The League of Women Voters and The Pat Brown Institute should be ashamed of cancelling their debate
There should be a mayoral debate tonight, but the hosts of the event, the League of Women Voters and the Pat Brown Institute, forgot the old saying, “The show must go on.”
After last week’s debate, where none of the three leading candidates, Mayor Bass, Councilmember Raman and Spencer Pratt, looked particularly good, the incumbent pulled out of tonight’s scheduled debate.
“Mayor Bass will be in Sacramento that day fighting for funding for housing, homelessness, and Palisades Fire recovery, and will also discuss the city and state partnership on the Olympics and World Cup,” a spokesperson for Bass’ campaign told Los Angeles magazine, and after disparaging her opponents, concluded, “so it’s time to move past debates.”
Bass had previously accepted the invitation to the debate. Pratt, rightfully terrified of any debates, had never promised to attend, claiming his schedule was booked for tonight.
That left businessman Adam Miller, community advocate Rae Huang and Raman to square off tonight. When Raman saw she would be up against two longshots with nothing to lose, who could attack her record with the benefit of not having much of a record of their own, she too dropped out.
Raman said she originally agreed to these debates primarily to battle Mayor Bass.
With just two candidates remaining, the organizers pulled the plug.
“With only two candidates remaining, the event partners have agreed not to proceed,” the event partners announced in a press release.
Not only is that a terrible excuse, it’s disingenuous.
The fact that there are only two candidates is not the issue, it’s who the two are.
If it were just Nithya and Karen, the debate would be on. If it were Pratt vs. Bass or Pratt vs. Nithya, it would have happened.
The League of Women Voters and the Pat Brown Institute, typically well-respected organizations, clearly only cared about ratings on Fox 11 and the press that would have been generated with a Bass vs. Raman frenemy faceoff.
If the organizers were sincere about wanting this forum to “provide voters with the opportunity to hear candidates share their perspectives, respond to questions, and engage with one another on issues facing Los Angeles,” they would have allowed Rev. Rae and Adam to do just that.
Clearly, the League of Women Voters and the Pat Brown Institute only hold those values for perceived front-runners. Which is a shame. On any given Wednesday, something fascinating can pop up in an election.
This morning, for example, one of the candidates was found to be lying about where he “lived.” It turned out Spencer does not live in the Airstream he said in one of his commercials he dwells in, but in a swanky hotel. Later, he clarified that on TMZ, which broke the story, and said he lives nowhere. But also in Santa Barbara.
“This is where I live,” Pratt shouted in his ad.
Rev. Rae and Adam should have had the opportunity to address that development at the debate. Being displaced by the fires is absolutely an issue facing far too many Angelenos. Truthfulness in political ads could have also been a topic.
So shame on the League of Women Voters and the Pat Brown Institute for reneging on their invitation to those two candidates. But also shame on both Mayor Bass and Councilmember Raman for backing out on their promise.
Los Angeles deserves leaders who aren’t afraid to tackle tough questions, no matter who they are. The only person Nithya wants to address is the mayor of LA? Meanwhile, her team thinks there’s no value in potential voters hearing her defend her record on a debate stage?
One thing Angelenos, including yours truly, have been critical of Bass for is her lack of transparency and availability to the press. It’s our belief that if the Dodgers and Lakers are required to be available for interviews after every game, the mayor of LA, a seemingly more important job, should have to hold regular press conferences.
What does it say about the future Mayor Raman if she doesn’t feel confident taking jabs from Rae and Adam? How will she be able to take on Trump if he chooses to sic ICE or the Marines on LA like he has in the past? One reason Bass’ approval rating is low is that she is perceived as someone who isn’t strong enough to stand up to such moves. How are we to believe CM Raman would be any different if she is scared to stand up to Huang and Miller?
Likewise, why does Karen feel like she has to flee to Sacramento for a laundry list of excuses? Funding for housing, homelessness and Palisades Fire recovery? She can’t do that in a phone call? She couldn’t have made that call yesterday?
Additionally, she needs to fly to Sacto to talk about the city and state partnership on the Olympics and World Cup? And the only day she can do that is Wednesday, May 13?
Isn’t Mayor Bass flying away from LA what got us Spencer Pratt in the first place?
Yes, Nithya Raman was the biggest threat to Mayor Bass getting a second term, but now the bigger threat is Karen Bass herself. She was not good in the debate. She seemed stunned Spencer didn’t wet his pants or have a meltdown or utter an unmentionable. Many of us were. But she also didn’t seem prepared to answer questions and criticisms she must have known would be posed.
Tonight would have been a great night to rebound from that mediocre-at-best performance.
By bailing, Bass and Raman are showing they are only in this stage of the race to not lose, as opposed to win.
That’s weak.
LA deserves better.
The League of Women Voters and the Pat Brown Institute had a chance to show us the alternative to that tonight, but they too dipped into the weak sauce.
Both of those organizations, as well as these candidates, should pledge to never bail out of a debate again in the future.