The Idiot and the Ego. This should be good. Laffey is going to wipe the floor with Linc if he can only keep his own smug sense of self-importance out of the way long enough.

I wonder if the Chafee camp just played Laffey.
By his reluctance to debate for awhile, Chafee lowers the expectations for his performance (after all, 90 percent of the posters here expect Laffey to shred him, right?). Bush did the same thing prior to his debates with Gore and Kerry, so if he showed up and didn't dribble all over himself, he won, or at least got a draw.
Chafee's banking (with some justification) on Laffey coming down with Cliff Barnes Syndrome. You remember him from "Dallas," the fellow who every time it looked like he had J.R. Ewing nailed, his ego and hubris got in the way.
I'd be surprised to see eloquence from Chafee. I'd be even more surprised if Laffey didn't open mouth and insert foot.

I'd suggest that the Laffey camp just played Chafee, by actually getting Chafee to "propose" a debate schedule. Chafee has not exactly been enthusiastic about the whole idea, since he has the most to lose from them. As they say, better late than never.

My guess is that the Chafee folks didn't expect Laffey to immediately say "yes", because they assumed that Laffey would "call them, then raise" some more, asking for more debates between now and 9/12.

Anyway, should be interesting to watch.

All Laffey has to do is get Doofus off-script and out of his comfort zone and he'll fold like a cheap cardtable and embarass himself out of office.

All the while Sheldon Whitehouse is getting a pass. His stock is sure rising. It's kind of funny to watch Linc and Steve fighting for the helm of the Titanic.

Dear Greg,

What script?

Dear Bobby,

Try to get out of Newport once in a while and join the real world. Any time Linc opens his mouth he either spews forth a carefully practiced answer or an endless string of 'uh's.

rhody:

Your analysis of the candiates' gamesmanship and tactics will be so much chaff blowing in the wind.

It’s not about who will destroy who. It’s about who has the best plan for RI and for America. Chafee has a record of tax and spend, weird maverick positions, irrelevant votes on important legislation, and no plan. Laffey has a record of the historic turnaround in Cranston, head to head battles and victories with entrenched special interests, real reform and a great plan.

Up until now all the Chafee campaign has done is attack, attack, and attack. Is that his plan for the debates? If it is (and I can’t imagine he has any other choice) Laffey will use the debates to defend himself and do that by clearly articulating his plan.

When the people of RI tune in what they will see is the starkest of contrasts ever between the two men running for the US Senate from our great little state.

J Mahn

Yes, the starkest of contrasts. Dignity, experience, and class vs. arrogance, bluster, and cheap shots. I expect Laffey's mouth to run him right out of this race over the course of these debates. I assume that's why he's been quiet lately - his own handlers must have put a muzzle on him.

Viewers can't wait to hear Laffey defend his GOP convention night crack about old folks dying or the contortions on immigration.
Telling us why we shouldn't re-elect Chafee is the easy part. Telling us why we should vote for him is the hard part. Unless he takes a tin pipe to the head of the rabid pit bull and rolls out the statesman, Laffey might be the one coming apart on TV. I just don't see the radio debates moving voters either way.

I look forward to hearing the Mayor defend his decision to become a shill for the Club for Growth; his tax and spend record as Mayor; and his hypocrisy on the issue of stem cell research. Most importantly, I look forward to hearing the Mayor's "vision" for how he intends to make up a thirty point difference against a Democrat.

I think that Laffey is a smart man, but he is also an egomaniac. It's off putting and his ideas are borrowed from Tom Coburn and the Club for Growth.

Laffey indeed raised taxes but his predecessors were the ones who spent them. Laffey raised taxes to save the city from financial ruin - why, pray tell, did Linc raise taxes so many times during his Warwick mayoralty when there were no such gruesome times on his watch? And why do all of his hoity supporters on this blog avoid the ugly fact that he taxed and spent on his watch as Mayor and he continues to tax and spend in DC?

All Laffey has to do is lay out his plans, competence and experience and Linc will fold like a wet deck of cards.

Here's another newsflash - watch the perceived 30 point lead erode throughout the debates and then crater once Laffey beats Chafee. RIers will be smart enough to see that Linc and Shellie are one in the same. Then they can share their juleps at the yacht club and talk about would've, could've, should've, while Laffey actually goes to work for his constituents!

Dear Greg,

EVery time I hear him, and he does have an office here, it's a stream of conciousness adventure into the void. I understand some of the Laffey op research people are complaining that when Chaffee is finished speaking, they're not sure they can understand their own notes.

Hi!
Will Gen Centracchio debate "Kerry King" or will he be able to avoid denates?I am a King supporter.
Regards,
Scott