Trump is not the only coward in the elephant pen

by **Dukasaur** on Tue Oct 13, 2020 8:51 pm

Sen. Tom Cotton (R–Ark.) is ducking a chance to debate his Libertarian challenger, even as a new poll shows the race tightening in the final weeks of what could be a rough election season for Republicans.

https://reason.com/2020/10/12/tom-cotton-wont-debate-his-libertarian-challenger-the-event-will-happen-anyway/

Cotton, who has emerged in recent years as one of the loudest voices in the GOP's ascendant authoritarian nationalist wing, appeared to be heading for an easy reelection bid when the only Democrat to enter the race dropped out late last year.

Enter Harrington, a 34-year-old prison chaplain running a campaign that gives voters about as stark a choice as they are likely to find in any two-way contest this year. Where Cotton has claimed that America has an "under-incarceration problem" and called for deploying more heavy-handed police tactics against protesters, Harrington wants to reduce mandatory minimums and demilitarize the police. That contrast would provide fertile ground for serious debate between the two men—if Cotton would agree to show up.

by **saxitoxin** on Tue Oct 13, 2020 9:48 pm

Tactical decision not to debate. Just like tactical decision of Mahoney to drop out.

Mahoney knew he couldn't win; he dropped out of the race 90 minutes after the deadline when he could be replaced on the ballot citing a "family health emergency" that has - since then - never been explained. The Democrats withdrew him at that exact moment so that the Libertarian would be the only candidate remaining and have gone on to call for all the state's Democrats to vote for the Libertarian. Their hope is that a segment of the Republicans will go Libertarian as well (100% of the Democrats + 100% of the Libertarians + 20% of the Republicans = 51% of the Arkansas vote). They'll elect the Libertarian and then, in 2026, throw him under the bus and take the seat for the Rats.

It's manipulative but that's politics, the Rats played the game fair and square and should be commended for their creativity.

Cotton is also playing the game fair and square. By not debating the Libertarian he denies him legitimacy and denies him broadcast television time, both of which discourages independents from voting for him.

by **saxitoxin** on Tue Oct 13, 2020 9:55 pm

It's also fair and square when you need to send a road crew to do urgent, unspecified electrical work outside the Virginia Department of Elections on the last day to register and they "accidentally" (

) cut the fiber optic cable going into elections HQ. =D>