The League of Women Voters has dropped plans for a televised mayoral debate Oct. 27 after one of Charlotte’s two candidates – at-large council member John Lassiter – dropped out.
According to published reports, Lassiter objected to the debate’s format – he wanted no more than three rebuttals, not the six the League proposed.
The Foxx campaign quickly pounced, accusing Lassiter of arrogance.
“The rules are not our rules, but we respect them and remain willing to follow them,” Foxx campaign manager Bruce Clark said Monday in a statement. “Our candidate is not arrogant enough to thumb his nose at a reputable community organization by demanding petty rule changes.”
Qcitymetro.com could not immediately reach Lassiter for comment.
In today’s Observer, however, Lassiter was quoted as saying he wants to spend time answering questions from voters, not from Fox.
“There’s a real value in using limited time in a debate to answer questions of folks who are there,” the Observer quoted Lassiter as saying. “I’ve had six general elections and now three primaries. I’ve debated in small audiences and on TV. I don’t run away from the opportunity to talk about the issues.”
The League debate was scheduled to air on WTVI, WAXN and WSOC-TV.
Foxx and Lassiter have nearly two dozen other joint appearances scheduled before the Nov. 3 election.
