Shame on You, KET

Don't do it, KET. Don't let the fuckers win.

Kentucky Educational Television is scrapping its traditional candidate debates this year, in part because incumbent politicians usually refuse to face their challengers on live television before a panel of questioning journalists.

Kentucky voters are losing something important with the disappearance of the debates, which were broadcast in every Kentucky county, said Stephen Voss, political scientist at the University of Kentucky.

“What you lose by not having a respected, neutral third-party like KET hosting a debate is that it removes even more pressure from the incumbents or the front-runners to prove that they deserve to win, to make them publicly state their case,” he said.

Exactly. The refusal by candidates to debate makes holding the debates far more essential, not less.

Candidates who decline to debate should be represented at the debate by empty chairs, prominently displaying the names of the cowardly weasels who fail to show.

The problem reached its zenith in October 2008 when U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Hopkinsville, refused to debate his Democratic opponent.

Hours before the event, Whitfield demanded that KET air an unedited videotaped statement that his campaign prepared. KET complied, leaving Whitfield’s challenger to stand alone and be grilled about foreign policy and the economy, followed by the congressman’s campaign tape.

KET believes the 2008 incident was “unfair,” and it prompted a discussion at the statewide television network on how to proceed in future election years, KET spokesman Tim Bischoff said Wednesday.

Wow, Tim - way to lie like a repug.

The problem was NOT Whitfield's failure to appear. The problem was KET's despicable caving to his unreasonable demands. It's a debate, idiot - show up or shut the fuck up.

I am a long-time and strong supporter of public broadcasting, which is near the top of my list of things for which I gladly pay taxes.

But in return for my tax-dollar support, I expect KET to fulfill its responsibilities as a public broadcaster. That includes airing actual debates that force all candidates, especially incumbents, to address issues of concern to the public.

Shame on you KET. Shame, SHAME, SHAME.

Call KET management at (859) 258-7000 or (800) 432-0951 and tell them that candidates debates are the LAST program they should cancel.

Or call the Viewer Reaction Line: (800) 926-7765.

Or click here to try to figure out how to send an email directly to complain that by canceling candidates debates KET is failing to fulfill its public obligation.