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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Noem Cancels KOTA Debate.

The spies on Dakota War College are sure quiet about this story: three sources (yes, plural) are telling me that that Kristi Noem is bailing out of her scheduled debate with Stephanie Herseth Sandlin on KOTA television. I've send a message to KOTA seeking confirmation of whether there's a Congressional candidates' debate on their calendar.

Now why, oh why would a candidate who has criticized he opponent for not making herself available to the public often enough turn around and cancel an opportunity to speak directly to the voters and answer tough questions? Has campaign mismanager Josh Shields decided that live debates just don't highlight Noem's best features? Or is Noem just allergic to all those big cats in the Black Hills?

If Now that Noem has canceled, let's hope she at least has the courtesy to inform her opponent's camp before the debate starts, unlike a certain other Republican on the November ballot.
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Update 12:55 CDT: Here's the straight poop from KOTA:
  • July 1: KOTA invites U.S. House candidates to debate late August or early September.
  • July 21: SHS campaign says no availability before the end of the House session; i.e., not 'til October.
  • July 26: KOTA invites U.S. House candidates to debate week of October 11.
  • July 27: SHS campaign agrees to October debate.
  • September 21: Noem campaign declines October debate.
For the first time since 1968, KOTA will not have the chance to host a Congressional debate.

11 comments:

  1. I hear there's still one scheduled at KELO, Cory. Any word on whether that's still a go?

    Strange about KOTA. I've been hearing that rumor for about a week. Thanks for nailing it down.

    My guess is that Kristi has better numbers East River than West, and she doesn't want to run the risk of screwing them up.

    But that's just a hunch. I've not seen any polling.

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  2. Bill, you often make a lot of sense... but that doesn't make any sense! Higher poll numbers for Noem in East River than in boot-wearin' Tea-Party hotbed West River? How could that be? Noem doesn't have a home turf advantage on my side of the river. Maybe the rez vote could tip West River poll numbers for SHS... but the whole Rapid City media market? If you have a bigger hypothesis, do elaborate!

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  3. Oh, and no word on a no-go at KELO. Dropping that debate would be flat suicide, wouldn't it?

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  4. Cory, are you reading me correctly, or did I write it wrong?

    ...Oh, yes, I wrote it wrong. Sorry.

    Ahem... I meant to say Noem is probably polling better WEST River than East. Sorry. My dyslexia kicked in so hard, I had to re-read what I wrote, three times!

    (I tell ya, sometimes this left-handedness really does get to be a pain.)

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  5. No harm, no foul! Thanks, Bill! But even there, can Noem think she is so far ahead in West River that she can take the hit of canceling a debate in the state's second-biggest media market?

    [As for that left-handed dysgraphia, maybe remap your keyboard to lefty Dvorak. Then, for added fun, loan your computer to someone else and watch them type.]

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  6. Herseth could always debate an empty chair at KOTA.

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  7. I do believe Yankton is the second biggest media market in the state. And Noem owns Yankton.

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  8. Jim, Yankton is in KELOLAND, isn't it? i.e. Part of the "Sioux Falls" MSA? Or is it part of Sioux City?

    Regardless, suffice it to say that not everyone who listens to WNAX will get to vote for Kristi. Sorry.

    ;^)

    p.s. come to think of it, what with all the prisons and state hospital stuff there, a lot of Yanktonians won't be voting at all! (Okay, I kid, I kid. I'm a Mount Marty/Yankton College alum. Love that town.)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Not MSA, DMA. Sorry. (...note, there IS no "Yankton" DMA.

    http://www.tvb.org/rcentral/markettrack/us_hh_by_dma.asp

    ReplyDelete
  10. Funny: I haven't seen any poll indicating Noem "owns" Yankton. Evidence?

    ReplyDelete

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