Thursday, Oct. 12, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.
And now the candidates will debate the issue of -- well -- the debates.
The format for the first debate between Republican U.S. senatorial candidate John Ensign and Democratic opponent Ed Bernstein became a sticking point Wednesday.
Bernstein complained Wednesday on POV Vegas, the Sun's daily TV news discussion show on Las Vegas ONE, of a too-rigid format for the first of a series of televised debates Tuesday night that favored Ensign, who he said talks in "30-second sound bites."
However, before the Sun Editorial Board Wednesday afternoon, Ensign said, "I prefer a more open format -- I like the exchange." And he said it was his camp that called for the debates despite Ensign holding as much as a 10-point lead in the polls.
POV Vegas host Mark Shaffer said he had wanted Ensign and Bernstein together for a spirited debate, the kind of which have been aired on his half-hour afternoon show on Cox Cable channels 1 and 39 in recent weeks, but Ensign's camp declined.
As a result, Bernstein appeared as the only guest on Wednesday's show, while Ensign is scheduled to appear by himself on the Oct. 31 broadcast.
Las Vegas ONE General Manager Bob Stoldal issued a challenge to both Ensign and Bernstein that if they want a less rigid format where they can express their ideas and exchange viewpoints more freely, he would provide them such a forum.
"Between now and Election Day (Nov. 7), I will give them an opportunity to appear together in our studios for one hour on either (the morning) DayONE show, the Ralston Report (hosted by Sun political columnist Jon Ralston) or POV Vegas," Stoldal said.
The debates give viewers a chance to hear the candidates expand their views beyond what is seen in brief television ads, where the two have attacked each other over the different health care packages they support.
Ensign claims Bernstein's health care plan will bankrupt the system by allowing lawyers like Bernstein to sue HMOs and deep-pocket employers, causing employers to drop coverage. Bernstein says employers and HMOs will provide more adequate health care if they know they will be held accountable.
Bernstein, on POV Vegas, said he approached Ensign this week with a proposal to take the ads off TV "and let's debate every day."
But he said Ensign won't do that, "because he would prefer to go with these 30-second sound bites where you can say anything you want to say and nobody can dispute it and there is not a fair exchange of ideas."
Ensign told the Sun Editorial Board that you can only do so much debating and, for a front-runner, he is doing far more than his fair share of one-on-one encounters in a race that also features four minor party candidates.
"I offered to debate him in every county," Ensign said. "How many times can you debate?"
While Ensign did not exactly agree with Bernstein that Monday night's 90-minute debate on KVBC Channel 3 was too rigid, he said formats change from debate to debate.
"I like different formats, and tonight's (Wednesday night's) debate in Sun City may be more free-flowing," said Ensign, noting that the Sun City debate between he and Sen. Harry Reid in the last U.S. Senate race was the most lively of their series.
Ensign said he had encouraged Las Vegas ONE to air the Sun City debate, but the station declined. Stoldal said it was the station's decision to cover the second debate on its nightly newscast as it did the first.
Bernstein and Ensign are vying for the seat being vacated by longtime Democratic Sen. Richard Bryan, who is retiring. It figures to be a key swing seat for the GOP if Ensign's big lead in the polls turns into a majority of votes on Election Day.
Bernstein took full advantage of Ensign not being on POV Vegas Tuesday and went on the offensive, saying Ensign is "hiding from his record" as a congressman, a post Ensign held from 1995-98.
Bernstein said Ensign's record was poor on health and women's issues, including abortion, for which Bernstein is pro-choice and Ensign is pro-life.
Ed Koch
is a reporter for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4090 or by e-mail at [email protected].
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