Renzi no shows again
In what seems to be a regular pattern for Renzi (he has missed four occassions to answer questions and ‘face-off’ with Paul Babbitt according to news reports, five according to the press release on Babbitt’s web site) an empty chair was all that was available at the Northern Arizona Interfaith Council’s Interfaith Accountability Forum in Camp Verde on October 17th. This despite the Council’s claims that they had worked for months around everyone’s schedule, Babbitt and Renzi specifically.
Based upon what I have seen and heard, Renzi only shows up to the ’soft’ events. Events where he isn’t expected to be asked any hard questions and the crowd is full of supporters. Instead of a debate showing earlier this month, he was at a tailgate party for NAU homecoming. Instead of this forum, he was (allegedly) on the Navajo Reservation. Instead of being at a candidates forum in August, put on by the Mexican American Council (I’m sure that I have the name of this organizing group wrong- someone please send me a correction) an empty chair again. This particular forum included candidates for local offices from Sheriff to County Board of Supervisors to President of the United States. While neither Presidential candidate was present, the Democratic party sent a spokesperson to present Kerry’s case. Paul Babbitt’s wife substituted for Paul.
