Arnold Morgado and Frank Fasi warm to the debate.
Photo by Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin

It came afterward, following Channel 2 News anchor Joe Moore's lengthy interview of Mayor Jeremy Harris.

Morgado and Fasi were so incensed they stormed out of the TV station, despite being promised time to rebut Harris' comments immediately afterward.

The interview also left a number of viewers upset. News director Jim McCoy said more than 100 viewers called the station to complain that the interview was unfair to Morgado and Fasi. McCoy said the calls were continuing this morning.

The approximate 9-minute interview came immediately after the debate, which Harris had declined to take part in. Viewers heard Harris defend why he didn't show up for the debate, offer his views on battling crime and plug his afternoon radio program.

Fasi was still angry about the situation this morning, as was a Morgado spokesman.

"Had I known that was the arrangement, I would not have taken part in that forum," Fasi said on his radio morning program.

Fasi said it was "cowardly and dishonest" on the part of the station to not have informed him or Morgado ahead of time.

"He had more time than we did," Fasi said.

"I think they should have told us ahead of time that they were going to do this," said Bill Meheula, Morgado campaign co-chairman.

Meheula said that if Harris was going to be allowed on, he should have been given time only to explain why he had not taken part in the debate.

Both Fasi and Meheula said they are negotiating to receive more air time from KHON tonight.

KHON's McCoy said the decision to put Harris on immediately after the debate was "a tough call," but one he defended.

"Obviously we're getting heavily criticized for that, but it's our responsibility to provide as much information as possible for this race," McCoy said.

"This is the incumbent, after all, and he was being hammered last night and we felt it was important for our viewers to hear his side," he said. "The journalism called for it."

McCoy added that he approached the Harris camp about doing an interview on Tuesday. It wasn't until hours before yesterday's 9 p.m. debate that a 10 p.m. interview was agreed to, he said.

McCoy said Moore "asked some pretty tough questions" and KHON has been the only station to have a debate or co-sponsor a poll.

"I can see why they're upset, sure," said Chris Parsons, a Harris campaign spokesman.

"All we did was respond to a request for an interview but I can see why giving the mayor the last word wasn't what was in the rules."

Parsons said Harris had asked him if he should accept the request.

"I told him, 'I think you'd be crazy to pass up comment on what the other two guys had to say.'"

Harris, Morgado and Fasi took part in a similar, hour-long debate televised last month. It also was sponsored by Channel 2 and the Honolulu Advertiser.

Fasi and Morgado had few good words for Harris in the debate. They found the mayor wanting in fiscal management and slow on the draw in fighting crime.

Crime is rampant, police numbers are down, and the city's in debt, Morgado said.

What's needed is change that's basic and fundamental, not short-term quick fixes, he said.