colon cancer. Don't you get it --> she had a large tumor removed during her surgery! I commend her for now being open and discussing colon cancer to make others more aware. This is not about politics.
Oct 5, 2010 at 11:52 p.m.
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And what channel is that rerun of Gilligan's Island on?
Oct 5, 2010 at 11:51 p.m.
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What a surprise! That should be all the information that a Wisconsin voter needs to elect Feingold-Nelson. But then again, I would never consider wasting my vote on a Republican
What the hell has Feingold have to do with this? Another reason I would never consider wasting my vote on a democrat. And they forgot to mention Barret and his hand injury.
Oct 5, 2010 at 10:50 p.m.
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She gets my vote! If she debated, they'd televise it somewhere, possibly putting my enjoyment of a rerun of Gilligan's Island at risk. Perhaps we should tally tv and radio ads and vote for the candidate with the least (and therefore least annoying) air-time.
Maybe the politicians would return their advertising revenue to newspapers, supporting our public blog here.
At the very least, perhaps the candidates would put more money into production quality, writing, and casting, and we'd stop hearing those whiny nasal-voiced negative ads that get run again and again and again and again...
Oct 5, 2010 at 8:41 p.m.
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What a surprise! That should be all the information that a Wisconsin voter needs to elect Feingold-Nelson. But then again, I would never consider wasting my vote on a Republican.
Oct 5, 2010 at 8:18 p.m.
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Another teabagger like Palin, Angle, and O’Donnell?
Oct 5, 2010 at 7:42 p.m.
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What is the date and time of her pity party?
At least she is showing up front that she is not deserving of our vote.
Oct 5, 2010 at 6:15 p.m.
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I read that this is going on a lot. To bad as it only hurts us.
Oct 5, 2010 at 6:03 p.m.
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Yeaaaahhhh... surrrre...
That's just ridiculous and a disservice to voters. What a bad move.
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