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Mayoral TV
debates start
tomorrow

Harris and Hannemann
are to appear at all three
forums, but Fasi may pass

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By Gordon Y.K. Pang

Star-Bulletin

Island political junkies will get their fix when the top candidates for Honolulu mayor appear on prime-time television three consecutive nights this week.

After weeks of schedule-shifting and political maneuvering, Mayor Jeremy Harris and challenger Mufi Hannemann have agreed to appear at all three forums.

Former Mayor Frank Fasi has declined two of the invitations and appeared to be uncommitted, as of Friday, to the third.

The debates will be shown:

Tomorrow, 9 p.m., on KHNL News 8. The 90-minute program will be a taped broadcast of a forum put on by the Kalihi Business Association earlier in the day. Fasi said he will not attend because the business group is charging $25 as a fund-raiser.
Wednesday, 7 p.m., on KHON Channel 2. The hourlong debate will be broadcast live from the Channel 2 studios. There will not be a live audience. Fasi said he won't attend because the forum is co-sponsored by The Honolulu Advertiser, with whom he has had a long-running feud.
Thursday, 7 p.m., on KITV Channel 4. The debate, slated to run an hour, will be broadcast live from the KITV studios. There will not be a live audience but questions from the public are being taken via email at debate@kitv.com. A news release issued by the station said all three candidates are "scheduled" to appear. Fasi's staff, however, said he had not yet committed.

KGMB Channel 9 attempted to hold a debate, but News Director Jim Lemon said he could not schedule the three major candidates to appear at the same time before the Sept. 23 primary.

Lemon said he would try to schedule a debate if the mayoral campaign continues beyond the primary and a runoff election becomes necessary.

Under the rules for the nonpartisan Honolulu mayor's race, a candidate can win outright in the primary election by receiving more than 50 percent of the votes cast.

Otherwise, the top two finishers move onto a runoff to be held on general election day -- Nov. 7.

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