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Harris criticized The Sept. 23 mayoral showdown between Jeremy Harris, Mufi Hannemann and Frank Fasi could come without the three appearing on a televised debate together.
for missing mayoral
debate engagements
So far he has agreed to
SHOPO won't endorse
only one, which Fasi has
said he won't attendBy Gordon Y. K. Pang
Star-BulletinAll four major Honolulu network stations have offered to host debates or forums.
But to date, Mayor Jeremy Harris has agreed only to appear Sept. 13 on KHON (Channel 2).
Fasi, however, said he won't appear at that event because he doesn't want to attend a forum associated with The Honolulu Advertiser, the station's co-sponsor. Fasi has long been a critic of Honolulu's morning daily.
KHON news director Jim McCoy said he will continue to work on having Fasi attend but that the show will go on with just Harris and Hannemann if necessary.
Meanwhile, Harris and his campaign staff have declined other offered dates for televised debates, causing opponents and television programmers to scramble.
It appeared KITV (Channel 4) had all three men lined up for a Sept. 21 debate. But early this week, the Harris campaign pulled out, citing scheduling conflicts.
"We had two or three functions scheduled for that night," said Harris campaign spokesman Harry Mattson, who added that his group may try to work out another time with the station.
KGMB (Channel 9), on the other hand, was told by the Harris campaign that the mayor may appear Sept. 11, depending on a pending official function.
KGMB news director Jim Lemon said the Sept. 11 date was originally proposed by the mayor's campaign staff.
Hannemann and Fasi agreed to appear at both events.
Chuck Parker, executive news director for KHNL (Channel 13), said he could not come up with a suitable date for all three candidates and has abandoned plans on having them appear before the September election.
An initial date was agreed to by Fasi and Hannemann but the Harris campaign would not confirm.
Mattson noted that all three candidates have agreed to one, nontelevised debate slated for Sept. 12 sponsored by the Kalihi Business Association.
Fasi and Hannemann are not happy with what they perceive as ducking by the incumbent.
"The fact of the matter is that he is a coward for refusing to meet with Mufi Hannemann and Frank Fasi more than once," Fasi said. "All of the issues cannot and will not be debated in depth."
Hannemann said voters have a right to see the candidates side by side and showing their differences in an unbiased and nonpartisan forum.
"As a leader, you need to be accountable to the people and when you refuse to debate, you obviously are trying to escape accountability," he said. "People have a right to know where we stand on the issues and when you refuse to debate, you're withholding information and facts from the people."
Mattson said Harris is not trying to avoid his opponents, but is simply struggling to juggle a schedule that requires him to be mayor and a candidate.
"We tried a number of times to rearrange things or see what we can do," Mattson said. "Most of the times, we have not been able to rearrange calendar to accommodate the events."
Lemon had his own theory why it's been difficult to schedule Harris.
"When you're the incumbent, and if your research says you're doing well, you're not going to have a strong desire to debate your opponents in a widely public forum," he said.
The Harris no-shows are happening at nontelevised events as well. The mayor failed to show up yesterday at a lunch gathering of the Kahala Business Association, and then in the evening did not attend a Villages of Kapolei Association hearing. Hannemann and Fasi attended both.
Helen Rapoza, president of the Kahala Business Association, said she believe it was "a poor decision on (Harris') part" to not show up her group's event. "I think people need to hear his views," she said.
City & County of Honolulu
