By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln today challenged her Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. John Boozman, to a series of town hall-style debates.
Boozman responded that he was interested in a town hall meeting with Lincoln but not a debate.
Lincoln’s challenge is a response to a proposal by Boozman, who said during a debate Friday he would like to face Lincoln in a town hall-style debate in which questions would come from the audience. Lincoln did not immediately commit to the idea, but today she said she would accept and asked in a news release, “Why stop at one?”
Lincoln suggested holding four debates.
“I propose we schedule the town hall-style debates like he proposed in each congressional district so that as many Arkansas voters as possible have the opportunity to examine our records alongside one another,” she said.
Lincoln said college campuses would be ideal locations for the debates and said she would welcome the participation of independent candidate Trevor Drown and Green Party candidate John Gray.
Later today, Boozman’s campaign released a letter addressed to Lincoln containing Boozman’s response. The 3rd District congressman said he wanted to join Lincoln for a town hall meeting in which the candidates would take unscreened questions from the audience and would stay until all questions were asked.
“I think you misconstrued my invitation to join me at an open, town hall meeting,” Boozman said in the letter.
Asked to explain what exactly Boozman believed Lincoln had misconstrued, Boozman campaign spokesman Patrick Creamer said, “There is a clear distinction between a debate and a town hall.”
Lincoln said later in a news release, “The congressman appears to object to the term ‘debate,’ even though that is exactly how he described it on Friday.”
Boozman said during Friday’s debate he would be “glad to sit and debate” answers to questions from the public at an open forum.
Boozman and Lincoln have already agreed to meet for a debate sponsored by the Arkansas Educational Television Network on Oct. 13.
