Capitol Alert: Poizner video rips Whitman as 'no, no, no' on debate

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Capitol Alert

The latest on California politics and government

May 12, 2009

Poizner video rips Whitman as 'no, no, no' on debate

State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is letting Silicon Valley rival Meg Whitman have it for declining to show up at a May 18 Sacramento debate on the special election ballot initiatives.

"Will she debate? Will she speak out?" shouts a YouTube video that the Poizner campaign put out. The answer, in music from the classic hit, "Tell Her No," by the Zombies: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

Whitman's spokesman Mitch Zak said the former eBay CEO passed on Poizner's invitation to debate the initiatives the day before the May 19 election because she considered it a pointless exercise. The Republican candidates -- including former Rep. Tom Campbell -- are in general agreement against the initiatives.

In response to Poizner's video, the Whitman camp accused Poizner of dragging his feet by failing to respond to her invitations for three future GOP primary debates.

"What to you want us to say? 'I'm more opposed to Proposition 1A than you are?' " Zak said of Poizner's special election invite. "If you really want to debate, let's do three -- Northern California, Southern California and the Central Valley -- and let's get them on the calendar."

Poizner spokesman Kevin Spillane said the Whitman campaign stance is "intellectually dishonest."

"If she's willing to debate she could join Tom Campbell and Steve Poizner next Monday at the Sacramento Press Club," Spillane said. "It's already on the schedule. It's time for Meg to stop dodging debates and ducking questions."

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