SOS LaFollette swiftly being corrected

It was hard to read Secretary of State Doug LaFollette's letter to Democrats regarding potential debates with his challenger, Scot Ross, without wondering if it is a joke. LaFollette thinks he is being "swift-boated" in this campaign. Is he really comparing being asked to a debate with an orchestrated, high-dollar campaign that tried to turn an actual war combat veteran into someone that is afraid of war?

Sadly, yes.

The Capital Times doesn't think being asked to debate is such a crazy idea.

Ross has mounted a spirited challenge, which has garnered a decent measure of support from grass-roots Democrats and liberal activists. He now wants to debate the incumbent before the September primary. While we'll admit that a debate between contenders for the job of secretary of state might not be the highest profile event on the year's political calendar, La Follette should accept the invitation to debate Ross.

But LaFollette seems to think if the two candidates for the office are in the same county it's practically a debate so why should he be bothered to take part in one where they are in the same room?

He also believes that preaching to the choir at the Democratic Convention once every couple of years equals speaking out against Republican abuses of power and the misplaced priorities they have tried to cram down the throats of Wisconsinites for the past couple of years.

Incumbents are not entitled to their office simply because they've been there a long time. But debates are part of a campaign that voters are entitled to before they go into the voting booth.