September 7, 2000
Myers
and Giardina get opposite receptions from Underwood, Wise
by
The Associated Press
CHARLESTON
(AP) -- Third-party gubernatorial candidates Denise Giardina and Bob
Myers won't be patching up their differences with Bob Wise anytime
soon.
Giardina
and Myers issued a personal invitation Wednesday to the Democratic
nominee to join them in a series of debates. A campaign spokesman
for U.S. Rep Wise, D-W.Va., responded by asking the two candidates
to hand-deliver a message to Gov. Cecil Under wood asking him for
more one-on-one debates.
''Since you
seem to have more rapport with (Underwood) than we do, would you please
carry this message back to him,'' Wise spokesman Mike Plante said
to Giardina and Myers.
''We want
more one-on-one debates,'' Plante said.
Giardina,
an Independent, said any rapport she has with Underwood is based on
the governor's willingness to debate all candidates. She and Myers,
a Libertarian, have been frustrated by Wise's insistence that he should
debate only Underwood, not third-par ty candidates.
Giardina,
Myers and several followers visited Wise's and Underwood's campaign
headquarters Wednesday, presenting campaign officials with an invitation
to participate in six scheduled debates at colleges across West Virginia.
The debates
should also include Natural Law Party candidate Russell Ashelman,
Giardina and Myers said. Ashelman has said he wants to participate
in all gubernatorial debates.
Underwood
spokesman Rob Blackstone greeted Wednesday's entourage cordially.
The governor intends to participate in one of the debates, Oct. 26
at Fairmont State College, and will see if he can fit other debates
into his schedule, Blackstone said.
The meeting
lasted less than five minutes.
But Giardina
and Myers were given a different reception after walking the four
blocks from Underwood's to Wise's headquarters.
Plante told
Giardina and Myers he would pass the invitation along to Wise. But
he also said Wise is scheduled to join Underwood, Giardina and Myers
in an Oct. 15 League of Women Voters debate and that Wise participated
in an August 18 forum in Wheeling t hat included the four candidates.
Giardina
said Wise is talking in generalities about prescription drugs and
other issues. ''We would like to have a real substantive debate,''
Giardina said.
Myers said
Wise is ''hiding behind the Democratic majority.''
''You are
the problem. The third parties may offer a solution,'' he said.
Myers called
the meeting with Plante ''confrontational, but fun.''
