Angle Not Blowing Opportunity to Blow an Opportunity

(Chuck Muth) – The Angle for Senate 2010 campaign made a major boo-boo in pooh-poohing a proposed debate with Sen. Harry Reid to be sponsored by Sunbelt Communications, publisher of the Las Vegas Sun.

“Reid’s campaign agreed in mid-July to the Las Vegas Sun debate, but Angle spokesman Jarrod Agen said their campaign won’t participate,” reported Politico on Tuesday. “Agen said they do not view that debate as nonpartisan, because the Las Vegas Sun is one of the sponsors – and Sun president and editor Brian Greenspun is an outspoken Reid supporter. The proposed Oct. 19 debate would be moderated by Sun reporter Anjeanette Damon, Sun columnist Jon Ralston and a northern Nevada reporter yet to be confirmed.”

Sure, the Sun’s editorial page is completely and totally in the Reid camp. So what? Jon Ralston and Anjeanette Damon are two of the most professional and knowledgeable political commentators/reporters in Nevada. But let’s say they were both screaming left-wing political hacks. Again, so what?

Sharron Angle wants to be a United States senator.

She’s running against the most powerful man in Congress.

She is the decided underdog regardless of what current polling might show.

So she needs to be the aggressor and she needs to take Reid on whenever she can, wherever she can. If Richard Trumka and Howard Dean were moderating a debate in the Carpenters Union Hall, Angle should show up with bells on.

To blow off a one-on-one, face-to-face face-off with Reid just because the sponsor is backing him is penny wise and a pound foolish.

The more debates the better….especially for the voters. If you blow it, you blow it. But as Joe Gaylord, former chief strategist for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says, the only risk you can’t afford to take in a challenger campaign is to take no risks at all.

This is, by definition, a risky business. Engage, Sharron, engage!