The pitched battle between Democratic gubernatorial candidates took a bitter turn Thursday, with the Ned Lamont campaign calling Dannel Malloy's camp "ridiculous'' and "hypocritical'' in its latest proposal for a debate in the campaign's final five weeks.
The two sides have been squabbling since Lamont declined to participate in a live, televised debate in New London on July 27. Lamont said he and Malloy have already participated in more than 25 joint appearances, including one televised on NBC 30 and another last week in Stamford.
The latest dust-up came Thursday when Malloy's campaign announced that it would accept a four-way debate involving Lamont and his running mate, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman. They would square off against Malloy and his running mate, state Comptroller Nancy Wyman, in what they said was a response to a proposal offered by Glassman this week on a radio show.
"We accept! We think it's a great idea,'' Malloy and Wyman said in a joint statement on Thursday afternoon. "In fact, how about July 27th in New London? If that doesn't work, we'll let you pick the date and location."
But Glassman's campaign fired back that she had never sought a four-way debate.
"Dan and Nancy's statement isn't only ridiculous, it is hypocritical,'' Glassman's campaign manager, Chebon Marshall, said in a statement. "In a conversational exchange with ex-Governor Rowland, Mary talked about her repeated challenges to Nancy Wyman for a debate. After two months in the race, Nancy hasn't once debated Mary and even dodged a chance last night in Norwalk. It's a shame that Nancy isn't able to debate without her running mate at her side.''
Marshall added, "For the Malloy campaign to take the remarks out of context is another example of the desperate political tricks that are typical of his campaign this year and four years ago. The people of Connecticut can only hope that Dan and Nancy will someday get around to talking about the challenges the state faces."
Glassman ran as Malloy's running mate in 2006, but their campaigns split when Malloy lost his primary and Glassman won hers against West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka.
Despite Glassman's statements, Malloy campaign strategist Roy Occhiogrosso said that Wyman had already committed to two debates - one on WNPR radio on Monday, July 26 and another two days later in a three-person debate that includes Wyman, Glassman, and Lisa Wilson-Foley, who is running as a Republican for lieutenant governor.
The clash came on a day when Lamont held a press conference outside a Hartford elementary school on his education plan, saying he would wipe out unqualified political appointees from the state board of education. When asked if that meant he would never have appointed wrestling entrepreneur Linda McMahon of Greenwich to the state school board, Lamont said "probably not.''
He added, "Not bad having somebody from the business community represented there, but I want people who are really committed to education and education reform. ... We're going to take a look at all those leaders on all the boards and commissions and see why they're there and make sure we have a group that's pro-active and ahead of the curve in making a difference.''